Malaysia Launches BIG 2.0 to Link Startups With Corporate Technology Adoption

A revamped RM15 million programme aims to turn corporate demand into real market access for startups

Malaysia has rolled out BIG 2.0, a RM15 million initiative aimed at strengthening innovation inside large organisations and deepening collaboration with startups. The programme, previously known as Bengkel Inovasi GLC, is overseen by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, with implementation led by Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd.

The relaunch comes as Malaysia looks to close a long-standing gap between innovation creation and enterprise adoption. While startups have continued to build solutions across AI, automation, and digital infrastructure, adoption by large organisations has often lagged, limiting productivity gains and slowing the scale-up of local technology companies.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said the country must move faster in translating innovation into real business use to stay competitive. He stressed that corporate innovation matters because large companies control supply chains, purchasing decisions, and market access.

“When corporates move slowly, innovation stalls. When they lead, entire ecosystems accelerate,” Chang said at the Corporate Innovation Forum organised by Cradle.

His remarks reflect a broader policy view that startups alone cannot drive systemic change unless large enterprises actively absorb and deploy new technologies.

Breaking procurement and risk bottlenecks

Chang acknowledged that traditional corporate procurement and risk frameworks were built for stability, not speed. In a fast-moving technology environment, these systems often delay decisions and trap innovation in extended pilot phases.

According to the minister, clearer risk-sharing structures and earlier engagement with startups are helping corporates move beyond proof-of-concept projects. Discussions around deployment models and intellectual property are increasingly happening upfront, allowing faster decisions and smoother scaling.

Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong said Malaysia must start viewing itself as a technology-driven economy rather than one reliant on labour-intensive growth.

He noted that policy thinking is shifting toward how widely technology can be adopted across industries, how affordable it can be made, and how quickly it can be deployed at scale. BIG 2.0 fits into this narrative by pushing corporates to act as adopters and enablers, not just observers.

How BIG 2.0 works

BIG 2.0 is structured as a 12-month execution-focused programme that takes corporate innovation from problem identification through to real-world deployment. Rather than supporting standalone pilots, the programme is designed to turn clearly defined corporate needs into market-ready solutions delivered with startups.

The programme operates through two complementary tracks, allowing flexibility based on the maturity of available solutions:

• Corporate–startup partnership track
  This track supports corporates that are ready to pilot and adopt existing startup technologies. Startups gain access to live enterprise environments, while corporates test solutions against real operational requirements, with the aim of moving beyond proof-of-concept stages into adoption.
  
• Corporate co-development track
  For problem areas where suitable solutions do not yet exist, this track enables joint development between corporates and startups. Both parties collaborate from early design through deployment, aligning product development with enterprise needs from the outset.
  

To support execution, each selected corporate can receive matching grants of up to RM2 million, which can be used for solution development, validation, and live implementation. By combining funding with structured facilitation and access to Cradle’s ecosystem, BIG 2.0 aims to shorten decision cycles and reduce the risks that often slow corporate technology adoption.

What BIG 1.0 revealed

Early results from BIG 1.0 highlight why the programme has been expanded. Several government-linked companies moved beyond pilots into live operations. Malaysia Aviation Group deployed an AI-based airport turnaround management system to improve on-time performance, while CelcomDigi developed smart warehousing solutions using IoT and robotics.

According to Cradle Group CEO Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, once fully commercialised and scaled, these innovations could unlock up to RM1 billion in long-term value, underscoring the economic upside of faster corporate adoption.

Why this matters for startups and investors

For startups, BIG 2.0 provides more than capital by opening doors to real enterprise settings where products can be tested, deployed, and commercialised. For investors, the programme helps surface startups that are capable of meeting corporate requirements around stability, security, and scale.

More broadly, BIG 2.0 signals a shift in Malaysia’s innovation strategy — from encouraging experimentation to demanding execution.

BIG 2.0 reflects a growing recognition that innovation policy must move beyond supporting startups in isolation. By pushing corporates to open their doors and absorb new technologies, Malaysia is addressing one of the hardest problems in innovation ecosystems: turning good ideas into scaled impact.

Whether BIG 2.0 succeeds will depend on how willing corporates are to change internal processes and commit leadership attention. If it works, the programme could help reposition Malaysia as a market where startups do not just build solutions — they deploy them at scale.

Quick Takeaways

• BIG 2.0 is a RM15 million programme aimed at speeding up corporate adoption of new technologies by linking large companies directly with startups.
  
• The initiative shifts Malaysia’s innovation focus from pilot projects to real deployment, addressing long-standing delays in enterprise adoption.
  
• Corporates can choose between adopting existing startup solutions or co-developing new technologies, depending on their needs.
  
• Each participating corporate is eligible for matching grants of up to RM2 million to support development, validation, and live implementation.
  
• For startups and investors, BIG 2.0 offers access to real enterprise environments, creating clearer paths to scale and commercial traction.