By: Jotham Lim

Hong Leong Group has announced the launch of Malaysian first ever innovation exchange, the HLX, to expand and grow the local startup scene and promote the adoption of the latest technologies available on the market. Gracing the event with his presence was The Minister of Communications and Multimedia, YB Gobind Singh Deo.

 

The HLX will be an integrated innovation centre that houses both large corporations and local start-up communities, spanning over 250,000sqft of space located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It features a start-up zone with co-working spaces, an auditorium, onsite Makers Lab, restaurants, a gym, and also a supercomputer as well.

 

The stakeholders involved are not restricted to just startups. Corporations, Venture Capitalists (VC), angel investors, mentoring and technological partners and advisors, business accelerators and external corporations all play a vital role in the start-up ecosystem.

 

HLX is positioning itself to focus more on the sectors involving Artificial Intelligence, High-Performance Computing, fintech and manufacturing tech.

 

During the soft launch, Group Managing Director of GuocoLand Malaysia, Datuk Edmund Kong said “Building on the foundation of our strong entrepreneurial roots, the Hong Leong Group has always focused on nurturing innovation.

 

The creation of HLX is a step in this direction, which stems from our commitment to hone the potential of the start-up ecosystem in Malaysia, so that it reaps rewards for the economy and society at large.”

 

Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) will serve as a strategic partner in this initiative, marrying both the public and private sector’s involvement in this project. Surina Shukri, CEO of MDEC said, “To build a thriving entrepreneurial network may be a daunting task, that is why it has to be a collaborative effort. This partnership with HLX is a testament to the potential of what a Private-Public Partnership (PPP) looks like and can one day achieve.”

 

The HLX will be developed in phases and will expect full operational readiness by the year 2020.