Malaysia
Cradle Fund is intensifying efforts to help Malaysian startups expand into the Japanese market through a structured internationalisation initiative focused on partnerships, investments and long-term commercial growth opportunities.The programme, anchored around the recently concluded SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, reflects Malaysia’s broader ambition to position its startup ecosystem more competitively on the global stage.
As Malaysia’s focal agency for early-stage startups, Cradle participated in the mission together with Artem Ventures under the Japan Post-Accelerator: Market Access Program, a flagship component of Cradle’s Global Market Access (GMA) initiative.
Unlike conventional overseas startup showcases that focus primarily on networking and visibility, the programme was designed to help startups secure tangible business outcomes such as partnerships, pilot projects and investments.
According to Cradle, nearly 80 per cent of the preparation work was completed before participating startups arrived in Japan. This included startup selection, market readiness assessments, pitch refinement, business strategy development and early engagement with Japanese investors and corporates.
The Tokyo immersion programme featured curated pitching sessions, focused networking engagements and one-on-one meetings with potential investors and strategic partners.
Participating startups will continue to receive six months of post-programme support through October 2026 as Cradle and its ecosystem partners work to facilitate follow-up discussions and commercial opportunities.
The mission also highlighted investor engagement through Cradle’s participation in a global healthcare investment panel at the Investor Stage of SusHi Tech Tokyo. The discussion brought together industry leaders including Nurshaffira Izzad, Oscar Moralez, Yumiko Oka, Deborah Magid and Ryoko Manabe to discuss global healthcare investment trends and cross-border innovation opportunities.
The Malaysian delegation featured startups operating across sectors including healthtech, artificial intelligence, sustainability, education, enterprise technology and advanced materials.
Among the participating startups were Sono Holding, PEEK, PlusVibes, CourtIQ, CitySage, Service4U, Midwest Composites, Eartheories, Nihongo Asia Academy and Remote Work Malaysia.
Several startups secured early milestones during the mission. CitySage signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Eight Knot during the MDEC/SIDEC Malaysia Networking Event at SusHi Tech Tokyo on April 28, 2026. Supported by Mitsubishi Corporation, the collaboration will explore smart water mobility solutions and expansion opportunities in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Nihongo Asia Academy signed a Letter of Intent with LabBase Japan on April 27, 2026.
Beyond pitching activities, Cradle also engaged with organisations including JETRO and CIC Tokyo, along with major Japanese corporates such as KDDI, NTT, Tokyo Gas, Rohto Pharmaceutical, Mitsubishi Estate and Honda Xcelerator Ventures.
The delegation also visited Leave a Nest, a leading Japanese deep-tech ecosystem builder, to explore opportunities in research partnerships, pilot projects and market-entry support.
Cradle said the initiative represents a broader shift towards execution-driven international expansion strategies where success is measured not by visibility alone, but through concrete commercial outcomes and long-term partnerships.
More information about future global expansion programmes is available through Cradle’s official channels. For founders interested in future global expansion programmes, more information is available here: https://forms.gle/nR938JsiKEJvzQH26
