Kidpreneurs pitch for funding at Malaysia’s biggest program for young entrepreneurs

A business pitch is nerve-wrecking for most people if clips of Shark Tank are any example. However, for the young entrepreneurs at Goodday KidSTART 2.0, Malaysia’s biggest kidpreneur program, it was an opportunity to learn and see their ideas come to life.

Goodday KidSTART 2.0 ran from 4th March to 23rd June 2024, featuring a series of online webinars, school activations and a rigorous selection process that culminated in a 2-day comprehensive workshop on June 29th.

The workshop equipped the top 20 kidpreneurs with essential skills such as Business Models, Design Thinking, Effective Presentation, Creative Problem-Solving, and Environmental Entrepreneurship. This gives the kidpreneurs a better financial understanding and the knowledge and skills needed to refine and
present their business ideas on the 30th of June before the judges.

9-year-old kidpreneur Lee Yumi won RM20,000 for her bus system idea

With a total funding pool of RM60,000 up for grabs, the eager contestants pitched their proposals to a panel of judges, including Dato’ Dr. Hartini Zainuddin from Yayasan Chow Kit, Dr. Aaron Sum from Alliance Bank, Shahmeez Reza, Senior Manager of Etika Trade Marketing and Marketing Services, and Chen Chow Yeoh, Angel Investor.

Their combined expertise and diverse backgrounds not only provided invaluable insights and guidance to the participants, but also ensured a comprehensive evaluation.

9-year-old Lee Yumi secured the top spot after wowing the judges and audience with her ‘OnBoard: School Bus System’, bringing home RM20,000. Yumi’s idea came from being stuck in traffic on the way to school each day:

“This application was created to encourage students to use school bus services as it can help reduce traffic.

Thank you to my parents who have greatly helped in inspiring this idea because without them I might not be able to present the idea in detail in front of the judges. I also want to thank Goodday Milk for giving me the opportunity to present my idea.”

– Lee Yumi

Here’s the full list of winning kidpreneurs:

• Lee Yumi (9) – OnBoard: School Bus System [1st place]
• Muhammad Basyeer Bin Mohamed Ackiel Mohamed (12) – The Academy of Future: Peer to Peer Learning Coding & Robotics [2nd place]
• Lim Zhi Fung (9) – MindACT: ACTor Program [3rd place]
• Alea Dalil binti Mohd Khairil Azhan (12) – Most Innovative Idea
• Olivia Leong Yue Shuen (11) – Most Sustainable Idea
• Kaviesha Abishri A/P Shathya Kugan (12) – Best Presenter, above 10
• Chong Ruyi (10) – Best Presenter, 10 & below
• Elsa Khaw Wen Qing (9) – Rising Star Award, sponsored by Alliance Bank

In addition, Goodday Milk included a new award to encourage participation this year – the Schools With Highest Participants award – which comes with a prize of RM10,000 for the top spot.

This was won by SJK (C) Puay Chai, with an impressive 478 entries with 3 students shortlisted in the Top 20. Olivia Leong Yue Shuen, recipient of the Most Sustainable Award is a student of SJK (C) Puay Chai and was cheered on by Headmistress Yeoh Li Choo, who appeared during the grand finale to support her students in person.

Goodday KidSTART gives kids an early start at financial literacy

Endorsed by the Ministry of Education with Alliance Bank as the Official Bank Partner, Goodday KidSTART garnered over 4,000 submissions from 141 schools nationwide. The campaign’s success was bolstered by on-ground roadshows covering the Central, South, and North regions, complemented by two online webinars.

The initiative aims to raise awareness and promote better financial literacy among the younger generation, equipping them with the basics to develop strong money habits early.

For more information about Goodday KidSTART 2.0 and upcoming initiatives, follow Goodday Milk Malaysia on Facebook and Instagram for updates.