From a Supported Founder to Supporting Others: Two Days with African Entrepreneurs
Over two days, starting on 3 September, I took part in a JICA training program in Yokohama as a guest speaker and had the opportunity to give a talk to female entrepreneurs from Africa.
The participants were women mainly from French-speaking countries such as Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana. In addition to entrepreneurs, government officials responsible for supporting start-ups in their respective countries joined.
Having completed training in their respective countries, they had come to Japan to learn about the Japanese start-up ecosystem and the mechanisms of government support. They also visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s ‘Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB)’.
During my session, I explained how Bee Informatica came into being and the support we have received to grow our business to date.
Unexpected questions frequently asked by participants
The theme of this lecture was the challenges entrepreneurs face in raising funds and the business models designed to address them.
The questions were much more detailed than I expected.
“What kind of government support did you receive when you started?”
“How did you find pitch competitions?”
“How did you get recognised by investors?”
“What kind of support actually helps a startup grow?”
These questions made me look back at my own journey from a different perspective.
I realised that Bee Informatica has benefited from many forms of support from the Japanese startup ecosystem over the years.
Related article:From Invisible to Investable: What I Learned About Selling Myself and My Ideas
Support Is Not Always About Funding
In Japan, I participated in women entrepreneur programs, accelerator programs, and pitch competitions. I also received support to participate in international exhibitions and business programs overseas through organisations such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and JETRO.
These opportunities took me to places such as Dubai, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia.
The support was not always financial. In many cases, it was access: access to overseas markets, investors, exhibitions, mentors, networks and opportunities to present our business.
Especially in the early stages, when the business is still small, these opportunities matter.
Pitch competitions, for example, were not simply about winning an award. They gave me opportunities to present to investors and people in the startup ecosystem. Over time, those experiences helped create connections that eventually contributed to our VC fundraising.
Seeing Malaysia From the Perspective of a Foreign Founder
Today, I spend my time between Japan and Malaysia, building Bee Informatica while experiencing both startup ecosystems.
In Malaysia, programs such as the Malaysia Tech Entrepreneur Program (MTEP) and MDEC's accelerator initiatives provided me with valuable support as a foreign founder.
At the same time, compared with Japan, Malaysia’s startup ecosystem is still smaller in terms of the number of programs, investors, and opportunities available.
That difference is something I notice more clearly because I have experienced both sides.
Malaysia has its own strengths, particularly in attracting international founders and building a regional business environment. But there is still room for the ecosystem to grow, and I believe international founders can also play a role in that growth.
From Being Supported to Supporting Others
Bee Informatica is helping SMEs in Malaysia take their first steps through its business loan scheme.
Until now, as an entrepreneur, I had been on the ‘receiving end’ of support, but through this talk, I realised that I could become the one providing support.
From now on, I hope to indirectly support entrepreneurs by sharing my experiences in this way.
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