FAQs
Frequently asked questions
About ScaleX
ScaleX is a nationally aligned AgrifoodTech scale-up platform designed to accelerate high-potential companies through investment readiness development, strategic ecosystem engagement, deployment opportunities, and regional market expansion pathways.
The programme brings together founders, investors, ecosystem leaders, corporates, government agencies, and international experts to support the next generation of scalable and investable AgrifoodTech and sustainability-driven ventures.
ScaleX is officially endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) as Programme Endorser and National Policy Anchor, and supported by Securities Commission Malaysia as Strategic Pipeline Partner.
The programme is developed by Impact Circle and co-delivered together with Naked Innovations (Spain), Giga Futures (Switzerland), Sirius Impact (Singapore), and Innovate 360 (Singapore & Thailand).
ScaleX is a venture building programme designed to support high-potential agrifoodtech companies, strengthen operational readiness, accelerate market adoption, build strategic partnerships, and prepare for regional growth and long-term scalability.
ScaleX focuses strongly on bridging innovation, investment, and real-world deployment to support the sustainable growth of AgrifoodTech, FoodTech, Biotech, ClimateTech, Sustainability, and DeepTech companies across the region.
Aligibility and application
ScaleX welcomes high-potential companies operating across the broader AgrifoodTech ecosystem, including:
- Agritech
- FoodTech
- Biotech
- ClimateTech in Agrifood
- Sustainability-driven Agrifood solutions
- DeepTech in Agrifood
- Smart agriculture and precision farming
- Alternative protein and future food innovation
- Circular economy and resource optimisation solutions
- Supply chain and food systems innovation
The programme is designed for scalable and innovation-driven companies that are addressing real-world challenges across food systems, agriculture, sustainability, climate resilience, nutrition security, and supply chain transformation.
Priority will be given to companies with:
- Existing market traction
- Revenue generation or commercial deployment
- Scalable business models
- Strong founder commitment
- Regional expansion potential
- Interest in fundraising and investment readiness
The 2026 intake prioritises companies from:
- GrowMatch 2024 & 2025 cohorts
- ECF and P2P issuers (MyCIF recipients preferred)
- Impact Ventures Network (IVN)
- Companies nominated by strategic ecosystem partners and collaborating organisations
ScaleX is a scale-up platform specifically curated for companies that have already moved beyond the initial startup phase and are demonstrating commercial traction, operational capability, and growth potential.
The programme is intended primarily for companies with:
- Existing market validation
- Commercial deployment or customer traction
- Established operational capabilities
- Investment and expansion readiness
- Consistent revenue performance, typically averaging between RM3 million to RM5 million and above
As ScaleX focuses heavily on investment readiness, regional expansion, deployment opportunities, and strategic business acceleration, participating companies are expected to already possess a certain level of operational maturity and scalability potential.
Participation is limited to:
- Founders only
- Maximum two (2) representatives per company
Yes.
Applications close on:
17 June 2026 (Wednesday), 11:59 PM (GMT+8)
Once your application is submitted:
- Applications will undergo an initial screening and evaluation process
- Shortlisted companies may be invited for an interview session
- Final selected companies will receive an official confirmation email
Shortlisted companies will undergo a structured evaluation and interview process between:
18-22 June 2026
The evaluation and assessment process will be conducted by independent evaluators appointed by ScaleX to ensure a fair, professional, and objective selection process.
Assessment criteria may include:
- Commercial traction and business viability
- Scalability potential
- Innovation and differentiation
- Founder capability and commitment
- Market opportunity
- Investment readiness
- Strategic alignment with the objectives of ScaleX
Final selection decisions will be based on the overall evaluation outcome and programme fit.
Official confirmation will be issued on:
23 June 2026
Founder onboarding process
Selected founders will go through the Founder Onboarding Process, which includes:
- Official acceptance confirmation
- Submission of company profile and supporting documents
- Participation agreement acknowledgement
- Founder briefing and orientation
- Scheduling and coordination for programme participation
- Exhibition and pitching preparation
- Advisory and business support alignment process
Applicants may be required to submit:
- Company profile
- Company logo
- Founder name and contact details
- Financial information
- Revenue and business performance data
- Audited accounts (required)
- Pitch deck
- Company registration documents
- Relevant certifications or IP documentation (if applicable)
All submitted information will be treated with confidentiality and used solely for programme evaluation, investment readiness facilitation, and ecosystem engagement purposes.
Yes.
ScaleX recognises the sensitivity of founder and company information. All submitted materials are intended strictly for programme assessment, internal evaluation, strategic engagement, and investor facilitation purposes.
Founders are encouraged not to disclose proprietary trade secrets beyond what is necessary for evaluation purposes.
No payment or upfront fee is required during the application and evaluation stage of the ScaleX programme.
Certain programme components are subsidised by ecosystem partners.
However:
Exhibition participation costs at FDM by SIAL (RM7,000, Matrade MDG claimable RM5,000 for Malaysian incorporated company) and MAHA (RM5,000) are to be borne by participating companies.
Travel and accommodation are generally borne by participating companies unless otherwise specified
Additional optional activities or international missions may involve separate participation fees
ScaleX is a highly curated venture building and scale-up platform involving extensive ecosystem engagement, strategic business support, investor readiness development, showcase opportunities, and deployment preparation activities.
Yes. Foreign companies are welcome to apply for ScaleX.
During the application process, foreign applicants are required to submit the legal company registration documents from their country of origin as part of the supporting documentation.
Supporting documents relating to the legally registered company should be submitted via email to: connect@scalexasia.com
Upon submission, foreign companies will undergo the same evaluation and assessment process as all other applicants, including the independent selection assessment conducted by appointed evaluators of ScaleX.
If the company is successfully selected and its participation in ScaleX is officially confirmed, the company will be required to establish a locally incorporated Malaysian entity for programme participation, investment facilitation, deployment opportunities, and operational purposes where applicable.
The ScaleX Secretariat will support and guide participating foreign companies by connecting them with appointed company secretaries and relevant professional support services to facilitate the setting up of the locally incorporated Malaysian company.
Programme structure
ScaleX includes:
- Masterclass Programme
- Investment Readiness Development
- Investor Roundtable
- Investment Clinic
- Advisory & Business Support
- Showcase & Pitching Opportunities
- Strategic Networking Sessions
- Corporate & Ecosystem Engagement
The programme covers five core modules during the course of 5 days from 6-10 July 2026.:
Module 1
Cross-Border Growth Strategies
Module 2
Business Model Refinement
Module 3
Impact Measurement & ESG Positioning
Module 4
Financial Intelligence & Investment Readiness
Module 5
Channel Marketing, Branding & Strategic Storytelling
Yes.
Selected companies are expected to commit fully to:
- Programme sessions
- Workshops
- Roundtables
- Clinics
- Showcase activities
- Pitching opportunities
ScaleX is a highly curated programme and full participation is expected from all selected founders.
Investment and showcase opportunities
ScaleX does not guarantee investment.
However, the programme is designed to strengthen investment readiness and facilitate strategic exposure to:
- Venture capital firms
- Corporate investors
- Angel investors
- Government-linked funding agencies
- Strategic partners
- Financial institutions
Yes.
Selected companies may be invited to:
- Closed-door investor roundtables
- Showcase pitching sessions
- Corporate engagement sessions
- Industry exhibitions and ecosystem showcases
Yes.
Selected companies are expected to participate in:
- FDM by SIAL 2026 Showcase
- MAHA 2026 Showcase
These platforms are important ecosystem visibility and deployment opportunities for participating founders.
2 July 2026
Masterclass Programme
6 – 10 July 2026
Investor Roundtable
13 July 2026
Investment Clinic
14 July 2026
FDM by SIAL Showcase
22 July 2026
MAHA Showcase
30 August 2026
Avisory & business support
Yes.
ScaleX includes curated access to:
- Industry advisors
- Investment professionals
- Corporate leaders
- Domain experts
- Strategic ecosystem advisors
Business advisory support may continue beyond the programme depending on strategic alignment and follow-up opportunities.
International and ecosystem opportunities
Yes.
One of ScaleX’s core objectives is to support:
- ASEAN market access
- Strategic partnerships
- Cross-border collaborations
- International deployment opportunities
- Investor and ecosystem connectivity
Yes.
ScaleX actively facilitates engagement with:
- Corporates
- Government agencies
- Financial institutions
- Research organisations
- International ecosystem partners
- Industry associations
Living Lab and deployment opportunities
One of the key differentiators of ScaleX is its focus on real-world deployment and implementation opportunities through both State Living Labs and Corporate Living Labs.
The Living Lab initiative is designed to provide participating companies with practical pathways to:
- Deploy and activate technologies in real operational environments
- Build deployment case studies
- Engage directly with industry stakeholders
- Accelerate commercial adoption and market access
- Gain access to testing, validation, and scaling facilities
- Access technical experts, industry specialists, and domain advisors to support deployment and commercialisation efforts
State Living Labs are deployment collaborations facilitated together with state governments, agencies, municipalities, farming communities, and ecosystem partners.
These Living Labs aim to create real implementation environments for participating companies across sectors such as:
- Smart agriculture
- Food systems innovation
- Climate resilience
- Sustainable farming
- Supply chain optimisation
- Circular economy solutions
- Community food security initiatives
Selected companies are considered for pilot opportunities, ecosystem integration, or strategic deployment projects depending on suitability and alignment.
Corporate Living Labs are industry-driven open innovation platforms designed to connect ScaleX companies directly with corporates seeking innovation solutions, technology adoption, sustainability transformation, and strategic collaboration opportunities.
ScaleX has already secured collaboration commitments from 10+ global corporate companies to participate in the Corporate Living Lab and Open Innovation initiative.
These engagements are expected to commence during the first quarter of 2027 and may include:
- Pilot deployments
- Proof-of-concept projects
- Open innovation challenges
- Corporate partnership opportunities
- Commercial collaboration pathways
- Procurement and supply chain integration opportunities
Participation in Living Lab opportunities will be based on strategic fit, readiness level, operational capability, and corporate or state deployment requirements.
Program timeline & implementation phases
ScaleX is structured as a multi-phase scale-up and deployment platform designed to support participating companies beyond short-term training engagements.
The programme consists of three key implementation phases:
Phase 1: Capacity Building & Investment Readiness
July – August 2026
This phase focuses on strengthening the foundational capabilities of participating companies through:
- Masterclass programmes
- Investment readiness development
- Business refinement
- Strategic positioning
- Investor engagement preparation
- Showcase and pitching opportunities
- Strategic ecosystem exposure
This phase includes the official ScaleX programme activities taking place between July and August 2026.
Phase 2: Venture Building & Strategic Follow-Through
September – December 2026
Following the initial capacity-building phase, participating companies will continue to receive strategic business support and ecosystem engagement through:
- Business advisory support
- Investor follow-up engagements
- Strategic partnership facilitation
- Corporate linkage opportunities
- Market access support
- Expansion and deployment preparation
- Open innovation matching
This phase is intended to strengthen commercial readiness and prepare companies for potential deployment and scaling opportunities.
Phase 3: Real-World Deployment & Living Labs
January – June 2027
The final phase focuses on real-world deployment opportunities through:
- State Living Labs
- Corporate Living Labs
- Pilot implementation projects
- Open innovation collaborations
- Proof-of-concept deployments
- Commercial adoption pathways
- Ecosystem integration opportunities
This deployment phase is designed to accelerate actual implementation and market integration for selected companies within operational environments together with corporate and ecosystem partners.
The Corporate Living Lab and Open Innovation engagements involving participating corporate partners are expected to commence during the first quarter of 2027.
General inquiries