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CYBERJAYA: The Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC) will open its door to collaboration with developed countries to create more aspiring entrepreneurs focusing on global innovation and creativity.Its Chairman, Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, said developing partnerships with countries like UK, Singapore, South Korea and US would be an important stepping stone for growth for an entrepreneur.

"Although these nations are far ahead in innovation and creativity, they still want to collaborate with MaGIC, which clearly shows we are capable to create a spark in an entrepreneurial revolution," he told reporters after launching the MaGIC Academy 2015 here Wednesday.

Mohd Irwan, who is also Treasury Secretary-General, said MaGIC would play a major role in launching the four-month Malaysian Accelerator Programme to accelerate a cohort of 75 start-ups from Asean region.

"We firmly believe that local entrepreneurs can benefit from the diverse cohorts and be inspired to capitalise on the large Asean market," he said.

On the the MaGIC Academy, Mohd Irwan said, the four-day symposium, beginning today, would be packed with contents and activities beneficial for aspiring and existing start-ups in the country, targeting job-seekers and social entrepreneurs.

MaGIC Chief Executive Officer, Cheryl Yeoh, said the MaGIC Academy Symposium was organised following the huge success of MaGIC Startup Academy last year, and this year's symposioum would focus on entrepreneurial development and social enterprise.

"Some 3,500 participants will be exposed to knowledge and skills with the objective of expanding the social enterprise ecosystem in Malaysia.

"The symposium will also focus on entrepreneurs' needs such as business model and product development, marketing and operations, finance and funding and talent as well as culture," she said. To-date, Yeoh said, some 16,000 entrepreneurs had been trained since MaGIC was established in 2013.

MaGIC's mission is to catalyse the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Malaysia, bring together the abundant resources from partners and communities alike, and to develop entrepreneurs of enduring high growth start-ups that will make a positive impact at a regional or global scale. – Bernama