Do you wish to be the next startup founder? Join the MaGIC University Startup Challenge (USC) and get a chance to win cash prizes up to RM10,000 to kickstart the business of your dreams!
If you’re a university student and you always had a startup business idea or solution in making the world a better place, USC is your golden chance to seize that opportunity.
What is USC?
USC 2021 is a six-month virtual startup experience and pitching competition designed for students from institutions of higher learning in Malaysia.
The programme is divided into two tracks: Technology-Driven Track and Impact Driven Track.
What encompasses the technology-driven track? According to MaGIC’s website, the technology-driven track empowers “creativity and innovation in the solution/business idea that leverage technological elements as the enabler in creating an impact to the Malaysian economic development plan”.
It also must be sustainable in terms of financial, productivity, value and impact creation.
As for impact-driven track, the solution/business idea must have “the social and/or environmental mission and impact in making our world a better place.”
Apart from being impactful, it must be scalable and sustainable in terms of financial, productivity, value and impact creation.
If you’re currently in any active university projects that involves solutions, products and/or services that are in any type of industry that calls for technology, creativity and innovation, and/or creates social and environmental impact, this is good news for you!
Sign up now to join USC and win the chance to make your business dreams coming true.
Still thinking whether to join the challenge? Here are five reasons why you should join USC:
Reason #1: Gain first-hand experience in startups
You will gain first-hand experience through six content modules:
- Ideation
- Validation
- Go to market
- MVP / Prototype development
- Financial
- Pitching
Reason #2: Gain life advice and guidance straight from the experts
You will receive continuous free mentoring through the MaGIC Mentorship Programme and also their partners to join advanced programmes and initiatives. Learn from their success and failures as your mentors guide you in building your own startup.
For example, last year, USC had 25 mentors from 17 organisations with more than 240 mentorship hours to help guide the participating students.
Reason #3: Cash prizes to kickstart your business
You also get a chance to win a cash prize up to RM10,000! How cool is that?
Reason #4: Exposure to innovative entrepreneurial mindset and tools
The USC bootcamp will provide you with a free startup toolkit and all the necessary knowledge and skills to be a startup entrepreneur.
Reason #5: Showcase your startup to the ecosystem
Show your idea to the world by gathering your network and collaborate with like-minded individuals.
How does USC work?
To participate in USC, students are required to join USC Bootcamp prior to that. It is a three-day workshop to help participants in executing their ideas using startup tools and models for both Technological and Impact-Driven tracks.
Applicants will be required to undergo USC Idea Camp (two-day classes) before being shortlisted to USC Bootcamp (three-day classes).
Only 80 groups from both tracks will be selected to participate in USC Bootcamp and USC Quest + Mentorship (4 Months).
There will be additional classes, workshops, and sharing sessions during the period of USC Quest + Mentorship.
At the end of this period, only 20 groups from both tracks that complete all the given quests and 10 groups from Wildcard selection will be selected to compete in the demo day to win a cash prize of up to RM10,000 for product and market development.
The USC Bootcamp has four repetitive sessions altogether and that covers Market segmentation, Marketing strategies, Branding, Wireframing design, User journey, Fundamentals of crowdfunding, and Financial forecasting. You may choose any session based on your availability.
Below are the dates for USC Bootcamp:
- Session 1: 11-13 June 2021 (registration closes: 8 June 2021)
- Session 2: 18-20 June 2021 (registration closes: 15 June 2021)
- Session 3: 25-27 June 2021 (registration closes: 22 June 2021)
- Session 4: 2-4 July 2021 (registration closes: 30 June 2021)
After the USC Bootcamp ends, participants are required to complete a few challenges and there will be mentors to guide participants.
Challenges to complete are as follows:
- Quest 1: Develop MVP/ Prototype/ Website
- Quest 2: Do Market validation & submit a Validation report
- Quest 3: Submit demo & Pitching video (5 minutes)
- Quest 4: Complete at least 5 mentoring sessions
- Quest 5: Initiate crowdfunding Campaign
- Quest 6: Complete company incorporation under SSM
Are you up for the challenge? Register your team in USC Bootcamp now at https://www.mymagic.my/usc.
