MIRI: The Sarawak Youth StartUP (SYStartUP) programme continues to grow as a key platform in empowering young entrepreneurs across Sarawak.

The Meet & Greet session held here on Friday, attended by Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports & Entrepreneur Development (Entrepreneurship Development), Datuk Ripin Lamat, served as a platform to assess the progress of participants and outline the future direction of the programme.

The session focused on the current progress of SYStartUP Cohort 1 participants, who are now in a critical phase of developing their businesses.

With the restructuring of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED), support for young entrepreneurs has become more effective, particularly in areas such as business registration and contractor certification, which are key needs for the participants.

In addition to the monitoring session, an open dialogue was held to discuss the challenges and issues faced by young entrepreneurs.

During the event, Datuk Ripin also announced that SYStartUP will be opening an office in Kuching, which will serve as a one-stop centre for participants to receive guidance, technical support, and business networking opportunities.

"This initiative is expected to enhance the effectiveness of the programme in helping young entrepreneurs grow and compete in the marketplace," he said.

In a positive development, Miri has been selected as the next location for the SYStartUP programme, expanding its benefits to more young entrepreneurs in northern Sarawak.

This is in line with the programme’s goal of producing more competitive young entrepreneurs and strengthening the state's entrepreneurial industry.

The next session is scheduled to take place on March 24, 2025 in the Sri Aman and Betong Zones, followed by the Central Zone covering Sibu, Sarikei, Kapit, and Mukah, before concluding in the Kuching Zone, which will coincide with an Aidilfitri gathering for SYStartUP participants.

With continued support from the government and stakeholders, SYStartUP is poised to bring about greater transformation in the local entrepreneurial landscape, positioning Sarawak as a progressive and thriving hub for youth entrepreneurship. -UKASnews