MoneyTree AsiaPac

Petaling Jaya, August 11^th, 2009 – MoneyTree conducted its Young Entrepreneur Startup (YES) Challenge “BIG PITCH” event last Saturday at Bangunan Bakti Siti Hasmah, TTDI. The event, which was sponsored by Taylor’s University College, was attended by more than 130 people consisting guests from the media, YES Challenge Partners, YES Challenge Advisory Panel and invited guests.

The “BIG PITCH” is the final stage of the YES Challenge, where the TOP 5 teams are required to present their ideas to a group of more than 100 private investors and pitch for start-up funds amounting to a maximum of RM 25,000 per team to allow their business ideas to take off. This is the first time a crowd – sourcing initiative of this scale has ever been attempted in Malaysia.

Mr Nazrin Hassan, CEO of Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd stated, “Some of the presentations and pitching by these young aspiring entrepreneurs were amazing, and quite a few of them surpassed the quality of those who are pitching for bigger funds in the market. I think MoneyTree has done a great job in setting up this platform to allow Young Aspiring Entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality.”

Dr Sivapalan, Special Advisor to Technopreneur Association Malaysia (TeAM) added, “Looking at the quality of their business ideas, the commitment and hard work they have put in, and the Enthusiasm they have displayed, I must say that my faith in the Malaysian youths has been restored once again.”

Guests can “invest” in the teams by pledging financial support for the new start-ups. Guests were exceedingly enthusiastic about investing in these new, promising start ups, as they now have the opportunity to play the role of Mini – Venture Capitalists. Of the total solicited by the 5 teams, an excess of RM 97,000 in commitment and pledges was secured by the YES Challenge teams during the “BIG PITCH” event, with more pledges coming in by this week.

The TOP 5 teams that pitched for funds during the “BIG PITCH” event are Entrée, TryThisOut!, Student Media, Fitness In Training and Buttered Toast. These teams will now implement their business ideas in the following 15 weeks. At the end of the 15-week period, if their business venture makes profit, or is poised to make profits in the future, they will be flipped over to the next phase, where they would be pitching for a maximum of RM 75,000 to scale their business ideas up. These teams would also be brought on road shows to participating Universities and Colleges to inspire the next generation of Young Entrepreneurs. The aim is to make them the next Malaysian Entrepreneur Idol to serve as role models to the young Aspiring Entrepreneurs.

Participants of the MoneyTree YES Challenge consist of students from more than 10 Universities / Colleges nationwide, which include, among others, Taylor’s University College, Open University Malaysia (OUM), Nilai University College, Kolej IKIP, Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University College, Tunku Abdul Rahman College, University Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Malaya (UM), Nottingham University and many others.

MoneyTree’s event partner, Taylor’s University College provided facilities and financial support for this event to be successfully carried out.

For further information regarding the YES Challenge “BIG PITCH” event and how you can play a role in helping these young aspiring Entrepreneurs launch their business ideas into the market, you can contact uV at uvwong@moneytree.my / +6012 293 5116.

About the MONEYTREE™ YES Challenge:

The MoneyTree YES Challenge is the First and Only Business challenge in Malaysia that requires participants to not only come up with a business idea, submit their executive summaries to a panel of judges, get judged by a group of judges, but to also IMPLEMENT those business ideas by soliciting funds from private investors. Ultimately, if the teams’ business ideas are commercially viable and scalable, they would be channeled to Government Funding to help bring their business to the next level.

MoneyTree Singapore in Partnership with Global Entrepreneurship Week Hosted by NUS Enterprise & ACE.

Wednesday, 24 September 2008, Singapore

MoneyTree Singapore has joined the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GE Week) as a Partner. This international event will see events focusing on developing the Entrepreneurial spirit taking place around the globe. The event will run from 17 to 23 November 2008 will be jointly hosted by NUS Enterprise & Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) in Singapore.

On Tuesday, 18 November 2008, MoneyTree Singapore will be running an Entrepreneurship Workshop on “Are You Too Young to Start Your Own Business?”  This workshop seeks to promote and develop greater interest in Entrepreneurship during the GE Week and aims to assist 30 young adults to have a better understanding of starting their own business. Among topics covered would include examining the various financial assistance available in the market for start ups.

MoneyTree Singapore together with its Malaysian counterparts, MoneyTree Malaysia are both actively involved in the GE Week and have lined up activities in conjunction with this event.

Besides taking part in the GE Week, MoneyTree Singapore is also working with NUS Enterprise on a Business Plan Competition in Brunei. The first prize for this competition which is a $20,000 seed fund, is targeted at youths and adults.

Note to Editors

1.    The MONEYTREE programme is a proprietary programme developed by MoneyTree Singapore Pte. Ltd. with license from MoneyTree Asia Pacific Ltd.  Further information can be obtained from:

MoneyTree Singapore Pte. Ltd. – (MoneyTree Singapore)
Website: www.MoneyTree.Sg    Email: Ryan@MoneyTree.Sg

2.    MONEYTREE is currently being conducted in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong with more centres opening soon in Brunei and Indonesia.

3.    NUS Enterprise was established in 2001 as a University-level cluster to provide an enterprise dimension to NUS teaching and research involving the University’s students, staff and alumni. The functions of the Enterprise Cluster complement the academic cluster of the University to nurture talents with an entrepreneurial and global mindset. NUS Enterprise promotes the spirit of innovation and enterprise through Experiential Education, Industry Engagement and Partnerships and Entrepreneurship Support.
Website: http://www.nus.edu.sg/enterprise

4.    Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) was launched in 26 May 2003 as a national effort to foster Singapore into a creative and entrepreneurial nation where innovation and enterprise can be translated into wealth creation and where diversity of ideas thrives. Entrepreneurship is a key pillar in strengthening Singapore’s economic competitiveness and complements our engines of growth in manufacturing and services.
Website: www.ace.org.sg

5.    Global Entrepreneurship Week (GE Week) is a celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity. The Week will bring together millions of young people across the globe through online and local activities and encourage them to think creatively and unleash their ideas. Through a coordinated effort with many different countries, during one week every year, the world will celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit in hopes of inspiring a new generation of young entrepreneurs.

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MoneyTree Singapore Extend Their Helping Hand to the Less Fortunate.

Thursday, 8 May 2008, Singapore

In line with its mission to provide an opportunity for youths to acquire greater knowledge in Personal Financial Management & Investment, Money Tree Singapore is reaching out to the less fortunate. A Charity Camp will be held on 27 May 2008 at Canossaville Childrens’ Home Singapore. This camp aims to help 25 students from the various homes in Singapore to acquire Financial Knowledge to assist them in planning their own financial future, a course which would normally not be accessible to students in their academic journey.

Besides the Canossaville Childrens’ Home Singapore, Gracehaven – The Salvation Army and Boys Town have agreed to send their youths over to this camp. Rehabilitation coordinators & administrators from both organisations commented that financial knowledge amongst the young is severely lacking and in great need. In light of this, they felt that MoneyTree Singapore’s effort in sponsoring their youths for the camp, is highly commendable

One of the administrators of the home had this to say, “Thank you for your invite to this workshop. I found your proposal interesting, and to be of benefit to the teenagers in my Home.”

MoneyTree Singapore is expecting a few more homes to response to their invitation, and would be working on ensuring a wider reach. This event will be on 27 May 2008, Tuesday from 9.00am to 5.30pm.

Note to Editors

1. The MONEYTREE programme is a proprietary programme developed by MoneyTree Singapore Pte. Ltd. with license from Money Tree Asia Pacific Ltd. Further information can be obtained from:

MoneyTree Singapore Pte. Ltd.
Website: www.moneytree.sg

Email: ryan@moneytree.sg

2. MONEYTREE is currently being conducted in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong with more centres opening soon in Brunei and Indonesia.

3. Canossaville Childrens’ Home Singapore

Canossaville was first established as an orphanage in 1941 with the aim of providing care and attention to male and female orphans. In later years, it became a home for girls from single-parent families and troubled homes.

4. Arrangement for actual day coverage will be arranged from 2.00pm to 5.30pm. Please contact “MoneyTree Singapore Pte. Ltd.” to obtain clearance passes from Canossaville Childrens’ Home Singapore.

Click here to download Press Release