KUALA LUMPUR, 11 December 2025 – Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad (BPMB) today hosted the Gemilang SME Pitch Day, bringing together 10 high-potential Bumiputera enterprises to present their refined business strategies, growth plans and investment proposals. The session marks the culmination of the Gemilang SME Programme, a hybrid accelerator delivered by BPMB Dana, the strategic investment arm of BPMB with the support of The Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research (CEDAR), a wholly owned subsidiary of SME Bank.
As one of the early collaborative efforts within BPMB Group, the programme brings together BPMB Dana’s investment and governance expertise with CEDAR’s structured SME development capabilities. It reflects BPMB Group’s strengthened commitment to supporting the SME segment by enhancing the scalability, governance maturity, and long-term resilience of Bumiputera-led businesses.
The Gemilang SME Programme was designed to close common gaps faced by SMEs including governance, access to capital, export readiness and digital scalability through structured masterclasses, coaching and business refinement. Pitch Day serves as the programme’s final evaluation platform, with participating SMEs assessed across financial robustness, market expansion strategies, governance maturity, ESG integration and long-term resilience.
Participating companies may be considered for a potential equity investment of up to RM5 million each, subject to the Bank’s due diligence and investment evaluation process.
Muhammad Azraini Abdul Hamid, Principal Officer, BPMB Dana, said:
“Gemilang SME is about elevating Bumiputera SMEs to become investment-ready, competitive and resilient. These entrepreneurs have put in the work, strengthened their fundamentals and demonstrated real ambition to scale. BPMB is committed to supporting enterprises that have the potential to contribute meaningfully to Malaysia’s growth story.”
Samad Majid Zain, Relief President / Chief Executive Officer, SME Bank, said:
“CEDAR’s role in the Gemilang SME Programme reflects our long-standing commitment to strengthening SME capacity, capability and confidence, through structured coaching, governance enhancement and export-readiness support. As part of the BPMB Group, this collaboration allows us to unlock stronger value synergies to accelerate meaningful growth for Bumiputera enterprises and the broader SME ecosystem.”
The event also provided a platform for SMEs to network with BPMB, CEDAR and ecosystem partners, creating visibility for businesses preparing for their next phase of expansion. The initiative reflects BPMB’s focus on inclusive growth, stronger governance and sustainable business practices in line with national development priorities.
The selected SMEs will be announced following the Bank’s investment assessment process, with subsequent support planned to further strengthen governance, scaling pathways and long-term value creation.
