Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)/ Sole Proprietorships/ Partnerships/ Limited Liability Partnerships that are technology- or innovation-based/related must comply with the following conditions:i. Businesses registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) under the Registration of Businesses Act 1956 and the Partnership Act 1961; orii. Businesses in Sabah and Sarawak registered with the Local Authorities; oriii. Businesses must also be registered with statutory bodies for professional service providers. Applicants must comply with the following conditions:i. Applicants from associations/cooperatives/NGOs/start-up companies/SMEs must be registered/recognized by the Government.ii. Applicants must provide proof of financial capability to support the project cost portion not funded by the grant (e.g., the latest three (3) months’ bank statements).iii. Individual applicants must attach a support letter from a referee (refers to an authorized body or individual). Definition of a Start-up: A technology- or innovation-enabled business at an early stage with a scalable business model and a high-growth strategy. Eligibility criteria for Start-ups:i. Registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM);ii. Majority ownership by Malaysian citizens (>50%);iii. Minimum paid-up capital of RM10,000.00;iv. At least two (2) company directors;v. Technology-based or technology and innovation-related business; andvi. Company operation does not exceed 5 years. For SMEs or Start-ups with less than majority Malaysian ownership (<50%), the following additional criteria must be met:i. The applicant must have at least a proof of concept (POC) or a working prototype;ii. The company must operate in Malaysia; andiii. At least 70% of employees must be Malaysian citizens. For SME applications, the fund is offered as a matching grant where the company must contribute at least 30% (monetary or in-kind) of the total project cost. All applicants must be registered in Malaysia. Only Malaysian citizens can apply and lead the proposed project. Non-Malaysians from international organizations or expatriates may join the project team as team members. Company directors or project team members must not have been convicted of fraud or have their company declared bankrupt, under dissolution, or receivership. A Project Leader may only lead one project under MOSTI approval at any given time. The project team must consist of qualified and competent members in the technical aspects of the entire project. Each team member must submit a clear resume (curriculum vitae) detailing their research field, experience, and accomplishments. If project members are from different institutions, a permission letter from the head of department must be submitted. Applicants may submit multiple applications for different projects provided they have strong human and financial resources. Projects must be implemented in Malaysia. The Project Leader must inform MOSTI if funding has been received from other parties for the same project. Ineligible applications:i. Proposals identical to previously approved and completed projects.ii. Projects related to security and defense enforcement (police and military) will not be funded under this scheme.
Applicants are required to complete the application form along with supporting documents as outlined in Appendix 3 via https://sdb.mosti.gov.my within the stipulated timeframe. Applicants must declare that the submitted project application has not been funded by any other funding entity. Applicants must identify whether the project application contains Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) elements either directly or indirectly. Submitted applications will be reviewed by MOSTI to ensure that the application and accompanying documents are complete and meet the basic eligibility criteria for the AIF application. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant.
Objective The AIF Fund Scheme aims to increase the participation of innovators in innovation activities and to encourage technological innovation in products, processes, systems, or services that have the potential to be commercialised. Scope of Funding G01: Pilot plant/prototype G02: Pre-clinical trials/clinical trials/non-clinical trials/field testing/stress testing/user acceptance testing G03: Intellectual Property (IP) G04: Market study and evaluation G05: Regulatory and standards compliance G06: Specialised services G07: Raw materials/consumables directly related to the project G08: Administration G09: Technology/IP acquisition
Bahagian Dana, Kementerian Sains, Teknologi, & Inovasi (MOSTI) Aras 4, Blok C4, Kompleks C, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, 62662 Putrajaya