MDEC opens application for 2024 digital grants in boost to creative firms and MD/MSC status companies

  • Since its launch in 2016, DCG has played a significant role in assisting creative material companies.
  • Up to US$ 230k or 50 % of job prices are available through the Malaysia Digital Catalyst Grant.

Mechamato, created by Animonsta Studios, received a Digital Content Grant in 2019 for the development of the hit series.

Applications for three important grants have been made available for the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation ( MDEC ), an organization that is under the Ministry of Digital Malaysia’s ( MDDE ) control. These include the Digital Content Grant (DCG) for 2024/2025, the Malaysia Digital Catalyst Grant ( MDCG), and the Malaysia Digital Export Grant ( MDXG). These offers, available from 9 Sept, are part of the MADANI government’s continued commitment to improve Malaysia’s modern economy. How much money was given to the three offers, according to MDEC. &nbsp,

Introduced in 2016, &nbsp, MDEC had, up to 2021, approved 94 projects worth US$ 8.38 million ( RM36.4 million ), according to Annuar Musa in June 2022 when he was &nbsp, Minister of Communications and Multimedia. However it should be noted that Annuar’s predecessor, &nbsp, Saifuddin Abdullah, who helmed the role from&nbsp, March 2020 to July 2021, said in June 2021 that US$ 10.82 million ( RM46.99 million ) from the Digital Content Grant had been allocated to&nbsp, 81&nbsp, companies in 2021. The award at that&nbsp, time was not strictly for online companies and formed four categories, namely film grants, documentary film grants, marketing grant, and the TV/OTT Programme grant in particular collaboration with Astro. Saifuddin&nbsp, explained that the Digital Content Grant&nbsp, for 2021 was an improvement of the Malaysian Creative Industry Stimulus Package launched on Feb&nbsp, 5 to ensure the survival&nbsp, of the country’s artistic industry during the Covid-19 crisis.

Animonsta Studios Sdn Bhd, one of the businesses that has benefited from the provides, received one in 2019 for its popular animated series Mechamato, which premiered on Cartoon Network and is currently streaming on Netflix. WAU Animation Sdn Bhd, which received the award in 2018 and 2019 for its Ejen Ali and Ejen Ali Season 2 line, was another victim that parlayed the award into a powerful line. &nbsp, The whole list of consumers since 2016 is available here.

The lead characters from Ejen Ali Season 2.

Digital Content Grant (DCG) 2024/2025

Since 2016, the DCG has been instrumental in supporting Indonesian creative content companies, enabling the development, production, and commercialisation of online content across different sectors, including animation, online games, online comics, and innovative technology.

Three distinct grant categories are included in the DCG 2024/2025, which are intended for different online content producers:

    Mini Grant: This grant is aimed to support the development, production, and commercialisation of digital content products with a ceiling amount of US$ 34, 545 ( RM150, 000 ) per grant recipient.

  1. Prime Grant: This grant supports the development, production, and commercialisation of digital content products, with a ceiling amount of US$ 115, 156 ( RM500, 000 ) per grant recipient.
  2. Selling &amp, Commercialisation Grant: This offer supports commercialising online articles products, with a roof amount of RM300, 000 per give recipient. ]RM1 = US$ 0.230]

Qualified candidates for the Mini Grant include native digital information companies, enterprises, sole proprietorships, partnerships, and limited liabilities partnerships. Prime and Marketing &amp, Commercialisation Grants are available for any local company incorporated in Malaysia with a minimum of 51 % Malaysian, issued share capital of RM20, 000.00 and with the Malaysia Digital ( MD) Status and/or the Multimedia Super Corridor ( MSC ) Status. Details of the full eligibility standards can be found on the website: https ://mdec.my/grants/dcg.

Malaysia Digital Catalyst Grant ( MDCG)

The MDCG offers up to RM1 million or 50 % of job charges, whichever is lower, to drive development in Malaysia’s online business. Focused on fostering scalable, high- impact solutions, the grant supports projects within the Malaysia Digital ( MD) Promoted Sectors for up to one year.

Since 2021, MDCG has been awarded to 59 companies, leading to improvements such as a cloud-based fault management structure and a production resource plan that boosted Small and Medium Enterprises ( SME) activities. These projects highlight digital innovation’s transformative impact on Malaysia’s digital champions.

Malaysia Digital Export Grant ( MDXG )

The MDXG, which also offers up to RM1 million or 50 % of project costs, supports Malaysian companies poised for global expansion through high-value technological activities. With a project life of up to a year, MDXG has helped to expand internationally, including promoting a small, locally owned company with a blockchain-based electric vehicle app in Southeast Asia and deploying 5G network-powered IoT solutions for ATM protection in global markets.

Local or foreign-owned businesses with the MD status are the only ones who can access MDCG and MDXG. Companies who have not yet received the MD designation are encouraged to apply, as it opens the door to a number of strategic advantages.

By securing MD status, companies gain prioritised access to MDEC’s comprehensive support network, greater visibility within the digital economy, and valuable opportunities for collaboration and growth within Malaysia’s forward-looking digital ecosystem.

To provide further information, MDEC will host two briefing sessions for the DCG on 11 and 24 Sept, and three sessions for the MDCG and MDXG on 12 and 18 Sept, and the last one on 2 Oct.

Applications opened yesterday, 9 Sept and will remain open until the funds are fully committed. Interested parties can submit their applications online at https ://malaysiadigital .mdec.my/.