This conference was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 3 & 4 September 2001. The conference was held at the Putra World Trade Centre. The co-hosts of the conference, which is intended to be an annual event, were Digital Hub SDN BHD and Omega Investment Research (Pty) Ltd, the South African SME financial service.

The conference highlighted issues such as:

• Sources of financing for start-up entrepreneurs and SME’s

• Problems facing the commercialisation of research technologies, and the strategies required to counter these problems

• Technologies available for investment

• Alternative sources of financing

• Alternative markets outside of Malaysia for local technologies

• Investment opportunities in South Africa

The conference was opened by the Malaysian Deputy Minister of Science, Technology & Environment, Dato’ Zainal Dahlan. Speakers from South Africa included Mr David Rissik of Corevest, Mr Piet Smith, CEO of Invest North West, and Dr Denis Worrall, Chairman of Omega. The conference also served as the launching pad for the joint Malaysian-South African SME investment fund. The fund is the brainchild of Digital Hub Consulting and Omega, who together have obtained commited funding totalling R 60 million from private equity / venture capital fund managers in both South Africa and Malaysia. 

The funding will be used to invest in Malaysian companies entering the South African market or establishing Malaysian–South African joint ventures in South Africa: and likewise the Malaysian funds will be used to fund South African companies entering the Malaysian market or setting up Malaysian–South African joint ventures in Malaysia.

For further details, contact Ian McLean or Lyndon Worrall of Omega Investment Research at +27 21 689 7881 or omega@mweb.co.za / ianm@omegainvest.co.za

In association with:

WWW.INVESTMENT 
BANK ASIA.COM