Japan-founded science and technology venture Leave a Nest Group plans to increase its investment in Malaysia to about US$10 million (RM39.2 million), supporting around 50 local startups over the next five years.
The amount is up from its current RM19 million investment across 18 Malaysian startups.
Leave a Nest Malaysia managing director Abdul Hakim Sahidi said the group focuses on early-stage startups, particularly those emerging from universities, and helps them expand regionally and into Japan.
He said the group also brings in technologies from Japan and Europe to co-develop solutions with local talent, especially in areas such as healthcare, agriculture and robotics.
Leave a Nest founder and group CEO Dr Yukihiro Maru said Malaysia serves as a key base for expanding innovation across Southeast Asia, with the group also aiming to help at least one Malaysian startup list publicly within the next three years.
He added that Leave a Nest, which operates globally, has already supported several startups in Japan that have gone public and continues to expand its innovation ecosystem across multiple markets.
