From left: Bridge Song, Vice President, Alibaba Cloud International; YB Tuan Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital Malaysia; Kun Huang, General Manager of South APAC, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. Photo credit: Alibaba Group

This week, Alibaba Cloud plans to train and certify more than 500 startups in Malaysia as part of a digital accelerator program.

In other news, Southeast Asia-focused e-commerce platform Lazada held its inaugural Seller Summit 2024 to celebrate the outstanding performances of sellers in the Malaysian market.

Alibaba Cloud Rolls Out Digital Accelerator Program to Boost AI Adoption in Malaysia

Alibaba Cloud announced this week the launch of a digital accelerator program to boost artificial intelligence and tech literacy in Malaysia.

As part of the program, Alibaba Cloud aims to train and certify more than 500 startups in Malaysia by the end of 2025 with the potential to receive up to $120,000 in funding and resources to support their digitalization efforts.

“As a leading cloud service provider, Alibaba Cloud is actively fostering a digital transformation ecosystem that will pave the way for the nation’s digital roadmaps,” said Kun Huang, General Manager of South APAC, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.

The platform also vowed to build an AI-driven ecosystem in the country, with a plan to assist 1,000 small and medium-sized enterprises with their digitalization journey together with over 50 independent software vendors.

Nurturing homegrown digital talents is another important pillar of the program. Since 2017, Alibaba Cloud has trained over 20,000 people with the latest cloud computing know-how.

To further the initiative, Alibaba Cloud also announced that it plans to establish Alibaba Cloud Academy Skills Centers in at least five universities in Malaysia by 2025 and provide digital training for over 10,000 students in rural communities covering Selangor, Johor, Penang, Sarawak, and Sabah.

Lazada Sellers Recognized at Award Ceremony

Over 1,000 sellers gathered this week to celebrate their achievements at the  Lazada Seller Summit 2024, held in Kuala Lumpur on July 29.

More than 40 local and international brands received awards for their chart-topping performances in categories including fashion, electronics and groceries.

Nike won Most Innovative Brand of the Year and Lululemon won Most Loved Sportswear Brand Partner, while homegrown brands like cup and tumbler maker Montigo and healthcare company Neutrovis earned Most Loved Lifestyle Brand Partner and Most Loved Home-Grown Brand Partner, respectively.

“We are thrilled to witness the remarkable success and innovation showcased by our sellers at the Lazada Seller Summit 2024,” said Lazada Malaysia CEO Kaya Qin in a statement.

In addition to accolades, attendees took part in a full-day line-up of panel discussions, workshops and presentations.

“The positive impact and role played by Lazada – a pioneer in this industry – is crucial, as it will give sellers a chance to grow and succeed in e-commerce,” said YB Tuan Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital.

At last count, the platform connects about 160 million active users to over one million sellers each month in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Alibaba’s Immersive Paris Showcase Explores AI-backed Future of Retail

Imagine instantly creating the perfect piece of clothing, makeup or perfume tailored to your complexion, personality and lifestyle.

We’re not there yet, but the AI-powered Alibaba Wonder Avenue exhibition on the Champs-Elysées comes close. Virtual and real worlds collide as visitors create virtual avatars in their likeness and strut a catwalk alongside their digital double.

Experience the showcase for yourself

Alibaba.com Partners with IOC to Encourage Entrepreneurship Among Athletes

B2B e-commerce platform Alibaba.com is joining forces with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to jumpstart the business ambitions of current and former athletes.

The platform will take part in the fourth edition of Athlete365 Business Accelerator, an IOC-led initiative which helps athletes find dual-career and career-transition opportunities.

Alibaba.com aims to train to over 1,000 athletes in the program. Learn how