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The Prestigious SME and Entrepreneurs Business Awards (SEBA) is Back

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  • Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia has partnered up with Celcom to revive the country’s SMEs sector following the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Last year’s SEBA saw a total of 55 awards being presented to the outstanding entrepreneurs and busines, including Entrepreneur of the Year, Technopreneur of the Year, Social Entrepreneur of the Year, and Celebrity Entrepreneur of the Year.


Kuala Lumpur, 19th November 2021 – The sixth instalment of SME and Entrepreneurs Business Awards (SEBA), an annual initiative organised by Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia that recognises Malaysia’s most notable companies and entrepreneurs, is back again. Partnering with Celcom this year, Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia is set to host the Awards Gala Night on 9th December 2021, at Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

This partnership between Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia and Celcom marks a new beginning for SEBA. They aim to revive the country’s SME sector following the turbulent period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. SEBA hopes to create a stronger community, more high-quality jobs, and reduce inequality overall to advance Malaysia’s SMEs society towards a brighter future.

Serving as a platform for recognition, networking and continuous growth, SEBA is an effort by Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia that encourages entrepreneurship among the SME community, providing valuable exposure. Celcom remains keenly committed to spur the growth of the SME sector towards a more sustainable path, developing new solutions for business needs and unlocking opportunities. Together, they hope to create an avenue that celebrates achievements and springboard businesses to greater heights.

“We are glad to join hands with Celcom and relaunch businesses towards a brighter future, supporting them from every angle. The business world is rife with competitions growing faster, more innovative, and becoming more adept. With the external challenges that many have had to experience in these trying times, businesses that managed to turn the tide and achieve their vision and mission need to be celebrated and recognised more so now than ever,” said Nitesh Malani, Chairman of Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia.  

Afizulazha Abdullah, Chief Enterprise Business Officer of Celcom Axiata Berhad said, “We are excited and honoured to embark on this journey with Yayasan Usahawan in making SEBA 2021 a success. As the backbone of the Malaysian economy, SMEs must be given all the support, tools, and solutions necessary to sustain and grow their businesses. Through our expertise and technological capacity, Celcom is committed to provide SMEs with the right tools and solutions to support their growth and transformation. Our participation in this prestigious event is also a way for us to extend our reach to the SMEs, and giving entrepreneurs and SMEs the recognition they deserve, especially after overcoming the many unprecedented challenges of this pandemic period.”

Thriving The Waves – Celebrating Changes and Challenges

2020 sees the most significant chaos in this century, and it changed the world in many ways. Entrepreneurs are fully aware that change is inevitable, and one should thrive on the waves as it comes. As a platform built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, SEBA believes in thriving the waves and rising in glory.

The SEBA award is divided into two segments – Entrepreneur Awards and SME, Enterprises & Start-Ups Awards. Among the key categories for the Entrepreneur Awards segment are Most Innovative Entrepreneur, Youth/Rising Entrepreneur, Strategic Entrepreneur, and Leading Entrepreneurs. For the SMEs, Enterprises & Start-Ups Awards segment on the other hand, among the key categories are Premium Top 10, Most Innovative, SME Brand Excellence of the Year, and Best SME/Enterprise.

The award categories are based on the best merit, depending on the accomplishments and track records of the organisation. A jury panel selects these upon a complete audit and review process involving both qualitative and quantitative benchmarks.

Nitesh added, “Thriving The Waves is our theme this year. We believe entrepreneurs are like surfers; we cannot be afraid of the waves. Instead, we must study the change and ride with it. We have had the pleasure of meeting many entrepreneurs who are constantly innovating and improving. Given the challenges many SMEs and entrepreneurs are going through at this moment, it is our mission to continue to inspire and support them in their entrepreneurship journey by providing a robust platform for recognition, networking and continuous growth,”.

With the changing times and the constant drive to adapt and evolve, SEBA is also introducing a new category this year – the Halal-preneur Award. SEBA will be looking to honour the entrepreneur who has successfully empowered their employees and community in the Halal industry to recognise this new rising segment within the industry.

Past winners include luminaries from the industry such as Dato’ Sri Siti Nurhaliza (Celebrity Entrepreneur of The Year 2017/2018), Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew (Lifetime Achievement Award 2018), Datuk Ramli Ibrahim (Performing Art Entrepreneur of the Year 2018), Carsome Malaysia’s Eric Chang and Teoh Jiun Ee (Technopreneur of the Year 2020), Spirit of 57’s Syed Sadiq Albar (Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2020), Bubblebee’s Shahmira Muhamad (Shuib Sepahtu – Celebrity Entrepreneur of the Year 2020) and Aerodyne Group’s Kamarul A Muhamed (Entrepreneur of the Year 2020).

Kamarul A. Muhamed, the CEO of Aerodyne Sdn Bhd and Entrepreneur of the Year 2020, says, “I am extremely honoured to have received this recognition from SEBA. To me, it is a testament to the time and effort that have been put in by my whole team and me, in driving brand excellence and putting Malaysia on the world map in the dronetech industry.” 

Last year, the awardees were taken on a night full of extravagant senses, and simulations with a one-of-a-kind inflight theme, with Minister for Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC), YB Dato’ Sri Dr Haji Wan Junaidi bin Tuanku Jaafar in attendance to officiate the event. This year, the theme is SEBA Inspires, in line with the recovery that many economic sectors are starting to show.

A distinguished award ceremony for the crème de la crème of Malaysian SMEs and Entrepreneurs, SEBA will be hosting its sixth annual instalment to honour the most outstanding SMEs and entrepreneurs of the year.

SEBA is an impartial, independent and objective business recognition that has uncovered and recognised deserving small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs), Enterprises and Entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia. It aims to provide entrepreneurs with a solid platform for recognition, networking and continuous growth. It seeks out exemplary companies and entrepreneurs that excel in their industry in business strategy, growth metrics and best practices. The nominees undergo a strict 8-phase qualifying and verification framework by SEBA’s research committees and Board of Advisors.

To find out more about SEBA, visit https://seba.asia/. To get nominated for SEBA 2022, submit an entry at https://nomination.seba.asia/apply-quick.

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About SME AND ENTREPRENEURS BUSINESS AWARDS | SEBA 

SEBA is an annual initiative organised by Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia and curated by Xhale Asia (M) Sdn Bhd. SEBA 2021 will be held for the sixth (6th) year, showcasing Malaysia’s most notable companies and entrepreneurs.

About Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia (MyPreneurship)

Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia (MyPreneurship) is a non-government organisation that strives on the frontier of gathering, creating and developing sustainable companies with strong entrepreneurship traits. The organisation builds credibility by serving as a platform that supports the development of companies across all businesses. It offers programmers tailored with their best interest in mind to ensure that they can achieve their goals while sustaining core values.

 More information and latest updates on SEBA can be found here:

 SME and Entrepreneurs Business Awards

Official Site: www.seba.asia

Official Email: support@seba.asia

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/sebawards/