Entrepreneurs Programme Policy & Guidelines

Part 1: Programme Overview

Introduction

The NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme is a platform for entrepreneurs to form journey-enriching connections with like-minded individuals to gain fresh perspectives. It allows them to learn from one another through sharing ideas, advice, and experiences in the lonely entrepreneurial journey. 

The programme operates on a peer-to-peer mentoring methodology with the guidance of some of the best startup mentors and investors to create sustainable businesses by priming growth-stage technology-driven startups for the next stage through interactive action learning, active discussions and networking with co-founders from different industries to form a support system.

The programme’s evergreen syllabus allows it to run continuously to guide participants to an initial public offering (IPO) stage. The NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme participants gather once a month for a full-day meeting to collaboratively work through business issues faced by them. They will discuss the challenges for practical solutions from the group and reflect on valuable feedback.

1. Programme’s Objective

The NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme provides a full commitment to its applicants. We are committed to providing you with guidance from real, experienced mentors that are also Angel Investors (they are experienced and have achieved initial public offering (IPOs), mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and are Chief Executives levels only. 

• To provide a platform for the formation of journey-enriching connections amongst entrepreneurs  
• To enable entrepreneurs to attain knowledge from peers that can help them scale their businesses through guided sharing sessions and active dialogue
• To instil a sense of camaraderie to reassure entrepreneurs that they possess a support system that will help them navigate their entrepreneurial journey 

2. Programme’s Outcomes

The NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme ensures that its applicants will grow exponentially from their peer founders and mentors from their revenue generation, startup valuation to become fundable startups. Results of the growth of the applicants obtained from Q3 2021:

• RM75, 000, 000+ combined quarterly revenues
• Over RM1 000 000 000+ in combined valuations
• 65% projected increase in revenue
• Over RM118 000 000+ in combined funding

Part 2: Programme Governance

1. Roles and Responsibilities

Programme Coordinator

• The programme coordinator has the authority to make decisions concerning the regulation of the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme and the programme’s Policy and Guidelines and other related documents to the programme. 
• The programme coordinator must abide by the programme’s policy and objectives when performing any decisions relating to the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme.
• The programme coordinator is responsible for: 
  • ensuring the overall management efficiency and effectiveness of the programme 
  • approving and amending all clients documentation
  • engaging resource speakers and mentors for the applicants
  • determining the eligibility of applications
  • liaising with potential sponsors for the benefit of applicants
  • monitoring the performance of speakers, mentors, and applicants 
  • ensuring that data is collected and available for programme monitoring and evaluation 
  • facilitating and assisting in independent evaluations of the programme 
• Decisions of the programme coordinator will go through the Managing Partner before finalizing.

2. Conflicts of Interest

The NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme will maintain procedures for managing conflicts of interest between the applicants involved in the programme. 

• A conflict of interest can arise in situations where a person has an interest or relationship, whether actual, perceived or potential, that conflicts with the applicants’ experience or where the applicants are in the same company within the same group. 
• The department will consider and take into account each applicant’s startup on the actual, perceived or potential conflicts between other startups. They will ensure that there will be no competitors of the same industry in a group to maintain the applicant's good experience in the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme.
• The programme coordinator, the department, and the mentors must identify any actual, perceived or potential conflicts of interest they believe will or may arise during the delivery of the programme and where a conflict is identified. Specify how that conflict will be addressed and monitored to ensure it does not compromise programme outcomes.
• The programme coordinator will ensure that the applicant’s primary objective in joining this programme is to gain knowledge through peer-to-peer learning and networking. Any other objectives (source of angel funding, source of partnership, source of sales, etc) will not be considered to join the programme, as it is not the right venue for those purposes.

3. Protection of Company’s Information

The use and disclosure of the company’s information provided to the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme by an applicant (including information provided as part of any application) are regulated by the relevant provisions and penalties under Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA). Any information obtained will be stored and held in accordance by the department.

Use and Disclosure of Company’s Information

Unless the information provided to the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme is: 

• Personal Information under Part 2: Section 4

The NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme may disclose the information to any person for any purpose directly related to the activities and functions of the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme, including but not limited to the purpose of: 

• Improving the effective administration, monitoring and evaluation of the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme 

4. Personal Information

The NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme is bound by the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA). The PDPA regulates how the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme may collect, use, disclose and store Personal Information. 

Use and Disclosure of Personal Information

Personal Information obtained by the department will only be used by the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme: 

• Administering the programme and any related purposes, including programme and policy evaluation and development
• Departmental research, analysis, and evaluation 
• Reporting and consultation with government agencies
• Reviewing applications to provide technical or financial advice
• Referring applicants or participants to other NEXEA departments, except where authorised or required by law 

The NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme must obtain consent from the applicants before receiving and providing their Personal Information to any other third parties, except where authorised or required by law. 

5. Program Evaluation

The department will monitor and evaluate the performance of the program. All applicants will be required to provide progress, evaluation and other necessary data to the department, which will be analysed quarterly a year to measure the programme’s effect on the applicants.

Part 3: Programme Procedures

1. Applicants Criteria and Eligibility

To participate in NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme, every applicant must meet the required eligibility requirements. The eligibility requirements are broken down into three categories: startup stage, startup vertical, and startup team.

A. Startup Stage

• The ideal startup stage that we will onboard into the programme are those that are in the idea stage, early-stage or growth stage.  

B. Startup Vertical

• The startup must be technology or digital-related startup. Any subscription and platform revenue model industries are welcomed.
• The startup must have a minimum viable product (MVP) or already generating revenue.

C. Startup Team 

• This programme is only open to startup founders, co-founders and C-suite executives (CEO, CFO, CTO, COO, CMO, etc).

Apart from the three requirements, NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme also expects the applicants to fully commit to the monthly sessions and actively participate by contributing their knowledge to others.  

2. Application Guidelines

To apply for NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme, applicants must fill out the application form and submit it through the Entrepreneurs Programme’s website. Applicants are advised to read the Entrepreneur's Programme Policy and Guidelines before completing the application.

• An application for the program must be completed by the applicant or an authorised representative of the applicant
• Provide all the necessary information required by and specified in the application form

3. Processing of Membership Application

• Upon application, the selected applicants will go through the first-round qualifying interview with the programme coordinator. 
  • This round is to learn more about the applicants’ startup and identify the applicant’s objectives for joining the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme.
• If the applicants pass the first round of interviews, he/she will have a second round of interviews with one of the expert mentors in the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme.
  • This round is to dive deeper into the startup’s business stage and identify if the applicant is eligible for the NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme, and to which group he/she belongs.
• If the applicants are deemed eligible, the programme coordinator will prepare a one-pager of the applicant’s profile to present to the designated Entrepreneurs Programme group members. 
  • It is to ensure there is no conflict of business or some other unwanted circumstances.
• The potential applicant will be invited for a trial session during one of NEXEA’s Entrepreneurs Programme meetings.
  • The applicants will experience how the Entrepreneurs Programme’s meetings are conducted.
• Upon the trial, the new applicant and the designated Entrepreneurs Programme group members will need to give a united agreement to allow the new applicant to join the group officially.