MIDA, FMM, and Bintang Capital Unite to Transform Malaysia’s Semiconductor Industry
Strategic Partnership Launches Innovative Fund to Strengthen Domestic Semiconductor Ecosystem and Drive Sustainable Growth
Kuala Lumpur, 28 April 2025 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM), and Bintang Capital Partners (Bintang Capital) have joined forces through a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 16 April 2025. This strategic alliance introduces the Bintang Semiconductor Impact Fund I (BSIF I), designed to revolutionise Malaysia’s semiconductor industry while promoting sustainable practices and social impact.
At the heart of this collaboration is the Bintang Semiconductor Impact Fund I (“BSIF I” or “the Fund”), a fund aimed at future-proofing Malaysia’s semiconductor industry by addressing both social and environmental opportunities within the sector.
MIDA CEO Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid emphasised the importance of the collaboration, stating, “This transformative partnership marks a pivotal moment in Malaysia’s semiconductor journey. By combining MIDA’s strategic oversight, FMM’s extensive industry network, and Bintang Capital’s financial expertise, we’re creating a powerful ecosystem that will elevate local companies to global standards. Our focus is to develop world-class capabilities, attract premium investments, and establish Malaysia as a trusted global semiconductor hub. This collaboration provides the perfect platform to nurture innovation, drive sustainable practices, and create lasting economic impact for our nation.”
FMM President Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai added, “As the voice of the manufacturing sector, FMM is pleased to support this initiative, which will enable local businesses to enhance their capabilities, tap into funding opportunities, and adopt best practices in governance and sustainability, at the same time, aligning with FMM’s ambitious aspiration to cultivate 100 IPO-ready companies within five years. Helping companies become IPO-ready and granting them access to financing are crucial steps in enabling their growth. FMM is dedicated to assisting SMEs in their journey to expand and thrive. By supporting these promising enterprises, FMM aims to strengthen Malaysia’s manufacturing landscape, driving innovation and competitiveness across the region.”
The partnership aligns perfectly with Malaysia’s National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS) goals, focusing on developing local semiconductor capabilities and supporting SME growth. Through BSIF I, the collaboration aims to strengthen the domestic semiconductor value chain while preparing companies for potential initial public offerings.
Bintang Capital CEO Johan Rozali-Wathooth remarked, “As the saying goes, It takes a village to raise a child – the collaboration between Bintang Capital, MIDA and FMM brings together three critical elements needed to ‘raise’ a vibrant and sustainable high technology manufacturing industry. The collaboration combines Bintang Capital’s investment and impact track record, MIDA’s deep policy expertise, and FMM’s extensive networks within Malaysia’s manufacturing sector. On the impact front, Bintang Capital is a passionate advocate for building companies which represent the very best ideals of responsible capitalism: companies which meet the highest standards of governance and ethicality as represented by B Corp Certification, that also promote and support the empowerment of women, and who also champion environmental sustainability. Our success will put Malaysia on the global map in terms of having a highly differentiated and impactful high-technology manufacturing ecosystem.”
BSIF I will target investments in companies within and adjacent to the semiconductor value chain, including high-tech manufacturing and automation. The fund emphasises carbon transition initiatives and promotes career development opportunities for women, while adhering to global B Corp certification standards.
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About MIDA
MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 21 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube channel.
About FMM
The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM) (formerly known as Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers) has been the voice of the Malaysian manufacturing sector since 1968, advocating policies and initiatives that drive industrial growth, competitiveness, and workforce development. Representing over 13,000 member companies (4,100 direct and 8,900 indirect) from the manufacturing supply chain, FMM is actively engaged with government and its key agencies at Federal, State and local levels. FMM is also well-linked with international organisations, Malaysian businesses and civil society. Apart from benefitting from FMM’s advocacy, FMM members enjoy value-added services including training, business networking and trade opportunities as well as regular information updates.
About Bintang
Founded in 2018, Bintang is a leading impact investment firm headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Anchored on Bintang’s Triple-I Strategy of “Investing in Impact & Innovation”, the Firm backs visionary entrepreneurs who are aligned to Bintang’s twin core investment philosophies of Innovation and Impact.
Bintang’s efforts within the Impact Investing space have met with widespread regional and global acclaim: in October 2024, the Firm achieved a landmark milestone as the first Southeast Asian firm to win at the 2024 United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (“UN PRI”) Awards and the first Asian firm to win the Private Markets prize. More recently, Bintang was also awarded the prestigious 2024 National UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (“UN WEPs”) Innovative Financing Award for promoting gender diversity and inclusivity.
In 2023, the Firm won the Innovative Investment prize at the ASEAN Business Advisory Council 2023 awards and was also named Global SME of the Year at the Environmental Finance Sustainable Company 2023 awards. Bintang has also been recognised as a Top Impact Company by Real Leaders Magazine in January 2024.
On 21 May 2023, Bintang became a certified B Corporation, the first private investment firm in Southeast Asia to receive this certification. As part of the Firm’s ambition to promote responsible capitalism, Bintang aspires to build 150 B Corp certified portfolio companies by the year 2050.
Bintang was amongst the earliest Malaysian private sector signatories to the UN PRI and is also the first (and presently only) Malaysian signatory to the Operating Principles for Impact Management (“the Impact Principles”), an initiative hosted by the Global Impact Investing Network (“GIIN”).
The Firm’s maiden fund, BCP Asia Fund I (“BCPAF I”) is anchored by Jelawang Capital, a catalytic fund of funds programme under Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the Malaysian state sovereign wealth fund.
BCPAF I invests in highly impactful, high performance innovative companies who are committed towards B Corp certification as well as decarbonisation and women’s empowerment.
Recent investments made by Bintang include Blue Planet, a waste management and landfill management solutions provider; Involve Asia, a B Corp certified technology company that operates a performance-based marketing platform; and Care Concierge, a B Corp certified multi-award-winning provider of elderly care solutions.
Bintang’s shareholders comprise leading independent Malaysian asset management group, AHAM Asset Management Berhad and the Malaysian Armed Forces Fund Board (Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera, or LTAT) as well as leading global alternative asset investment manager CVC Capital Partners as well as leading independent Japanese asset management house Nikko Asset Management.
In March 2024, Bintang launched its sequel impact funds, BCP Asia Fund II (a sector-agnostic B Corp propagator fund) as well as Bintang Semiconductor Impact Fund I (a semiconductor-ecosystem focused B Corp propagator fund) – collectively referred to as “Sequel Funds” – both of which aim to encourage adoption of the B Corp model and to collect a comprehensive dataset covering a range of impact metrices across environmental, social, and governance pillars.
Bintang’s Sequel Funds have also recently earned a Gold Rating from BlueMark’s Fund ID programme, an independent benchmark for evaluating fund-level impact performance which recognised Bintang’s funds’ comprehensive impact strategy, governance, and management practices.
Further information about Bintang is available at www.bintangcapitalpartners.com.
For Media Inquiries, please contact:
MIDA
Pn. Fatmah Ahmad
Director
Corporate Communications Division
[email protected]
FMM
Han Mong Ying
Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs
Tel: 03-6286 7200
Email: [email protected]
Bintang
Justin Seow
[email protected]
+6019 228 6618
Lee Sheung Un
[email protected]
+6017 296 3781
Charlene Lionel
[email protected]
+6013 778 2483
