Kuala Lumpur is often cited as one of the best cities for investment and start-ups in Southeast Asia. Several specific aspects play an integral part in making the city so attractive. To begin, the city (and Malaysia as a whole) offer a stable, growing economy. Its close proximity to Singapore and other Southeast Asian nations, as well as a high-quality infrastructure, help to maintain the city’s existing industries as well as develop new opportunities for growth, trade and export from the country at large. Kuala Lumpur is a relatively low-cost city when compared to many of its sizeable counterparts including both Singapore and Hong Kong. This, coupled with a large and educated workforce, make it easier for start-ups to succeed and thrive.
The city’s infrastructure is of a high quality. So public transportation is some of the best in Southeast Asia, while the city’s huge airport makes it a significant travel hub for those looking to connect to destinations throughout Asia, the Middle East, and the West. The Kuala Lumpur city government is also very supportive: developing and promoting an array of programs and events that help support and nurture new businesses. This includes reaching across various industries, with technology being one of the major attractions. Malaysia Tech Month is one of the larger events, including a focus on the development of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia as a whole at the ‘Heart of Digital ASEAN’. Other opportunities such as the Cradle investment program offer various grants to help new companies who are focused on developing high-caliber technology products.
Kuala Lumpur has been the start-up destination for some of the region’s largest tech and software products. This has allowed the city’s boom as a testing site for products intended for all of Southeast Asia. The city offers a well-educated workforce due to its many schools and universities. In addition to planning and testing, the multilingual abilities of residents have allowed regional organizations to head operational bases, including for the management of market growth such as Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.