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What Is Malaysia's Unique Competitive Advantage?
The popular recipe for creating the “next” Silicon Valley goes something like this:
Previous efforts at such clusters failed for a variety of reasons, but one big reason is that government efforts alone simply don’t draw people. That’s why a recent crop of experiments has focused more on building entrepreneurial communities, urban hubs and districts, and hackerspaces. Still, we’re “splitting the logic” on how to create an innovation ecosystem, according to MIT expert Fiona Murray in Technology Review: We’re either going top-down by focusing primarily on infrastructure—plunking down an office park next to a university—or bottom-up by focusing on just the networks. None of these efforts successfully pursue both paths at once, with government, academia and entrepreneurial communities proceeding together in lockstep—as was the case in the development of Silicon Valley.
But policymakers shouldn’t be trying to copy Silicon Valley. Instead, they should be figuring out what domain is (or could be) specific to their region—and then removing the regulatory hurdles for that particular domain. Because we don’t want 50 Silicon Valleys; we want 50 different variations of Silicon Valley, all unique from each other and all focusing on different domains.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/turn-detroit-into-drone-valley-107853.html#ixzz34xB4VaJY
- Build a big, beautiful, fully equipped technology park;
- Mix in R&D labs and university centers;
- Provide incentives to attract scientists, firms and users;
- Interconnect the industry through consortia and specialized suppliers;
- Protect intellectual property and tech transfer; and,
- Establish a favorable business environment and regulations.
Previous efforts at such clusters failed for a variety of reasons, but one big reason is that government efforts alone simply don’t draw people. That’s why a recent crop of experiments has focused more on building entrepreneurial communities, urban hubs and districts, and hackerspaces. Still, we’re “splitting the logic” on how to create an innovation ecosystem, according to MIT expert Fiona Murray in Technology Review: We’re either going top-down by focusing primarily on infrastructure—plunking down an office park next to a university—or bottom-up by focusing on just the networks. None of these efforts successfully pursue both paths at once, with government, academia and entrepreneurial communities proceeding together in lockstep—as was the case in the development of Silicon Valley.
But policymakers shouldn’t be trying to copy Silicon Valley. Instead, they should be figuring out what domain is (or could be) specific to their region—and then removing the regulatory hurdles for that particular domain. Because we don’t want 50 Silicon Valleys; we want 50 different variations of Silicon Valley, all unique from each other and all focusing on different domains.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/turn-detroit-into-drone-valley-107853.html#ixzz34xB4VaJY
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To achieve Malaysia Silicon Valley, we need to encourage young entrepreneur and investor to believe Malaysia have the environment and infrastructure for them. one of the big concern are always gov policy for startup, entrepreneur and SME.
Other than that, to build a SL is required a lot of research program going on, R&D is the most important part of innovation, and I believe encourage more R&D in university will help to grow Malaysia Innovation society, therefore with the competitive environment and friendly policy for innovation can be lead us to a new SL in Malaysia.
as the last point mention "we need to shift our attention to an approach that addresses what Silicon Valley alone can’t do, while also creating opportunities for a broader set of people." True, If I have more than 2 hands I will raise it up as well, the question is what is the things or stuff Silicon Valley alone can't do? A Drone Valley? Biotech Valley? I don't think that is what we need to focus on.
What I think, Silicon Valley is not much more than a place, an environment and culture for talented people to look for resources and opportunity or opportunity looking for right talented people. the key is how to attract these talented people to come and build the culture society together from the ground. The answer might be Education.
We have competent talent base if they have good incentive to not migrate from Malaysia
We can attract foreign talents here. Malaysia is hours flight from beautiful holiday spot
We are a country with diverse culture & perspectives. Good for innovating ideas, testing for bigger markets & attracting foreign talents.
Malaysia is Truly Asia. A good place to test idea & become logistical hub in preparation to go regional (look at jobstreet & grabtaxi)
Hours away from regional and asian investors like Singapore, China, Korea & Japan.
I'm aware the above is not as action oriented like 'Provide incentives to attract scientists, firms and users' but what we need to do is to tell a story that sells Malaysia because unless what I said above is wrong, Malaysia is lacking in marketing and selling itself.
Let's not look to far out to Silicon Valley or Singapore. From my perspective. Malaysia need to solve two problems. First being the HARDWARE part and followed by the SOFTWARE part.
In terms of INFRASTRUCTURE(the hardware), this part is easy. Malaysia already have a mini success in term of Damansara Uptown. Everything "Malaysia" is there to make the place attractive.
- halal/non-halal food is within walking distance. Thinking is the hardest thing to do and also consume a lot of calories. Need to surround brains and attract brains with good food. Uniquely Malaysia. Almost all kind of foods you can get there, Japanese, Mamak, Westerns, Koreans. You name it. You get it. Get bored of the food there then anything else is within driving distance.
- gym/massage(non-halal of course!) facilities to relax those muscles after hours of programming or get some endorphins into the blood streams.
- pubs for people get crazy and wind down. Perhaps struck a deal or two with potential founders and investors.Alcohol can make strangers lose their guard and become friendly. If no, then nearby hawker stalls or McDonald can facilitate as well.
- clinics and dentists are nearby as well. Almost all kind of banks are there. Both foreign and local.
- access to nearby shopping malls(1Utama, Tropicana, etc) to do quick grocery shopping.
- places of worship like mosque ... again.... just walking distance.
- access to highway and residential areas ... again...strategically placed.
For now, Cyberjaya's mitochondria should be Shaftsbury. It has the primordial ingredient similar to Damansara Uptown.. hope they won't screw up the place.
To solve the BRAIN(the software), oh boy, this is going to be hard.
- Increasing more university students in STEM intakes can help... but everyone knows that Malaysia's education system is rotten to the core and we are still using Prussian education system left over by the British. Perhaps a complete overhaul of the education system WITHOUT a nationalist as Education Minister will help. For this, it is beyond me.
- Government effort alone won't make it happen. You need both hands to clap(i.e involve more private sectors). The great private sectors are minding their own business. Killing it silently, creating jobs, paying taxes and making good profits. No need for hyped up stories in tech press or sucking up to tech press. Only the struggling private companies are making noise. Well, I guess the adage "empty vessels make the loudest noise" is true after all.
- Malaysia is still a land of WHO-YOU-KNOW and not WHAT-YOU-KNOW. Those doing real TECH start ups( special algorithms, unique IPs) as opposed to just normal start ups ( food delivery, selling underwear, clothes on subscription basis, loan agencies with a website aided by massive grant from tax payer money ) are mostly in the limbo class because they only have WHAT-YOU-KNOW. Please do differentiate TECH-startup from startup and assist more TECH-startup to take off.
- Most investors still prefer to invest in the "traditional" sectors such as oil, real estates, etc. For them investing in startups is risky and when they do invest in startups... their mindset is akin to a retail investor in stock market. They want their money back as fast as possible. These kind of investors are actually harming the goal of making a unique Malaysia "Silicon Valley".
- It seems that there are a growing number of parasites in the Malaysia's ecosystem. These parasites are draining money out of the system for themselves. Some masquerade as do-good.com non-profits organization but continue to leech crazy profits from government organizations that suppose to help entrepreneurs. Some have no shame at all and become VC wannabe with tax payers money. The recent announcement of $$$ allocation to MaGIC has spurned a great interest of these parasites. MaGIC is the fresh meat in town to leech.
In a nutshell, Malaysia do have competitive advantages. It is up to those trying to make a unique Malaysia's Silicon Valley or transplant Silicon Valley to Klang Valley..... to exploit the advantages, to steer toward the goal by making non-fatal mistakes along the way and hopefully...get there.
- http://www.amazon.com/Start-up-Nation-Israels-Economic-Miracle/dp/0446541478/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403150314&sr=8-1&keywords=startup+nation
Good.
Let me be frank, comparative advantage is nil, endowed resource (brain) not utilised, infrastructure is crippled by bureaucracy, culturally conservative. Good, what a FCKing environment to grow and we shall do best!
So what can I do? Business I suppose. After all I only achieved 6A's in SPM, my only option was to look overseas and my parents had to fund my expensive studies and living abroad. After working overseas for almost a decade, I miss my parents and so decided that only if I start building a business can I leave my office in Australia and physically be in Malaysia with my family. This is the pain that most overseas-based Malaysian can relate to and fuels their entrepreneurial spirit. To take control of one's limited time on earth, help our family and perhaps change society for better.
Brain drain can be solved if the Government is more genuine in bringing overseas Malaysian back. TalentCorp's incentives (Overseas Outreach Programmes) seem insincere and it will only be taken seriously if there are incentives to buy property. Car incentives just doesn't cut it IMHO.
Alas, there seems to be not much sense in this room.
http://mediarakyat.net/2014/06/22/10684/
Malaysia government bias policy in Human Resources and inefficient working relationships with private sector resulted in out drain of talent for so many decades. So if you cannot even retain local talent let alone talent from abroad.