Alibaba.com is stepping up its support for Malaysian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the launch of its AI platform Accio and new partnerships aimed at helping local businesses expand into international markets.

The announcements were made during the B2B AI Seller Summit, co-organised with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) in Kuala Lumpur on October 16. The event also marked Malaysia’s first participation in Alibaba.com’s global product-based startup competition, CoCreate Pitch 2026.

Alibaba.com and MATRADE representatives come together at the Alibaba.com B2B AI Seller Summit 2026 & CoCreate Pitch 2026 Malaysia. 
From left: Roger Luo, Head of South & Southeast Asia Business, Alibaba.com; Mansor Shah Wahid, Deputy CEO, Export Development of MATRADE 

More than 2,300 applications were received from micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), startups, aspiring entrepreneurs and student innovators nationwide, with 10 teams advancing to the grand final.

Lettuboost, represented by co-founder and COO Pavithran Julieus Sudhave, emerged as the champion, followed by Global Cerah, represented by founder and managing director Willie Ng, and Eartheories, represented by founder and CEO Fadz Subari, in second and third place respectively.

The competition offered a total prize pool of RM500,000 to support the finalists’ business growth. The top three winners will also have the opportunity to attend the CoCreate Global Summit 2026 in London this November.

Meet the Winning Startups

Lettuboost develops fish feed from invasive aquatic plants and other biomass, including water lettuce and Napier grass. Its circular approach turns unwanted plant growth into a useful resource for aquaculture, with its feed costing up to 40% less than conventional alternatives. The company was founded by a team of students in Sarawak who identified an opportunity to address both waterways clogged by invasive plants and rising feed costs faced by fish farmers.

The runner-up, Global Cerah, is an agri-technology company that transforms agricultural by-products into livestock feed and pet-food ingredients. Founded by Willie Ng, the company began research and development in 2018 before progressing to pilot testing and commercial deployment in 2021. The idea was inspired by the large volumes of agricultural and food by-products discarded in Sabah despite their potential nutritional value.

Third-place winner Eartheories, founded by Fadz Subari, is a Malaysian fragrance and wellness brand developing an AI-assisted system that recommends scents based on users’ needs, such as improving focus, boosting energy or supporting relaxation and sleep. Its current proof of concept features 16 curated fragrances, with a broader business model designed for sectors such as hospitality, travel, workplaces and wellness.

Celebrating innovation and entrepreneurial excellence at CoCreate Pitch 2026 Malaysia. 
(From left) Bronze Prize Winner Fadz Subari, Founder and CEO of Eartheories; Gold Prize Winner Pavithran Julieus Sudhave, Co-founder and COO of Lettuboost and Silver Prize Winner Willie Ng, Founder & Managing Director of Global Cerah. 

Accio Brings AI-Powered Business Support to Local SMEs

Alibaba.com officially launched Accio in Malaysia during the event, bringing its AI-powered business platform to local SMEs.

Designed to support a range of business operations, Accio helps entrepreneurs with tasks such as market research, product planning, supplier sourcing, store management, marketing and customer acquisition.

The platform aims to simplify cross-border trade by automating business workflows, allowing SMEs to manage operations more efficiently without requiring programming expertise or complex technical setups.

Participants in this year’s CoCreate Pitch competition also used Accio to develop product ideas, refine business concepts and prepare their pitches, demonstrating how AI can support businesses from product development to international expansion.

Advancing the next chapter of AI-powered business, Jeremy Cai, Director of AccioWork, APAC, Alibaba.com, introduces Accio and its vision to empower businesses with their own AI-powered team.

Partnerships to Expand Malaysian Products Globally

Alibaba.com is also strengthening its local partnerships to help Malaysian businesses improve their export readiness and reach international buyers.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MATRADE, Alibaba.com plans to develop a dedicated “Halal Pavilion” on its platform to showcase certified Malaysian Halal products to international buyers, with the aim of increasing their global visibility and market reach.

Meanwhile, UOB Malaysia has reaffirmed its support for local businesses by combining its financial expertise and regional network with Alibaba.com’s global digital commerce ecosystem. The collaboration aims to provide SMEs with financing solutions and digital capabilities to help them scale their operations and reach more international customers.

Roger Luo, Head of South and Southeast Asia Business at Alibaba.com, said the competition demonstrated how entrepreneurs are using AI to explore global suppliers, identify manufacturing partners and strengthen their business plans.

Shaping the conversation around Malaysia’s next era of global trade, Roger Luo, Head of South & Southeast Asia Business, Alibaba.com, shares his outlook and the future of Malaysia’s exports in the AI era.

Through initiatives such as Accio, CoCreate Pitch and its local partnerships, Alibaba.com aims to help Malaysian SMEs turn business ideas into tangible products and build sustainable businesses in global markets.