Pungu Borneo triumphs at Shell LiveWIRE

KUALA LUMPUR: Pungu Borneo, a Sarawak-based social enterprise, emerged as a winner at the Shell LiveWIRE Malaysia 2023 awards ceremony held at Wisma Shell today (Dec 4).

Focusing on traditional handicraft, jewellery, and culture, Pungu Borneo was one of five enterprises to receive this honour, and the sole winner from Sarawak.

According to a press release from Shell LiveWIRE, the 2023 national winners each received a start-up fund of RM30,000 and the opportunity to engage with the global LiveWIRE ecosystem. This includes sharing their expertise with worldwide entrepreneurs and the chance to compete in the Shell Global Top Ten Innovators Awards.

Additionally, Pungu Borneo received an extra RM20,000 from Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (TEGAS), to inspire more participation from Sarawak. 

“Pungu were among 15 finalists chosen from 180 entrepreneurs in this year’s Shell LiveWIRE programme,” it said.

These finalists, which included GK Aqua, Southeast Asia Treasure, Grace Creation, and Materials in Works, participated in an intensive week-long incubator workshop across three locations, followed by a three-month national accelerator programme. Finalists were assessed based on their business pitches, evaluating their business model, team capabilities, and traction.

Shell LiveWIRE, established in Sabah in 2015 and Sarawak in 2016, and extended to Peninsular Malaysia in 2022, is Shell’s flagship enterprise development programme. It focuses on fostering entrepreneurship and supporting entrepreneurs to create solutions for current socio-economic challenges.