With a streak of major success stories to their name and an established network of committed collaborators, government partners, investors, mentors and visionaries, Watchtower & Friends (WTF) continues to fortify their position as Malaysia’s leading private accelerator, marking an illustrious 10 years of empowering startups.
Through their comprehensive WTF Accelerator programme, spanning over 8 cohorts, WTF has invested in more than 50 unique startups, creating over 2000 jobs with many of the startups growing into well-known SMEs with significant revenue. WTF has startups in its portfolio with valuations north of RM100 million, with a total estimated market cap of the companies exceeding RM500 million.
First created as a venture builder, WTF was focused on nurturing startups internally, including the equity crowdfunding platform pitchIN, before pivoting to an accelerator model, which was showing great success and promise, and has been on a skyward trajectory ever since. Co-founders Sam Shafie and Kashminder Singh coined the company’s cheeky abbreviation to not only reflect the testing journey that most startups face, but also pay tribute to the many friends made along the way and the Jimi Hendrix hit All Along the Watchtower.
Brought together by passion and fueled by the expertise and experiences from their different backgrounds, Sam and Kashminder developed the “State of my Startup” document that helped startups identify what stage they were at, resources available and market opportunities. This became the basis of the WTF Accelerator programme which aside from dedicated mentorship, covers key topics such as Founders’ Foundation, Building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and Funding Fundamentals over a 12 week course.
“Most startups come to us with only a PowerPoint presentation or even just an idea in hand. But with their determination and our guidance under the WTF Accelerator programme, a high number of these startups go on to succeed and raise further funding rounds from VCs, angel investors and equity crowdfunding platforms. At the rate technology is advancing, the success window for startups is arguably getting smaller, which is why accelerator programmes like ours are crucial for incubating at the early stages,” shared Sam Shafie, Co-Founder and CEO of Watchtower and Friends (WTF).
WTF Accelerator Programme Cohort 8 alumni Sheikh Ezaiddin, Founder of Ejen2u said, “WTF is more than a training ground—it’s a launchpad for early-stage founders. They go beyond just investing or incubating; they believe, trust, and push us to grow.” A sentiment echoed by Cohort 4 alumni Kyan Liew, Founder of ParkIt Malaysia who adds, “ParkIt would not be where we are without the initial help from WTF. Their guidance truly validated our vision and they continue to be an invaluable source of support as we enter into the next stage of our startup journey.”
Other notable alumni that have emerged from WTF’s decade of accelerating startups include logistics booking platform TheLorry; Lapasar, a B2B e-commerce wholesale platform; MoneyMatch, an international money transfers focused fintech; and Omnimatics, which provides Automotive IoT solutions for fleet management. Each of these success stories are responsible for creating a multiplier effect that impacts their communities, industries, the startup ecosystem and the Malaysian economy.
Reflecting on WTF’s vision and how it has evolved in the last 10 years, Kashminder Singh, Co-Founder of Watchtower and Friends (WTF) said, “The vision of WTF has always been simple: to build startups that make a difference and contribute to Malaysia’s progress. With the support of partners, not only in the government but also in the private sector, we are able to redefine what that means, with WTF acting as a catalyst towards championing local heroes, rallying confidence behind the capabilities of local startups and accelerators alike”.
Amidst celebrations of their 10th Anniversary, WTF is already looking ahead for the decade to come. Their flagship WTF Accelerator Programme is aiming for new heights to increase collaboration opportunities, reach and inspire even more startups and continue to drive a lasting legacy of positive change in the Malaysian startup ecosystem.
Interested startups looking to accelerate their business are invited to get connected with WTF and should be prepared to excel with like-minded and passionate people, partners, members of the government and corporate sectors. The WTF Accelerator Programme also welcomes individuals and organisations who are keen to collaborate and contribute to the cause, whether as a mentor or investor.