KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 (Bernama) — CIMB Group Holdings Berhad (“CIMB” or “the Group”) today announced the CIMB ESG-SME Pitch Challenge to accelerate and enable ASEAN small and medium sized enterprises (“SMEs”) that have sustainability-focused business models or operations to seek equity funding that will enable them to advance their business to the next level. The ESG-SME Pitch Challenge makes its debut as part of the fourth edition of CIMB Group’s flagship The Cooler Earth Sustainability Summit (“The Cooler Earth” or “the Summit”).
With the theme ‘Financing the Transition’, the CIMB ESG-SME Pitch Challenge is designed to expose promising SMEs to potential funders to boost their businesses and chart their next phase of growth. SMEs are invited to apply to participate in the competition, with shortlisted participants receiving coaching and guidance via preparatory workshops by CIMB’s partners, namely pitchIN, a crowdfunding platform for private investors, and the Private Financing Advisory Network (“PFAN”), a global network of climate and clean energy financing experts hosted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (“UNIDO”) that provides free business coaching and investment facilitation to entrepreneurs. PwC Malaysia, a Supporting Partner of The Cooler Earth will also be conducting a workshop on the essentials of developing an ESG strategy as part of capacity-building for the SMEs ahead of the Pitch Challenge.