Move over, Coachella, the real “Main Character Energy” was at the SEAM Closing Summit 2026 in KL! After a 15-month grind, 10 Malaysian social enterprises (SEs) just graduated from “startup mode” to “corporate-ready icons,” and the vibes were immaculate.
The “IKEA x Biji-biji” Collab We Needed Think of SEAM as the ultimate bootcamp for businesses that actually care. Partnering with IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, the Biji-biji Initiative has spent over a year leveling up these SEs. The goal? Stop chasing one-off grants and start securing those massive corporate contracts. It’s giving sustainability, but make it profitable.
The Impact Stars of the Show The summit featured an “Impact Xchange” (basically a Shark Tank, but everyone wins) where founders pitched their hearts out.
- The Asli Co. is literally “Royal Core”, their products are official souvenirs for Istana Negara.
- The Inclusivity Squad: Groups like Lemme Learn and Earth Heir are making sure neurodiverse individuals and artisans aren’t just seen, but hired.
- The Eco-Warriors: Upcycled and Saving Graze are turning waste into wonder, proving that “trash” is just a lack of imagination.
Forget Tinder. The summit held a Corporate × Impact Business Speed Dating session. Big players like Telekom Malaysia, CIMB Islamic, and Hong Leong Group had 7-minute “dates” with these SEs to talk procurement and long-term collabs. No ghosting here, just straight-up ESG goals being met!
What’s Next? As Åsa Skogström Feldt from IKEA B.V. put it, it’s all about building “inclusive economies.” If you missed Cohort 1, don’t FOMO just yet. SEAM Cohort 2 and the Biji-biji Pre-Accelerator are on the horizon.
Whether you’re a corporate suit looking to fix your ESG stats or a founder ready to change the world, the message is clear: Impact is the new Black.
