Salesforce has announced the expansion of its Startup Program to include Malaysia and the Philippines, extending its commitment to fostering growth within the thriving startup ecosystems of South and Southeast Asia. The initiative is designed to provide local startups with access to Salesforce's extensive ecosystem, including AI-powered technology, mentorship, and market opportunities. With this expansion, the program now operates in five key markets—India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka—aiming to help early-stage and growth-stage companies build, grow, and scale their operations.
Program Offerings and Benefits
• Access to Salesforce’s enterprise technology stack, including AI-powered products.
• Technical support for product integrations.
• Strategic guidance to improve market readiness and support long-term scaling.
• Mentorship sessions and access to a community of founders.
• Opportunities to list product solutions on Salesforce's enterprise cloud marketplace, AppExchange.
• Joint go-to-market opportunities to accelerate growth.
Eligibility and Application Process
• Eligibility: The program is open to startups based in Malaysia and the Philippines (this launch). The program also operates in India, Singapore, and Sri Lanka.
• Application: Interested startups can apply through the official program website.
• Review Process: Applications are evaluated on a weekly basis. The typical turnaround time for a review decision is approximately seven days, after which the team will communicate the next steps.
Program Structure and Community
• Program Format: The Salesforce Startup Program is not cohort-based, meaning there is no stipulated expiry date for participation. Startups can leverage offerings at any point that aligns with their journey.
• Onboarding: Once accepted, startups receive a welcome email detailing the engagement process for all offerings.
• Community Collaboration: The program fosters a pay-it-forward model, enabling collaboration and learning between community members through a dedicated Slack channel and regular in-person meetups.
Funding and Partnerships
• Funding: The program does not provide direct funding. However, it connects eligible startups with a trusted network of investment partners, including PeakXV and IvyCap Ventures, for potential investment discussions.
• Implementation Support: While direct implementation support is not provided, the program connects startups with implementation partners and offers extensive resources on Trailhead for self-implementation.
• AppExchange Listing: Participants receive guidance from the internal AppExchange team to navigate the process of listing their solutions on the marketplace.
The expansion into Malaysia and the Philippines underscores a strategic investment in the region's innovation-led entrepreneurship. By equipping promising startups with the necessary tools, resources, and network, the program aims to help them develop enterprise-grade solutions, find success at scale, and transform local ideas into global impact.