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ANGKASA-X Secures RM4 million from Crowd Funding Exercise
Angkasa-X closes crowd funding exercise with RM4 million in investments.
Angkasa-X has successfully raised RM4,053,115 from 202 investors for its satellite endeavor. With that, in early January 2022, the company closed its equity crowdfunding (ECF) exercise. The Angkasa-X bid has emerged as the top ve most invested ECF campaign in early Dec 2021.
This places Angkasa-X on the sure path towards launching its rst satellite later this year. PIKOM Chairman, Dr Sean Seah, who is also CEO and Founder of Angkasa-X Holdings Corporation, believes that Malaysia’s space project will spur the development of a network of pro table businesses that create and share resources.
“There is potential for Malaysia to host a SpaceTech ecosystem. This will be the rst in the ASEAN region.
“I believe it is time for us to come together, to collaborate and develop an ecosystem,” he said, speaking to a room full of like-minded space enthusiasts, business people and academics at the launch of Malaysia’s SpaceTech event held at Pusat Sains Negara in Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.
“Malaysia has been at the forefront of the space technology since early 2000 with the setting up of special agencies to spearhead the nascent industry. This has enabled the country to develop the technical expertise and talent for the SpaceTech ecosystem.
“The boom in private SpaceTech initiatives in recent years places Malaysia in good stead for the next phase of growth. It makes the SpaceTech industry an extremely prospective and lucrative sector for investors,” he said.
The event was graced by Tuan Haji Azlikamil Napiah, Director General Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI). In his speech, Hj Azlikamil said Malaysia has had a footprint in the space industry since 1988.
Malaysia has been involved in the SpaceTech since the launching of satellites MeaSAT 1 and MeaSAT 2 (1996), TiungSAT-1 (2000), MeaSAT 3 (2006) and RazakSat (2009). RazakSat is a designed-in-Malaysia Earth-observation Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellite that was launched into near-equatorial orbit in 2009 by SpaceX’s Falcon-1 rocket.
He said the country must move from user to producer of space technology. It must look at how it can champion space technology in the region.
“Space technology can contribute to the nation’s economy and wellbeing. MYSA is driving the national development of space technology in the country. By mid-2022, we will launch a strategic plan for this industry.”
This, he said, will be closely aligned to the pillars of the National Space Policy 2030 in order to contribute at least RM3.2 billion or 0.3 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product by 2030. It is expected to create 5,000 new jobs.
“The Malaysian Space Board Bill 2020, passed in Oct 2021, will
regulate the space industry in Malaysia, allow Malaysia to better coordinate its space activities, harness its potential and ensure that it is in line with international standards.”
Aiza Azreen Ahmad, Multimedia Development Corporation (MDEC) Chief Digital Business O cer, in her speech, said the launch event was the start of something “di erent”. A SpaceTech ecosystem will see the emergence of tech inventions and the adoption of large-scale digital infrastructure.
“MDEC can support and help start-ups in the space tech industry,” she pledged.
Dr William Lim, Executive Director of Angkasa-X Group, said the company was proud to be part of the SpaceTech initiative. In his speech, he also revealed that in the last quarter of 2021, Angkasa-X had signed up with a satellite launch company and booked its ight for its rst satellite.
Meanwhile, Dr Norilmi Amilia, EXCO Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), said more private companies are entering the space industry. This will change the country’s space landscape.
“It is a new space business era. USM supports Angkasa-X by providing trainers for aerospace engineering, computer science, and electrical and electronics engineering as well as opening its laboratory facilities to students. USM will manufacture six new satellites. These will be the rst satellites to be built in a university in Malaysia.
“We will also facilitate the development of the next generation of talent pool. We are happy that the private sector is leading this initiative,” she said.
The launch event also saw representatives from Universiti Institute Technology Mara and Universiti Putra Malaysia, as well as tech company leaders related to the space industry and satellite communications.
The panel discussion at the launch event kicked o with a conversation on how the local SpaceTech landscape has transformed over the years from single proprietary system to integrated multi-component systems much like the integration witnessed in the information technology industry.
Computer systems embedding arti cial intelligence, machine learning, software and robotics are now frontier technologies in the SpaceTech landscape. The same with communications technology, cloud technology, navigation and mapping which are supported by the nancial, consulting, training, research, education and HR sectors.
IT applications of space technology are wide ranging from internet connectivity, IoT, navigational tracking, disaster management, resource management, governance, meteorology, defence and security.
It is forecasted that the global SpaceTech economy is to grow to an estimated 10 trillion by 2030 from USD380 billion in 2020. Spacerelated investment funding for AsiaPaci c at USD41.7 billion is ranked second after North America and is gaining momentum.
Dr Seah said he is con dent Malaysia can lead the world in space engineering.
“Malaysia’s National Space Policy was launched in 2019, a little late, nevertheless it is a very comprehensive document. It paves the way for Malaysia to play a bigger role in the international arena,” he said.
“The space race is on. There are already 2,500 satellites in space. Very soon the number will hit 75,000. It is basically a land grab, or space grab, if you want. The ITU ling is on a rstcome- rst-serve basis. Hence, the sense of urgency. If we don’t have a plan, we don’t stand a chance in this space race.”
The International Telecommunication Union, or ITU, is a special agency of the United Nations. Before a satellite is launched, its owners must rst make a satellite ling in order to obtain international recognition.
“There are certain challenges to le for ITU slots. Our team has to give an analysis of our mission in order to le for orbital slots.”
Malaysia is an active member of the ITU and has been championing equitable access on satellite orbit rights through public and private sector participation.
PIKOM, said Dr Seah, currently has three companies, namely Angkasa-X, Celcom and MeaSAT, that have been admitted as ITU_R members. These companies can apply and secure orbital slots and radio spectrum to launch their satellites.
“PIKOM will become the central voice of the SpaceTech industry based on its pro ciency in technology and system integration, which are the backbones of the space tech and satellite engineering.
“PIKOM believes that it should drive the space tech development forward as the association has over 1,000 corporate members equipped with the capability, technology and talent to work with industry, government and academia.
“Our members are very excited to see the potential collaboration and to see through this growth for the country.”
