Alliance Bank spotlights Malaysian entrepreneurs in new documentary

Alliance Bank Malaysia has taken the elevator pitch from boardroom to big screen with "The ultimate elevator pitch", Malaysia’s first feature-length business pitch film centred on SME entrepreneurship. 

Released in conjunction with World MSME (micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises) Day, the documentary premieres exclusively on streaming platform iQIYI and offers an unfiltered look at the entrepreneurial grind, from high-stakes pitches and mentorship sessions to emotional highs and late-night prep.

Produced in collaboration with consultagency Ampersand Advisory, the film goes behind the scenes of the 2024 BizSmart challenge, the bank’s flagship SME development program now in its 10th year. This edition introduced a new accelerator format, including a 60-second pitch segment designed to test founders under pressure. With a record 593 submissions, the challenge underscored the competitiveness and creativity of Malaysia’s SME ecosystem.

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The top three winners, BioLoop, Gula Cakery, and HiiVolt, stood out for their innovation, growth potential and business acumen, earning a share of RM550,000 in cash prizes. For the first time, every finalist received a prize, reinforcing Alliance Bank’s wider goal of inclusive growth.

The program also expanded its support beyond traditional financing, connecting participants to venture capital through 1337 Ventures and 5X Capital, as well as grant opportunities via Cradle MYStartup and CGC.

According to Alliance Bank, the decision to turn the challenge into a full-length film was driven by a single insight: entrepreneurship isn’t just a strategy, it’s a deeply personal journey. With a rising appetite for raw, documentary-style storytelling, Alliance Bank spotted an opportunity to showcase the real emotions, setbacks and breakthroughs that often get left out of pitch decks.

By streaming exclusively on iQIYI, the film taps into Malaysia’s digital-first viewing habits while making entrepreneurial stories more accessible to aspiring founders, students and small business owners. The platform partnership also aligns with both brands’ push to support local innovation and meaningful content.

The launch of the film also sets the stage for the return of the BizSmart business conference, which will take place on 7 October 2025 at W Kuala Lumpur. Now in its second year, the conference will feature more than 35 speakers under the theme “Boundaries reimagined". Past BizSmart challenge finalists will also share how they’ve scaled their businesses across sectors and borders.

“For over a decade, we’ve supported entrepreneurs beyond financial services. This movie is Malaysia’s first feature-length SME business pitch film that invites the public to witness the grit, vulnerability, and determination behind Malaysia’s SME founders. It’s a portrait of resilience and ambition, and a celebration of the changemakers building our future," said Kellee Kam, group chief executive officer of Alliance Bank. 

In tandem, Sandeep Joseph, co-founder and CEO of Ampersand Advisory said, "We see entrepreneurs as heroes, and that’s how we approached this movie. Our client was open-minded and the idea of a movie came in a large part from them. The audience gets a rare front-row seat to some of the struggles and high points that define a founder’s journey. You’ll see the unguarded moments, the investor debates, and the mentorship that shapes growth. It’s raw, relatable, and relevant. These are the stories of Malaysia’s future business leaders, told without filter."

The documentary follows Alliance Bank’s earlier film initiative launched in November last year, a first-of-its-kind private screening that chronicled the stories and progress of the BizSmart challenge accelerator edition. The film premiered at Aurum Theatre at The Exchange TRX in Kuala Lumpur.

At the private screening, invited guests discovered the journeys and outcomes of the 2025 challenge’s next cohort of winners. Thirteen finalists were selected following a rigorous process involving 593 applicants, four days of accelerator programming, business coaching, two days of pitching, and one high-pressure day of elevator pitching.

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