Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Developments in Malaysia - Existing Actors Moving from a Cluster to a Countrywide Role and the Emergence of New Actors

This paper examine the changing ecosystems in Malaysia, starting with the government policy driven greenfield cluster of Cyberjaya, which is part of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) mega project. In this context of an emerging economy, predominantly production oriented, the role of the government was crucial with respect to implementing policies and building infrastructure for the ecosystems. First, the roles played by the cluster development agency, universities, and industry are explained. As the cluster developed, this paper, taking an entrepreneurial ecosystem approach, explores how some actors evolved and changed their roles to become catalyst organisations established for the cluster now serving nationwide. This was followed by the emergence of new actors in the ecosystems, for example, knowledge intermediaries, and new roles for universities. In addition to actors such as universities and industry, this paper recognizes the emergence of media organisations as new actors in the entrepreneurial ecosystems in Malaysia.