Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research (CEDAR)

What Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research (CEDAR) does

CEDAR (Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research) is a Kuala Lumpur-based, government-backed entrepreneur development organisation, established in 2013 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of SME Bank Malaysia (Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad). It operates as an outcome-based coaching outfit whose stated mission is to function as a centre of excellence for entrepreneur development and transformation, aligned with Malaysia's national economic agenda. The organisation serves Malaysian entrepreneurs and SME owners through personalised business coaching and structured programmes spanning strategy, finance, marketing, human resources, and ESG training.

Its product portfolio centres on the CEDAR Entrepreneur Development Programme, supplemented by digital registration platforms — BEACON Registration and TSP Registration — that funnel entrepreneurs into development pathways, the year-specific M.U.M 2026 initiative (registration via Microsoft Forms), and a Digital Business Programme focused on digital marketing and technology adoption. Personalised Business Coaching provides one-on-one engagement designed to identify business gaps, formulate goals and KPIs, and improve business performance. The underlying technology stack is intentionally light: digital registration forms (Office 365), the SME Bank website and programme finder tool, and human-delivered coaching methodology. There is no disclosed proprietary software platform, AI capability, or enterprise-grade SaaS infrastructure.

CEDAR's business model is a hybrid of programme fees (for entrepreneur development and training) and government-subsidised training, with HRDF affiliation visible on the website. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; customer engagement is routed through a Customer Contact Centre and digital sign-up forms. Distribution is fully domestic and runs through SME Bank's ecosystem — shared premises at Menara SME Bank in Kuala Lumpur, social channels operated by SME Bank (Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok), and a 15-person team. The go-to-market is event-driven and ecosystem-led rather than commercial sales-led, consistent with a government developmental mandate rather than a venture-backed growth charter.

Name

Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research (CEDAR)

Legal name

Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (197901005290 (49572-H))

Website

https://cedar.my

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CEDAR is a Kuala Lumpur-based, government-backed entrepreneur development subsidiary of SME Bank Malaysia, founded in 2013. It delivers personalised business coaching, training programmes, and digital registration platforms (BEACON, TSP) to Malaysian SME owners across strategy, finance, marketing, HR, and ESG.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Coaching and Entrepreneur Development Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Founder/Entrepreneur & Family Business Executive Coaching (EDABANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Strategy, Decision-Making & Business Acumen Coaching (EDABANAH), Marketing, Branding & Sales Skills (EDAMAHAG), Leadership, Management & Teamwork for Business (EDAMAHAI)

Keywords

• Entrepreneur coaching services
• Business development training
• SME capability building
• Entrepreneur education programmes
• Business coaching Malaysia

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuala Lumpur

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Programme Fees: Revenue generated from entrepreneur development programmes, coaching services, and training courses offered to Malaysian entrepreneurs and SME owners.
2. Government-Subsidized Training: Training programmes supported through HRDF (Human Resource Development Fund) as indicated by the HRDF logo on the website.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CEDAR delivers outcome-based business coaching and entrepreneur development programmes for Malaysian entrepreneurs and SME owners, covering Strategy, Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, and ESG. Its offering combines personalised one-on-one coaching, structured public programmes, digital business training, and dedicated registration platforms (BEACON and TSP) that give entrepreneurs access to its development resources.

Product overview

CEDAR is a single unified offering centered on entrepreneur development and coaching services. It operates as an outcome-based coaching outfit providing personalized business coaching and structured development programmes. The portfolio consists of the core CEDAR Entrepreneur Development Programme (covering strategy, finance, marketing, HR, and ESG training), supplemented by BEACON Registration and TSP Registration platforms for programme access, M.U.M 2026 as a year-specific development initiative, Digital Business Programme for technology-focused training, and Personalised Business Coaching for individual entrepreneur support. These offerings are designed to complement SME Bank Malaysia's developmental role in supporting entrepreneurs across various stages of business growth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CEDAR Entrepreneur Development Programme An outcome-based coaching programme for Malaysian entrepreneurs and SME owners, providing personalised business coaching and structured training across strategy, finance, marketing, human resources, and ESG.
• BEACON Registration A registration platform that allows entrepreneurs to enrol in CEDAR's business support and development programmes.
• TSP Registration A registration service that enables entrepreneurs to participate in CEDAR's technology and innovation-focused development programmes.
• M.U.M 2026 A year-specific business development initiative targeting entrepreneurs in 2026, with registration through CEDAR's Microsoft Forms sign-up page.
• Digital Business Programme Digital-focused entrepreneurship training covering digital marketing and technology adoption, targeted at Malaysian SME owners pursuing business transformation.
• Personalised Business Coaching One-on-one coaching services that identify business gaps, formulate goals and KPIs, and improve business performance through open topics and tailored guidance for individual entrepreneurs and SME owners.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO): EO is a global peer-to-peer network for entrepreneurs offering learning programmes, events, and coaching. It is comparable to CEDAR in serving established business owners seeking capability development, with a strong Malaysia chapter presence.
• Cradle Fund (Cradle Ventures): Cradle is a Malaysian government-linked early-stage funding and entrepreneur development agency. It is comparable to CEDAR in serving Malaysian entrepreneurs through developmental programmes, but adds grant funding that CEDAR does not provide.
• SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp): SME Corp Malaysia is the central coordinating agency for SME development under the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development. It is comparable to CEDAR as a national body focused on Malaysian SME uplift, though operating at policy and grant level rather than direct coaching delivery.
• SCORE (SME Corp programme): SCORE is a diagnostic and capability development programme under SME Corp Malaysia for SME transformation. Comparable to CEDAR's outcome-based coaching methodology focused on Malaysian SME capability uplift.
• Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC): MaGIC is a government-backed Malaysian innovation and entrepreneur development agency. Like CEDAR, it provides programmes and support to Malaysian entrepreneurs, but with a stronger focus on startups, innovation, and ecosystem building rather than SME coaching specifically.

Broad incumbents

• Vistage Worldwide: Vistage is a global executive coaching and peer advisory organisation serving SME CEOs and business owners. It is comparable to CEDAR in delivering personalised business coaching and peer-group learning, with a broader geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Tekun Nasional: Tekun Nasional is a Malaysian government agency providing micro-financing and entrepreneur development, particularly to Bumiputera entrepreneurs. Comparable to CEDAR as a national-level entrepreneur support entity under Malaysia's development finance ecosystem.
• Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC): MDEC is a government agency driving Malaysia's digital economy, including digital entrepreneur programmes and training. Comparable to CEDAR in serving Malaysian entrepreneurs with development programmes, but with a narrower digital-economy focus.

Emerging players

• Antler: Antler is a global early-stage venture capital firm and accelerator with active operations in Southeast Asia including Malaysia. It is comparable to CEDAR in providing entrepreneur development programmes, but differs by offering pre-seed funding and a global founder network.
• Founder Institute: Founder Institute is a global pre-seed accelerator that runs entrepreneur training and startup launch programmes, including in Malaysia. Comparable to CEDAR in delivering structured entrepreneur development, with stronger emphasis on company formation outcomes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sme_bank
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/smebankmalaysia
• Facebookfacebook.com/smebankmalaysia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cedarsmebank
• Instagraminstagram.com/smebank_malaysia
• TikToktiktok.com/@smebank

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research (CEDAR)