Reflections on Leading the MARA Lecturer Incubator Program (MLIP)

From June 22 to August 11, 2026, I found myself at the helm of the MARA Lecturer Incubator Program (MLIP). A joint effort between Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC / ASBhive) at Asia School of Business (ASB), the program focused on guiding 15 MARA entrepreneurship lecturers as they transformed raw ideas into functioning startups.

The tricky part, though also the most thrilling, was building a curriculum for people who have spent over 15 years mastering their own field. These lecturers already knew their subject matter cold, so my role was never to teach them something new from scratch. It was about designing a learning journey that let them see their expertise through an entrepreneur's eyes, then stepping back into a facilitator role to guide rather than lecture.

We were firm from the start that this program would not be another theory-heavy seminar, so we recruited trainers and mentors who were heavyweights in their fields. Against the odds, we managed to lock them in, and our lecturers ended up learning directly from people at the top of their game.

Every session was built to push our lecturers past their comfort zones. We drilled them on validating their ideas with real customers, sharpened how they thought about staying sustainable long term, and got them thinking seriously about social impact alongside profit.

Everything culminated on Demo Day, where our lecturers stood in front of a panel of sharp judges: Dr. Madiha Fuad from PlusVibes, Daniel Woodroof from Pandan Social, Khairul Anwar from Pandai, and Mahyuddin Maat Saat from MARA. Alongside the pitches, we ran a showcase floor where their prototypes were on full display for everyone to see how far each idea had traveled.

Beyond the classroom and the pitches, we made a point of practicing what we preached about social impact. In line with ASBhive's mandate, we procured up to RM12,230 worth of F&B and corporate gifts from local social enterprises. We worked with businesses that employ youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder, create work opportunities for refugees, uplift single mothers through tailoring, and reduce surplus vegetable waste. Choosing these vendors was one of the decisions I was proudest of.

Running this program was a privilege from start to finish, but the piece I loved most was managing it all. It was a demanding stretch full of unexpected twists, and I will admit it was a steep learning curve for me as the person running the show. I would not change a thing though. Mistakes are the fastest teacher there is, and every stumble left me itching to take on even bigger project management challenges next.

To the lecturers, thank you for staying the course. Eight weeks is a long time to keep showing up, and you did it while facing every curveball this program threw at you. I hope it gave you as much as it gave me.

To every mentor and trainer who gave us their time, thank you. What you brought could not have been found anywhere else, and this program is better for it.

To MARA, particularly Dr. Hasnan and Datin Amy, thank you for placing your trust in us. Building this program alongside you, with the freedom to experiment and think differently, was one of the best parts of this whole experience.

To Redza, thank you for being the steady hand through all of it. You pushed me to see things from angles I would never have found alone, kept me grounded when things got hectic, and I might not have made it to week 8 in one piece without you.

Here's to more collaborations with MARA down the line!

Written by Zakirah Azhar