Hanif Marzuki Mohd Saupi believes that passion alone is insufficient in the rapidly changing economic landscape, emphasizing the need for local youths to be resourceful and driven to excel. Together with Aniq Amrez, Miera Azahar, and Hafiz “Do’Bong” Zur Ain, he co-founded Youth Ventures Asia, a plug-and-play youth development ecosystem that offers a secure environment for passionate youths to explore entrepreneurship.
Youth Ventures has collaborated with over 40 institutions in Malaysia to create accelerators aimed at assisting graduates and researchers in launching and commercializing their ideas and projects. They also facilitate connections between agencies and corporations in Malaysia, such as CelcomDigi, The Star, and Paragon International, with ambitious young individuals.
Youth Ventures also manages Lorong Belakang, a weekly street market run by youths in Cyberjaya and Bukit Bintang, which attracts substantial foot traffic, boasts numerous vendors, and positively impacts the community. This initiative provides cost-effective market access for young entrepreneurs and offers students valuable work experience.
Recognized for their exceptional community-building efforts, Youth Ventures was awarded “The Most Active Community Builder in Asia for 2022” at the Origin Innovator Award by TechNode.
As a student entrepreneur, Hanif previously co-founded Qtix, a mobile integrated queue management system, and participated in the MaGIC Accelerator Program (MAP). He also contributed to StartupMalaysia as a Lead Trainer, educating young individuals on Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Innovation before the pandemic. Additionally, he volunteered as a Facilitator for StartupWeekend, a Techstars startup immersion program. Hanif is now also lecturing at Multimedia University, where he teaches entrepreneurship to undergraduates.