SDEC TFI Demo Day Empowers Local Technology Commercialisation
KUCHING: The SDEC TechFrontier Incubator (TFI) Cohort 1 Demo Day programme serves as a platform for 15 high-potential deep-tech teams from nine universities and spin-off companies across Malaysia to showcase various innovations based on artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Sarawak Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn said the programme reflects the Sarawak Government's commitment to strengthening innovation and technological development through the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC).
According to him, research outcomes and technological innovations should not merely remain stored in laboratories nor academic publications, but must instead be brought forward for commercialisation for the economic benefit of the people and the nation.
“If ideas are only kept in books, publications or storage shelves, they will not bring any benefit.
“We want these research outcomes to be translated into innovations that can be used to develop the economy, not just the state's economy, but also family and national economies,” he said.
He said this when met by reporters after attending the SDEC TFI Cohort 1 Demo Day Programme at the Grand Margherita Hotel, here on Tuesday.
The participating teams consisted of researchers and innovators from i-CATS University College, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Curtin University Malaysia, University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak and Shah Alam, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) as well as Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA).
Among the sectors with the potential to benefit from the featured technologies include agriculture, utilities, food manufacturing, public safety, industrial, construction, healthcare, renewable energy and tourism.
During the programme, three teams were announced as the main winners, namely HSE Ranger from UTS, RentVerse by Metairflow Sdn Bhd, and Putra Agrotech from UPM.
Additionally, RentVerse by Metairflow Sdn Bhd also received a potential investment opportunity of up to RM250,000 from the venture capital firm, Nexea.
TFI, which is a flagship programme under SDEC's Tech to Impact initiative, was established to assist early and mid-stage researchers in transforming deep-tech research into market-ready solutions.
Throughout the six-month duration of the programme, all teams underwent 10 intensive workshops and development programmes that emphasised commercialisation aspects, entrepreneurial exposure and market understanding to accelerate the process of bringing technology from the lab to the market.
Also present were Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Francis Harden Hollis and Chief Executive Officer of SDEC Dato Ir Ts Sudarnoto Osman. -UKASnews
