KUCHING, 19 MAY 2026 – 15 high-potential deep-tech teams from nine universities and spin-off companies across Malaysia showcased breakthrough innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things (IoT) at the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) TechFrontier Incubator (TFI) Cohort 1 Demo Day today.
The participating teams comprised 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), and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA).
The showcased technologies demonstrated strong commercial and real-world application potential across key sectors including agriculture, utilities, food manufacturing, public safety and crime prevention, industrial manufacturing, construction, healthcare, renewable energy, and tourism.
As a flagship programme under SDEC’s Tech to Impact initiative (techtoimpact.sarawak.digital), TFI is designed to support early- and mid-career researchers in transforming deep-tech research into market-ready solutions. Targeting projects at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4 to 6, the programme provides structured mentorship, business development guidance, and industry engagement opportunities to help accelerate the transition from laboratory research to commercial adoption.
Over a six-month period, participating teams underwent 10 intensive workshops and commercialisation-focused development programmes designed to equip researchers with entrepreneurial exposure, market insights, and practical frameworks to transform research excellence into scalable ventures.
The Demo Day served not only as a platform to validate the commercial viability of the participating technologies, but also as a catalyst for investment opportunities, strategic collaborations, and market expansion.
Awards were presented to teams that demonstrated exceptional progress in commercialisation readiness, innovation potential, market validation, and business scalability. The full list of winners is as follows:
- HSE RANGER/ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SARAWAK (UTS)
- RENTVERSE/ METAIRFLOW SDN BHD
- PUTRA AGROTECH/ UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA (UPM)
As alumni of TFI and part of SDEC’s broader Tech to Impact pipeline, selected high-potential spin-offs demonstrating strong commercial readiness may progress into SDEC’s Spin-off Support Pipeline.
Through this next-stage support mechanism, eligible teams will receive further assistance via the Spin-off Support Grant to accelerate spin-off incorporation, deepen technology and market validation with targeted customers, and strengthen early-stage business development efforts to support sustainable growth and market entry.
According to Chief Executive Office of SDEC Dato Ir. Ts. Sudarnoto Osman, TFI reflects SDEC’s broader mission to support the growth of high-value digital industries and strengthen a resilient innovation ecosystem through research excellence in Sarawak.
“Many of the technologies showcased today have the potential to make a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives — from smarter farming solutions and improved healthcare services to safer communities and more efficient business operations. This is exactly the impact we hope to drive through TFI, creating value for industries, communities, and the broader economy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer and founder of NEXEA Ben Lim believes that early-stage innovation requires the right guidance, structure, and exposure to develop further.
“Through TFI, we had the opportunity to support participating teams as they refined their business models, tested their assumptions, and improved how they present their solutions. While every startup journey takes time, it is encouraging to see the progress made by the teams throughout the programme.
We are pleased to support SDEC in this initiative and contribute to the continued development of Sarawak’s startup ecosystem,” said Lim.
TFI is aligned with the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) and the Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030 (SDE Blueprint 2030), both of which emphasise innovation-led growth, digital transformation, and talent development as critical drivers in Sarawak’s aspiration to achieve high-income status by 2030.
For its inaugural cohort, SDEC has partnered with NEXEA as the programme partner, providing participating teams with structured mentorship, founder matching opportunities, and access to experienced entrepreneurs and investor networks. Selected high-potential teams may also gain access to potential investment funding of up to RM250,000 to accelerate product development, commercialisation, and market entry.
For more information about TFI and upcoming programmes, visit https://techtoimpact.sarawak.digital/techfrontier-incubator.