KUCHING, 27 MAY 2024 – The Sarawak Digital Ecosystem Forum 2024 held earlier this month at the Borneo Cultures Museum signified an important partnership between Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) and BCN Smart Technologies (BCN), a partner of independent and private non-profit-association Tech Barcelona.
Tech Barcelona is an association that works to reinforce Barcelona as a model of the international digital and technological ecosystem.
The recent forum marked the initial phase of partnership between the two organisations when both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 13 February 2024 and exchanged the MoU on 27 February at the Sarawak Luncheon event hosted by SDEC in Barcelona in conjunction with the Mobile World Congress 2024. The collaboration aims to elevate Sarawak’s digital and innovation ecosystem to global standards, drawing on the expertise and support of BCN.
The 5-day digital innovation hub workshop was conducted with BCN partner Jara Pascual, CEO of Collabwith and author of the book ‘Innovation and Collaboration in the Digital Era’. Bringing together over 80 participants representing Sarawak’s expansive digital landscape, the forum provided opportunities for discussions on innovation, and development of the start-up ecosystem and the supporting Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) in Sarawak under the Sarawak Digital Ecosytem initiative and ethos.
The participants included representatives from Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation, Serba Dinamik Digital Sdn Bhd, iCube Innovations, and Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (TEGAS). Also present were representatives from the academia ecosystem namely Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Sarawak (UiTM Sarawak), Curtin University Malaysia, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, and i-Cats University College, all participated with the goal of elevating and nurturing the next generation of young startups in the region.
Delving into crucial topics such as managing and achieving Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) within the innovation culture in line with the Post-COVID 19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) roadmap, participants were involved in discussions to understand the complexities and challenges involved within the region as well as the assistance needed to manage and understanding the outcomes to achieve the PCDS 2030 goals. They gained insights into the soft skills required in developing talent and making sure the leaders of future tech start-ups have the mental capacity to drive new businesses.
“There is tremendous opportunity for the Sarawak Digital Ecosystem to bring all the required actors together with the innovation hubs in Sarawak to develop, nurture, and grow tech start-ups within the region and beyond. With the support from respective government agencies and in line with the existing roadmaps and blueprints, Sarawak is on the right track for international and regional success,” said Pascual.
Meanwhile, Managing Director of BCN Smart Technologies Jordi Pol opined that there’s huge potential for collaboration between the Sarawak hubs, centred around the guidance and leadership of SDEC and the international community.
“We hope to assist in developing the relationships with Tech Barcelona hub and other leading tech hubs in Europe to elevate Sarawak’s presence on the global stage,” he added.
The Sarawak Digital Ecosystem Forum 2024 represented a bold stride towards realising Sarawak’s digital destiny. With 134 tech startups already flourishing in the region, the ambitious aim to reach 500 startups by 2030 resonates well with the PCDS 2030. Beyond mere numbers, the forum and the workshop aspired to cultivate high-performing ecosystem hubs, empowering communities to become ambassadors of change and innovation.