KUCHING: Sarawak aims to position itself as a global innovation hub by 2030, using research excellence and commercialisation to drive economic growth.
Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah said to achieve the goal, the ministry is committed to offer young and upcoming talents appropriate teaching and learning environments as well as relevant platforms to drive innovation.
“Innovation is key to sustained economic growth. Our Post-Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 focuses on deepening research in specific sectors and nurturing a robust Sarawak Innovation Ecosystem.
“This includes increasing research and development expenditure, doubling patents, enhancing the researcher workforce, and launching high-tech startups.
“Therefore, my ministry has established the Sarawak Digital and Innovation Ecosystem (SDIE) championed by Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation,” he said during the SDEC Technology Accelerator (STAcc) Demo Day here yesterday (May 8).
The SDIE, Sagah said, is aimed at bridging facilities and initiatives under SDEC’s purview, federal and state agencies, and local universities to drive Sarawak’s digital economy initiatives.
“In the SDIE, Digital Research and Technology Development plays a key role in fostering new technological innovations among local technopreneurs.
“Commercialisation drives research quality, fosters innovation culture, and boosts investment in R&D, often leading to collaborations that enhance research standards and impact within the ecosystem,” he said.
Regarding the STAcc, Sagah explained that it aimed to expedite digital technology translation into practical use-cases and facilitate research output commercialisation, focusing on deep-tech companies for solutions and novel intellectual property development.
He added that the programme equipped research teams with skills and support for innovative market-ready solutions, complemented by tailored mentoring and product development pathways.
AgriSmartEye PLT, part of Cohort 1, developed a solution using intelligent image processing for quality monitoring and origin tracing of Sarawak ground black pepper, earning them the Innovator Excellence Award.
Additionally, TwinCrab Solution, from Cohort 2, showcased their pioneering Smart Crab Detection System, earning them the same award for their exceptional work.
Meanwhile, CARISA, an artificial intelligence (AI) powered cancer risk assessment online tool stood out and received the Innovation Spotlight Award.
Also present were deputy minister Datuk Francis Harden Hollis and permanent secretary Datuk Azmi Bujang, SDEC chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani and CEO Sudarnoto Osman.
