NICE 2025 Debuts as Malaysia’s Largest Innovation Expo, Inviting the Nation to Shape the Future Together

KUALA LUMPUR, 6 October 2025 – The National Innovation and Commercialisation Expo (NICE) 2025 officially opened today at the World Trade Centre (WTC) Kuala Lumpur, marking its debut as the largest innovation expo ever organised by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI).

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Anchored by the theme “Innovation. Growth. Global Impact.”, NICE 2025 integrates MOSTI’s flagship programmes — Malaysia Commercialisation Year (MCY), I-Nation Global Summit, and BioXCeed 2025 — under one platform, making it the most comprehensive showcase of Malaysia’s innovation and commercialisation ecosystem to date.

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The Expo is expected to draw over 12,000 participants and 150 exhibitors, featuring technology showcases, policy dialogues, business matching sessions, and strategic launches designed to propel Malaysia’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) agenda.

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YAB Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Fadillah Yusof graciously launched NICE 2025, and in his launch address, he highlighted that NICE 2025 will witness the signing of 13 agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) worth more than RM800 million, as well as, the launch of 14 new products spanning agritech, biotech, and digital development. These milestones signal immediate business and innovation impact contributing towards the national economy from the Expo’s very first day.

During the event, the Deputy Prime Minister also witnessed three MoU exchanges between Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation Sdn Bhd and Polaris Bio Co. Ltd (Korea) valued at RM700 million; between Putra Agrotech Sdn Bhd and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) valued at RM70 million; and a joint venture between Xeraya Capital and MiRXES Holdings (Singapore) valued at RM42 million (USD 10 million). 

(Refer Annex 1 for details of MoUs exchanged during the launch.) 

According to YB Tuan Chang Lih Kang, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), STI is now the main driver of economic growth in the 21st century, particularly among high-income nations. 

Quoted from the OECD Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook 2024, YB Chang highlighted three global priorities — green transition, digital transformation through advanced technologies such as AI, and building resilience amidst geopolitical and economic uncertainties. 

“NICE 2025 is a bold step to position Malaysia as a leading innovation-driven economy. We are transforming from being a consumer of technology into a creator and exporter of technologies that carry Malaysia’s name to global markets. This week, I invite all Malaysians to be part of this journey, to experience, witness and connect with the innovations and innovators that will shape our nation’s future,” said Chang. 

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Showcasing Achievements in Commercialisation 

Since its inception in 2016, MCY has successfully supported the commercialisation of 622 innovations, generating more than RM849 million in sales. As part of NICE 2025, MCY continues to provide incentives, including RM1 million in cash rewards, capacity-building programmes, business matching, and promotion support. To date, over 1,753 products and services have undergone due diligence as part of MCY’s KPI framework. 

During the event, the Deputy Prime Minister also witnessed the presentation of the MCY Awards, where a total cash prize of RM1 million was awarded to winners. The prize serves as a mark of appreciation, recognition, and encouragement from the Government for researchers and entrepreneurs who have successfully enhanced the competitiveness of their R&D outputs in both domestic and international markets. 

The MCY Awards recognise outstanding achievements through the Overall Award and five category awards, namely: Commercialisation Achievement Award, Emerging Innovator Award, Researcher Entrepreneur Award, Research-Business Collaboration Award, and the Social Entrepreneur Award. 

(Refer Annex 1 for details of MCY Award categories.) 

The government is also strengthening local innovation adoption through the MySTI initiative, ensuring greater utilisation of Malaysian-developed products and services in government procurement. As of today, 790 applications have been received for the MySTI logo, with 539 products certified. This initiative helps technopreneurs gain acceptance in domestic markets, boosting investor and buyer confidence globally. 

The success of the National Technology and Innovation Sandbox (NTIS) was also another key highlight of NICE 2025. Since its launch in 2020, NTIS has channelled RM135.2 million in funding to 134 companies, resulting in 80 products and technologies being commercialised, generating RM158 million in commercialisation value. 

“The achievements of NTIS prove that innovation in Malaysia is not just about ideas but about value creation — contributing to national revenue, strengthening local technology ecosystems, and accelerating Malaysia’s transformation into a globally competitive innovation-driven economy,” added Chang. 

The success of NICE 2025 is made possible through the strong support of our sponsors and partners. World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur serves as the Official Venue Sponsor, providing a world-class space to showcase Malaysian innovation. In addition, Brand Geeks as a strategic partner will be offering Key Innovator Value-Added Programmes to MCY winners, including the Hidra Index®️ programme which covers Market Readiness Level (MRL) Scoring, Turbocharge Bootcamps, as well as Monitoring and Intervention Support valued at RM200,000. 

Several leading organisations including Infineon, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Dell and Billion Prima have come onboard to strengthen the Expo’s impact, through I-Nation Global Summit. Their support reflects a shared commitment to advancing Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem and positioning local technologies on the global stage. 

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About National Innovation and Commercialisation Expo (NICE) 2025 

The National Innovation and Commercialisation Expo (NICE) 2025 is Malaysia's premier platform for showcasing and scaling local innovations to global markets. Formerly the Malaysia Commercialisation Year (MCY) Summit, which has successfully commercialised 622 innovations and generated over RM849 million in revenue, NICE 2025 represents a new chapter in the nation's innovation journey, led by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and organised by MRANTI. 

Held from 6–9 October 2025 at World Trade Centre (WTC) Kuala Lumpur, NICE 2025 will consolidate key national innovation initiatives, including innovation showcases, policy dialogues, business matching, and the launch of the Research, Development, Innovation, Commercialisation and Economy (RDICE) Roadmap for Malaysia. It will also feature three main programs from MOSTI and its agencies: MCY, I-Nation Global Summit (MRANTI), as well as, BioXCeed (Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) and Bioeconomy Corporation). 

With an expected attendance of over 12,000 participants and 150 exhibitors, NICE 2025 is an essential event for startup founders, researchers, corporate innovators, STEM leaders, and various other stakeholders to connect, showcase, and grow, ultimately shaping the future of Malaysian innovation. 

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ISSUED BY: 

Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) 

Date: 6 October 2025 

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