KL20
@ Kuala Lumpur 2026

Innovation Showcase

Explore Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem across connected showcase areas.

Opening of KL20@Kuala Lumpur 2026

Demo Stage Opening

Welcome, introduction to the Innovation Showcase, how to navigate the pavilions and what visitors can experience throughout the day.

From Chips to Champions — Scaling Malaysia’s Deep-Tech Pipeline

Malaysia has built strong foundations in the semiconductor industry, and the next opportunity is to support more homegrown IC design and deep-tech companies to commercialise, attract capital and scale. This session will explore what it takes to turn promising Malaysian deep-tech companies into global champions—from the perspectives of founders, investors and ecosystem leaders. It will examine how access to capital, corporate partnerships, customers, talent and the right scale-up environment can help homegrown companies commercialise and grow.

Moderator

Lim Li Lian

Khazanah Nasional Berhad

Speaker

Dato' Fong Swee Kiang

SkyeChip

Speaker

Dato' Seri Loo Lee Lian

InvestPenang

Speaker

Ooi Teng Chow

FusionAP

The World Is Open to Anyone

Wan Saifulamri, Founder of Objekk, shares how his team builds games played by millions around the world, and why they're far from the only ones. The session explores how platforms, trends and AI have opened the world to Malaysian builders, and why anyone with an idea can now go global, right from home.

Speaker

Wan Saifulamri

Objekk

Lean In - Web3, AI and Malaysia's Global Tech Founders

As digital assets, blockchain infrastructure and AI mature globally, Malaysian founders and investors are increasingly building products, protocols and platforms that serve international markets. This session will bring together Malaysian Web3, AI and emerging technology leaders across different stages of the ecosystem to discuss how homegrown talent can compete globally, what it takes to build from Malaysia for the world, and how the ecosystem can better support globally ambitious founders in frontier technology sectors.

Moderator

Zhong Yang Chan

CoinGecko

Speaker

Jacob Ko

Superscrypt

Speaker

Siong Ong

Jupiter

Speaker

Sophie Chiu

AppWorks

From Prompt to Product: A Rapid Prototyping Session with 42 Malaysia

What happens when you describe an idea in plain language and let AI build it? In this live session, Thila Vijayan, Director of Learning at 42 Malaysia, shows how vibe coding turns a simple prompt into a working prototype in minutes. Watch the process unfold and see how teams can use AI to move from idea to product faster, with no coding background required.

Speaker

Thila Vijayan

42 Malaysia / Sunway FutureX Digital Skills

Expanding from Malaysia to the World

As more Malaysian companies look beyond the domestic market, founders face a new set of challenges in building across borders — from adapting products and operating models, to navigating customer behaviour, talent, partnerships and market entry risks. This session will feature Malaysian founders who have scaled beyond Malaysia, sharing the pitfalls, pivots and breakthroughs of building regional and global businesses from homegrown foundations.

Moderator

Saifulbahri Hassan

Malaysia's Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP)

Speaker

Venon Tian

ZUS Coffee

UrbanMetry: Using Data to Rethink Urban Mobility

Join Stephanie, Head of Business Development at UrbanMetry, as she shares how the Malaysian data-driven technology company applies its capabilities to address real-world urban challenges. The session will showcase UrbanMetry’s work on bus modelling, exploring how data and geospatial analytics can support public transport planning, optimise bus networks and provide deeper insights into urban mobility patterns. Through practical applications, the session will highlight how homegrown technology companies can transform data into actionable insights and innovative solutions to improve the way Malaysian cities function.

Speaker

Stephanie Chin

Urbanmetry

Connecting Ecosystems: Unlocking Malaysia’s Third Sector through Startups and Social Innovation

The panel will bring together perspectives from ecosystem development, philanthropy and regional research. Discussions will cover three thematic areas: national policy vision and ecosystem development; organisational capabilities and sustainable financing; and market access and social procurement. The session aims to encourage collaboration, share practical experiences and identify opportunities for third sector organisations to expand their reach and impact.

Moderator

Elli Famira

Asia School of Business

Speaker

Kithmina Hewage

Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS)

Speaker

Nini Marini

Yayasan Hasanah

Speaker

Redza Shahid

Chamber of Social Enterprise Development (CSED)

AppWorks Demo Sprint

A fast-paced showcase featuring four innovative startups from the AppWorks ecosystem — Shieldbase, CapBay, KinetixPro and Boostorder. Led by Sophie Chiu from AppWorks, the session will feature short founder-led demonstrations highlighting their technologies, real-world applications and growth opportunities, offering a glimpse into the next generation of startups building from Malaysia and across the region.

Speaker

Sophie Chiu

AppWorks

Superteam MY x Superscrypt Demo Day

Organised by Superteam Malaysia and Superscrypt, this Demo Day will showcase Malaysian founders and developers building innovative blockchain solutions across payments, consumer applications, AI agents and developer tooling. The session will feature startup pitches and demonstrations, alongside insights from Superscrypt on its investments in Malaysian founders, what it looks for in promising teams and what it takes to attract venture capital in the Web3 ecosystem. Bringing together founders, investors, corporate partners and potential customers, the session aims to highlight Malaysia’s growing blockchain ecosystem, connect promising startups with capital and industry networks, and create opportunities for collaboration.

Speaker

Jacob Ko

Superscrypt

Speaker

Marianne C

Superteam Malaysia

Exploring Japan: Opportunities for Malaysian Startups and Businesses

Japan is becoming more open to collaboration, innovation, and global partnerships. In this session, Hazmi Mansor from JETRO Kuala Lumpur will share brief insights on Japan’s business and innovation landscape, emerging opportunities for Malaysian companies, and how JETRO supports collaboration and market entry through its programs and networks.

Speaker

Hazmi Mansor

Jetro Kuala Lumpur

From Action Plan to Activation

A session on moving KL20 from ambition to execution. The discussion will explore what KL20 must deliver to strengthen Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem from talent, infrastructure and market access to commercialisation pathways, technology adoption and stronger coordination across Government, industry and investors.

Moderator

Amanda Lopez

Buletin TV3 / Media Prima

Speaker

YB Tuan Haji Akmal Nasrullah bin Mohd Nasir

Ministry of Economy

Speaker

YB Datuk Chang Lih Kang

Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation

Mesillin | From Plastic Waste to Fuel — Turning Innovation into Impact

What if plastic waste could become a valuable energy resource? Join Ahmad Luqman, as he shares his entrepreneurial journey in developing homegrown plastic-to-fuel technology that converts discarded plastics into usable fuel. The session will explore the challenges of bringing an innovative solution from research and development to commercial application, highlighting opportunities for Malaysian technologies to address environmental challenges while creating new economic value.

Speaker

Ahmad Luqman Mohamad Adan

Mensilin Group of Companies

MoU Exchange

SiliconX x TAI Announcement: Co developement of custom chip for AI application | Xenith Technologies x Greatasic Technology Announcement: Collaboration in development of 5nm ADAS chip for automotive.

From IP to AI — Building Malaysia’s Next Compute Ecosystem

As AI becomes embedded across devices, factories, infrastructure and everyday products, countries that can connect semiconductor IP, software, talent and ecosystem partnerships will be better positioned to capture the next wave of value. This special keynote will offer a global perspective on how compute platforms are shaping the future of AI and intelligent systems, and what Malaysia can do to build deeper IC design, AI compute and system-level capabilities.

Speaker

Will Abbey

Arm Limited

WAHDAH | Connecting Mobility, Tourism and the Digital Economy (The Hidden Economy Behind Every Tourist Arrival)

Behind every tourist arrival are opportunities for local businesses, from mobility and accommodation to attractions, restaurants and services. Join Muhd Raden Anwar as he shares WAHDAH’s journey from a traditional car rental and car sharing business to a technology-driven mobility platform. The session will explore how digital tools, customer trust and operational innovation connect travellers with local businesses, improve productivity and support regional expansion.

Speaker

Muhd Raden Anwar

Wahdah Technologies Sdn Bhd

Weeroc Space x Amplified Space: Taking Malaysian Semiconductor Innovation to Space

Featuring Weeroc Space (Malaysia) and Amplified Space (US), this session shares the journey of developing advanced semiconductor and power management solutions for space applications. The founders will discuss the challenges of building specialised technologies, forging international partnerships and bringing innovations to market, highlighting how Malaysian companies can leverage global collaboration to compete in the space technology industry.

Speaker

Dr Salleh Ahmad

Weeroc Space

Speaker

Jerome Hittle

Amplified Space

Mission Possible

A discussion on how national initiatives in the Orange Economy and R&D&C&I can connect and complement one another to drive innovation, commercialisation and inclusive economic growth. The session explores how cross-sector collaboration can turn ideas, technology and creativity into scalable businesses and new opportunities for Malaysia as well as how an aggregator’s role can connect government initiatives, research and innovation capabilities, industry players, investors and technology partners to bridge gaps between innovation and commercialisation.

Moderator

Ashran Ghazi

MRANTI

Speaker

YB Tuan Liew Chin Tong

Ministry of Finance Malaysia (MOF)

Speaker

Dato' Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib

National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS)

Lucitrum: Building Malaysia's Next Generation of AI Vision Technologies

Hear from the founders of Lucitrum as they share their journey in developing Malaysia’s first multispectrum CMOS sensor and intelligent vision technologies. The session will explore the challenges, breakthroughs and opportunities of building homegrown semiconductor innovations, from developing specialised chip technologies to commercialising AI-powered solutions and competing in global markets.

Speaker

Dr Mohd Azizi Chik

Lucitrum

Speaker

Dr Ren Wu

Lucitrum

Venture Capital in a Fragmented World

As global markets become more fragmented, venture capital is being reshaped by shifting supply chains, geopolitical uncertainty and changing capital flows. This session will bring together leading VC voices to discuss how investors are adapting their investment theses, capital allocation strategies and founder support models — and how Malaysia can position itself as a trusted, connected and neutral platform for founders, fund managers and strategic capital.

Moderator

Howard Soh

Jelawang Capital

Speaker

Charles Wong

TNB Aura

Speaker

Datuk Wira Johan Rozali-Wathooth

Bintang Capital Partners

Speaker

Jenny Lee

Granite Asia

Speaker

Sachin Ajay Bhanot

Sitara Capital

Kiddocare: Building and Scaling Malaysia’s Care Ecosystem

Join Nadira Yusoff, Founder of Kiddocare, as she shares her entrepreneurial journey in building a technology-enabled care business — from identifying gaps in Malaysia’s caregiving sector to navigating the challenges of growing and scaling a homegrown startup. The session will also showcase Kiddocare’s initiatives, including CareHub and TalentHub, highlighting how the company is expanding its offerings, creating opportunities for caregivers and developing new solutions to strengthen Malaysia’s care ecosystem.

Speaker

Nadira Mohd Yusoff

Kiddocare

Capital Flows 2026 — LPs & Sovereigns on the Next Wave of Capital

As Southeast Asia continues to attract greater attention from institutional, sovereign-linked and strategic capital, this session will explore how investors are sizing up the region, allocating across emerging markets and identifying the fund managers and platforms best positioned to capture the next wave of growth. The discussion will also consider what it takes for Malaysian fund managers and innovation platforms to win institutional capital, deepen investor confidence and strengthen Malaysia’s position in the regional capital ecosystem.

Moderator

Kayse Foo

Khazanah Nasional Berhad

Speaker

Amanda L. Tan

IFC, World Bank Group

Speaker

Hazman Hilmi

Malaysia's Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP)

Speaker

Matt van Leeuwen

Sunway Group

Aphelia's Startup Journey from Malaysia to Europe: Building Solar Power in Space for the Earth & the Moon

What if energy could be transmitted wirelessly from Solar Power in Space down to the Earth, and even to power future missions on the Moon? Join Aphelia, a Malaysian Space & Energy deeptech startup, as it shares it's journey in developing wireless power technology to build Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) satellites to supply 24/7 renewable solar energy from space to Earth at utility scale. This session will explore the challenges of building frontier technologies, translating ambitious vision into commercial viability, and their journey to securing customer prospects not only with Malaysian energy utility players, but also space industry customer prospects in Europe, Canada & USA, all the way to become the 1st-ever Asian company to be part of an European space program for the Moon missions under ESRIC, in Luxembourg, while competing with world-class space startup companies.

Speaker

M. Razlan Dhamir Hamdan

Aphelia Sdn. Bhd

Mobilising Capital for Malaysia’s Innovation Economy

This closing fireside will anchor KL20 @ KL’s broader discussion on startups, innovation and scale-up pathways by focusing on the role of capital in building Malaysia’s next generation of high-growth companies. The conversation will explore how Malaysia can better mobilise institutional capital, GLICs, fund managers and strategic partners to support startups and innovation-led companies across different stages of growth. It will also provide an opportunity to position initiatives such as GEAR-uP within a broader whole-of-nation approach — ensuring that domestic capital is deployed in a catalytic, disciplined and coordinated way to build stronger companies, deeper capabilities and future Malaysian champions.

Moderator

Roshan Kanesan

BFM

Speaker

YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan

Ministry of Finance Malaysia (MOF)

KL20 X RIUH

Performance by Naki & Naungan

Malaysia to the World | Scaling Innovation Through Global Partnerships | Oppstar x TAI

This panel explores how Malaysian semiconductor companies can scale homegrown innovation and compete in the global market through strategic international partnerships. Featuring Oppstar’s collaboration with TAI (Japan) and GreatAsic’s collaboration with Xenith Technology (Malaysia), the session will present how cross-border collaboration, complementary expertise and shared technological ambitions can accelerate chip development, strengthen industry capabilities and create new opportunities in the global semiconductor value chain.

Speaker

Nakahara Hiroki

Tokyo Artisan Intelligence

Speaker

Ng Meng Thai

Oppstar Berhad

Malaysia to the World | Scaling Innovation Through Global Partnerships | Xenith Technologies x Greatasic Technology

This panel explores how Malaysian semiconductor companies can scale homegrown innovation and compete in the global market through strategic international partnerships. Featuring Oppstar’s collaboration with TAI (Japan) and GreatAsic’s collaboration with Xenith Technology (Malaysia), the session will present how cross-border collaboration, complementary expertise and shared technological ambitions can accelerate chip development, strengthen industry capabilities and create new opportunities in the global semiconductor value chain.

Speaker

Ong Chin Hu

GreatAsic Technology

Speaker

William Liang

Xenith Technologies

Closing Announcements & Remarks

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