HomeNews FeedMYHackathon 2024 Cohort 2: Driving Innovation for Malaysia's Digital Future

MYHackathon 2024 Cohort 2: Driving Innovation for Malaysia’s Digital Future

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The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) and Cradle Fund Sdn. Bhd. (Cradle) have announced five innovative solutions from local companies as the winners of the MYHackathon 2024 Cohort 2 programme. The announcement was made during a grand closing ceremony officiated by YB Tuan Chang Lih Kang, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, at the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB) in Kuala Lumpur.

Transformative Grants and Mentorship for Innovation

Each of the Cohort 2 winners will receive conditional grants of up to RM250,000 to turn their innovative ideas into impactful pilot projects, paving the way for real-world applications that address critical challenges. Additionally, they will benefit from one-on-one project implementation mentorship over the next 12 months. These winners will also collaborate closely with problem statement owners to refine their solution implementation strategies, ensuring the innovations align with practical needs.

Minister’s Vision for a Digital Malaysia

In his keynote speech, YB Tuan Chang Lih Kang expressed admiration for the high-quality innovations presented, highlighting solutions like an AI-powered wildlife detection system and a cutting-edge anti-drone technology as examples of the impactful ideas showcased. He remarked, โ€œThe ideas showcased are not only practical but resonate deeply with Malaysiaโ€™s digital transformation goals. I am confident that these innovations hold immense potential for commercialization and scalability.โ€ He further highlighted how MYHackathon 2024 directly supports Malaysia MADANIโ€™s vision of fostering renewal and innovation for people-centric development.

The Minister emphasized the importance of open innovation in addressing Malaysiaโ€™s critical challenges. โ€œOpen innovation offers a unique opportunity to propel Malaysiaโ€™s startup ecosystem and elevate our standing in the Global Innovation Index (GII). By fostering collaboration between the Government, academia, and the private sector, we can drive local startup growth, attract investments, develop talent, and position Malaysia as a global innovation leader. With the current momentum, I am optimistic we can achieve our goal of ranking among the top 30 countries in the GII by 2025,โ€ he added.

MYHackathon 2024: A Platform for High-Impact Solutions

The 2024 edition of MYHackathon launched under the theme โ€˜Hackathon Nasional Untuk Malaysia MADANIโ€™ featured two cohorts, on September 23 and November 25, respectively. Together, these cohorts tackled 12 critical problem statements sourced from ministries, agencies, and local governments, with seven addressed in Cohort 1 and five in Cohort 2.

The programme saw an incredible response, with 810 passionate individuals and teams submitting inquiries and applicationsโ€”419 for Cohort 1 and 391 for Cohort 2โ€”reflecting the enthusiasm and drive to tackle Malaysiaโ€™s most pressing challenges. Participation extended nationwide, including from Sabah and Sarawak, which contributed 3.8% (103 applications) for Cohort 1 and 3.9% (101 applications) for Cohort 2. Winners will pilot their solutions over 12 months, providing practical, innovative answers to pressing challenges.

Celebrating Innovation and Collaboration

Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, Group CEO of Cradle, expressed his excitement about the programme, saying, โ€œThe creativity, determination, and commitment displayed by MYHackathon 2024 participants are truly inspiring. Their innovative ideas address real-world challenges and showcase the incredible talent Malaysia has to offer.โ€ Over the past four years, MYHackathon has become a vital platform to uncover Malaysiaโ€™s brightest talents and inspire impactful solutions that enhance Government service delivery.โ€

He further reiterated Cradleโ€™s commitment to nurturing a generation of innovators, โ€œOur mission is to create an inclusive and sustainable startup ecosystem that makes Malaysia more progressive.โ€

Proven Success in Government Service Innovation

Since its inception in 2020, the biennial MYHackathon programme has delivered several transformative solutions adopted across various government services. Notable innovations include:

  • Gajah Safe Sdn. Bhd. by Satok Bridge Digital Sdn. Bhd.: An AI-driven solution integrating detection cameras to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.
  • Anti-Drone Detection System (DDS) by FlyBots Technology: A cutting-edge system for controlling unauthorized drone intrusions in restricted areas.

These success stories exemplify the MYHackathon programmeโ€™s role as a catalyst for innovation and progress, showcasing Malaysiaโ€™s potential as a global leader in technological solutions. MYHackathon 2024 continues to be a beacon for creativity, collaboration, and transformative impact.

Raaj Lokanathan
Raaj Lokanathan
A software engineer as a profession. A tech blogger as a passion.

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