Tech exhibition cultivates eco-system for reinvention

Ong says it is even more important during this pandemic to continue to innovate to ensure humankind progresses despite the ‘new normal’.

THE International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX) has adopted a hybrid model of an online and physical exhibition.

The hybrid model is expected to open up the marketplace, maximising potential reach between inventors and innovators with venture capitalists and other stakeholders.

This year, ITEX’s theme is 3R: Reset, Reinvent, Reimagine.

The exhibition features an enhanced programme with live and on-demand webinars, talks and forums, exhibition stands, networking and matchmaking sessions to keep the invention and technology community connected despite the travel challenges.

“It is even more important during this pandemic to continue to innovate to ensure humankind progresses despite the ‘new normal’, said Emeritus Professor Tan Sri Dr Augustine Ong, who is founding president of the Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS) – co-organiser of ITEX.

“Technology and invention will keep us moving forward as an advanced community and ITEX plays an important role creating the right eco-systems for this,” he added.

ITEX 2021 offers a space for visitors to upskill, learn and be inspired by inventions and the creative use of technology.

It is a professional marketplace to seek innovative, ESG-compliant inventions to meet industrial needs, improve quality of life and products for road to commercialisation.

Last year, about 30% of the visitors attended ITEX Online to explore alternative products, with at least 75% of the visitors rating the novelty of the exhibition products as excellent.

“The inventions featured from across the region allow funders to directly address their interests with the inventors,” said C.I.S president Datuk Vincent Lim.

“ITEX 2021 will host physical Q&A sessions as well as virtual sessions for funders or inventors who are unable to attend the on-site exhibition.”

Apart from professional inventions, the World Young Inventors Exhibition (WYIE) is also held concurrently with ITEX, incorporating the Asian Young Inventors Exhibition (AYIE) and the Malaysian Young Inventors Exhibition (MYIE).

The much-anticipated event is open to local and regional school students who have over the years, presented many innovative ideas.

The AYIE and MYIE competitions are open to students below 20 years old and aim to encourage participation in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education segment.

Another highlight at ITEX is the Invention and Design Competition, which is open to all participating inventors.

It presents a platform for them to gain recognition for their inventions on a national and international stage.

This year, an additional component in the competition is the inclusion of a category for the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) participants.

Supporting the national agenda to advance the TVET sector, this award category will also motivate the technical skills participants to continue to invent and provide them with an avenue to present their ideas and inventions to an international market.

Other key events and highlights at ITEX 2021 include:

> TechTalk – featuring talks by industry experts on the latest in technology

> Pitch4Fund – comprising pitching sessions that match inventors with potential funders, opening the possibilities of breaking a new product into the market

> Young Inventor Showcase – a platform for students of local and international schools to showcase their creations

Since its inception in 1989, ITEX has been organised annually in Kuala Lumpur and has grown to become the region’s leading exhibition for aspiring inventors in various categories to showcase their new inventions, technologies and products, ultimately to attract investors to commercialise their creations.

Last year, amid the global Covid-19 pandemic, ITEX Online went live and attracting more than 5,000 viewers from 37 countries, a testament to the convenience and connectivity offered by a borderless invention platform.

The emergence of ITEX 2020 as an online exhibition developed a community of inventors and a virtual sourcing marketplace for commercialisation, creating a new market, as 31% of the viewers were attending ITEX for the first time.

Most of the visitors were from academic, research and corporate sectors, while about 23% were entrepreneurs, manufacturers and investors.

The online edition of ITEX, initially planned as an option to overcome the worldwide travel restrictions due to the pandemic, created a broader market, attracting inventors and innovations from Australia, Canada, Croatia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam, apart from Malaysia.

ITEX is jointly organised by MINDS and C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd.