MORE than 100 booths showcasing emerging technologies and digital startups were featured at this year’s PJ Startup Festival.
Held at Petaling Jaya City Council’s Dewan Sivik, the two-day event drew some 2,000 visitors.
It featured talks, networking sessions, technology demonstrations and other activities aimed at connecting startups and entrepreneurs with industry players and the public.
It was organised by the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec), Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd and Tourism Selangor.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo in his keynote address said the event served as a platform for Malaysians to see the impact of digital policies in the country.
The programme, which began as a community-focused startup initiative, has evolved over successive editions into a broader platform bringing together startups, entrepreneurs, investors and technology players.
Gobind hoped the stronger response this year would lead to more collaborations among participating businesses.
“Our country is blessed with a lot of talent.
“But what can we do to help promote their ideas?” he told reporters after the launch.
With Budget 2027 to be tabled later this year, Gobind said his ministry would focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption and infrastructure development.
He said it was important if Malaysia wanted to position itself as a regional AI hub by 2030.
On July 28, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched the AI Nation By 2030 initiative – an action plan aimed at coordinating the development of AI infrastructure and strengthening its ecosystem in Malaysia.
However, Gobind stressed that affordability was also crucial to ensure businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises benefitted from the technology.
“We may look into offering incentives to help businesses adopt and use AI to grow themselves,” he added.
