The National Innovation and Commercialisation Expo (NICE 2026) is set to take place from Aug 26-28 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), acting as a launchpad for local research and development (R&D) to penetrate international markets.
Under the theme “From Mission to Market. Malaysia to the World”, the three-day flagship event organised by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti), through the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI), aims to bridge the gap between breakthrough laboratory research and commercial viability.
It seeks to create a globally competitive national innovation ecosystem where local technology can be commercialised and scaled to drive the economy.
NICE 2026 also serves to accelerate the nation’s commercialisation pathway by showcasing local R&D outcomes, recognising market-proven researchers and entrepreneurs, raising awareness of innovation’s economic value and connecting industry stakeholders with funding opportunities and innovators.
The flagship event will be officially launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, signifying the nation’s high-level commitment to driving technology innovation and commercialisation.
Overcoming the ‘Valley of Death’
Historically, transitioning from high-potential R&D to active market commercialisation has been a steep hurdle for local researchers.
This critical juncture – often referred to as the “Valley of Death” – is where many promising innovations stall due to financial limitations or barriers to market access.
NICE 2026 seeks to dismantle these barriers by serving as a comprehensive ecosystem that unites a myriad of participants, including researchers, startups, industry leaders, investors, academia and government agencies.
Operating under a collaborative quadruple helix framework, the expo aligns academic research with industry demand, driven by government policy while also being tailored to societal needs.
The event marks an expanded rebranding of the former Malaysia Commercialisation Year (MCY) Summit.
Between 2016 and 2025, the MCY initiative successfully commercialised 761 innovations, generating over RM1.13bil in commercial revenue.
Global pioneers convene
While session topics remain dynamic, NICE 2026 has locked in an elite roster of local and international heavyweights representing the vanguards of tech governance, global marketing and biotechnology.
Among the speakers are:
> Professor Rainer Kattel (the United Kingdom): An innovation policy expert from University College London specialising in mission-driven governance and building public sector market capabilities.
> Paul Scanlan (Australia): A tech veteran and chief strategy officer at Ai5G Pty Ltd, bringing expert insights into 5G, data economies and industrial tech execution.
> Iwan Setiawan (Indonesia): The chief executive officer of MarkPlus, Inc. and global marketing authority renowned for navigating future industry trends across the Asean landscape.
> Dr Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi (Malaysia): A home-grown scientific trailblazer and the first Malaysian elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. As the former founding director of the Advanced Biotechnology and Breeding Centre at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, she led the sequencing of the oil palm genome and champions circular bioeconomy innovations.
Honouring excellence
A core pillar of the expo remains the MCY Awards 2025, with an RM1mil cash prize pool across five categories to recognise outstanding commercialisation readiness.
Past homegrown success stories like Free The Seed, GK Aqua Sdn Bhd, and REMDII serve as a testament to the high-calibre innovation the event aims to cultivate.
Alongside the MCY accolades, the event will also feature the MySTI Awards, which recognise government ministries that actively prioritise locally developed R&D products, technologies or services in public procurement.
In 2025 alone, these procurement activities recorded a total value of RM38.7mil.
The expo will also anchor key ministerial discussions, including a ministerial dialogue titled “Closing the Gap: Turning Malaysia’s Innovation Investments Into Entrepreneur Wins” on Day 2, featuring Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang and Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong.
Complementing these discussions, the expo floor will showcase over 180 exhibitors alongside strategic business matching sessions to drive direct industry deals.
For more information and to register, visit nice.mosti.gov.my.
