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SHAH ALAM: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) secured four medals at the International Millennipreneur Innovation and Commercialisation Exhibition (IMInE) 2.0, held at Dewan Agung Tuanku Canselor, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), recently.

The university won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals in the competition.

The gold medal went to NextGen Biomass, while TMB Studio secured silver, and EduGuard Safety Solutions and Aether4 each obtained bronze medals.

NextGen Biomass was also named champion of the Environment and Sustainability category and received the Special Award for Best Innovation Idea.

Team leader Mohamad Nurhaniesufian Handri said the project focuses on the development of an eco-friendly composite board (ECO-OPL Board) made from oil palm frond biomass waste.

He said the innovation has the potential to serve as an alternative to conventional wood materials in the furniture industry while supporting sustainability and biomass waste management.

He added that the achievement demonstrates the project’s commercial viability and its acceptance as a solution to issues such as wood decay, termite infestation and moisture damage, while reducing reliance on forest logging.

Meanwhile, TMB Studio representative Muhammad Lutfi Hazim Zulkharnane said participation in the programme provided an important platform for student development and exposure to the creative industry.

He said it offered opportunities in game development, idea sharing and professional networking within the industry.

The three-day programme, which ended on April 14, 2026, brought together participation from local and international higher education institutions.

It served as a platform for student entrepreneurs to present ideas, products and prototypes to industry representatives, agencies and investors for evaluation and potential commercialisation.

UMS participation aligns with the Higher Education Institutions Entrepreneurship Action Plan and the Vice-Chancellor’s Address 2026 (LENSA 1), which emphasises student incubators and high-impact start-ups.

The achievement also reflects the university’s commitment to strengthening the student entrepreneurship ecosystem and producing competitive graduates capable of creating opportunities through innovation.

All participating UMS students were from the Labuan International Finance Faculty (FKAL), Faculty of Computing and Informatics (FKI) Labuan, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSK), and Faculty of Business, Economics and Accountancy (FPEP).