Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is committed to cultivating a strong innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, equipping students with relevant skills, critical thinking abilities and entrepreneurial readiness to contribute to the State’s digital and innovation-driven economy.
This was proven in the recently concluded Sabah Hackathon IPT Edition 2025 jointly organised by the State Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (Scenic) and Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd, at Hilton Hotel, here.
The three-day event, from Nov 18 to 20, brought together 115 students from 39 teams representing public and private higher learning institutions across Sabah to develop technology-driven solutions addressing real industry challenges.
“This is more than just a competition. It marks the beginning of a movement to elevate local innovators from idea to market,” said the Ministry’s Deputy Permanent Secretary Doria Tai Yun Tyng at the closing ceremony.
“In a world that is rapidly changing, technology is no longer optional; it is the engine of development, competitiveness, and future economic strength,” she added.
The programme kicked off with intensive workshops and pre-pitching sessions where participants received specialised training on product development, market validation, commercialisation pathways and effective pitching techniques from seasoned industry experts.
On the second day, all 39 teams presented their solutions through structured five-minute pitches followed by question-and-answer sessions with judges, with only the top ten teams advancing to the finals.
The final day featured “Cradle Live! Roadshow: Sabah”, which included panel discussions, spotlight stories, product insights and networking sessions, culminating in the “Pitch It! Sabah” final pitching session.
Aquafeeder Bot from Politeknik Sandakan emerged champion, followed by Juicy Tech from Universiti Malaysia Sabah in second place and Bolt MUV from Keningau Vocational College in third. Each winning team received RM2,500 for their outstanding innovations.
“The Ministry is fully committed to ensuring that Sabah’s young generation becomes not only users of technology but also creators, builders and owners of the digital solutions that shape our future,” said Doria, pointing out the Ministry’s commitment to nurturing young talent.
She said the hackathon serves as an important bridge between academic research and industry needs, with clear objectives to drive innovation, support sustainable digital economic growth through technology commercialisation, and bring academic innovation closer to industry requirements.
“This is not a one-day event. It is a long-term investment to position Sabah as a rising innovation hub in the region. From campus to commercialisation. From prototype to product. From small ideas to big impact,” she said.
She extended appreciation to Cradle for their collaboration and Scenic for organising the event, together with all participating institutions, industry mentors and strategic partners.
“I urge all participants to think boldly, create fearlessly and build solutions that not only solve today’s challenges but also prepare Sabah for tomorrow. Innovation does not begin with technology. It begins with courage. And I see that courage in this room today,” she said.
