The Co9P is a community-based centre to help nurture new Industry 4.0 (I4.0) innovations which will help accelerate technology scale-up for small and medium sized organisations. The nine pillars of I4.0 are autonomous robots, simulation, system integration, internet of things, cybersecurity, the cloud, additive manufacturing, big data, and analytics. Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) is expanding its network and resources with the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with five Industry 4.0-related Partners, in addition to another group called MyEdtech Community which MTDC signed with earlier. The five partners, Human Life Advancement Foundation (HLAF), Malaysian Robotics and Automation Society (MyRAS), RESPECT Business and Advanced Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (RESPECT), Research Triangle Institute (RTI), and
Malaysia lnternet-of-Things Association (MyIoTA), share their thoughts about this programme.
What is your role in the Industry 4.0 partnership with MTDC?
HLAF: HLAF is moving toward the initiative to embark on the protection and commercialisation of intellectual property (IP) and assets to foster innovation and create opportunities for wealth and economic sustenance. As innovation and technological advancement is an important catalytic factor in the global economic progress, HLAF will be able to complement MTDC’s vision to be the leading integrated commercialisation solutions provider.
MyRAS: MyRAS role in the partnership is to bring MyRAS members to collaborate with MTDC in the Co9P projects. In particular, MyRAS will focus on developing the Robotics Awareness Programme with MTDC called the MyRAS RAP meant to reach out to local SMEs.
RESPECT: RESPECT intents to provide MTDC and its ecosystem with professional I4.0 maturity assessment, gap analysis and strategy crafting capabilities. In short, we view ourselves as the market pathfinder of the Co9P community.
RTI: RTI’s role in this community is to share skills and know-how in improving the success
rate and adoption of new technologies. RTI has over 60 years of experience in leading front-end innovation projects in several industries, resulting in incremental and disruptive new products and services. We add value to the Co9P by helping companies in three ways: (1) managing the various stages of innovation through a well-defined, effective and efficient process; (2) co-developing innovation solutions; and/or (3) building internal capacities in innovation.
MyIota: Advisory, Collaborative & Implementation of Industry 4.0 & IoT initiatives as part of MTDC Co9P. We are in the early stages of collaboration to set up an Industry 4.0 Experience Centre that will house a Smart Manufacturing Sandbox that allows start-ups, SME’s & MyIoTA members to showcase their products & services while allowing them to connect, collaborate & scale-up with local start-ups, MNC’s & SME’s interested to see, learn & “play” with Industry 4.0 technologies & platforms.
How will this partnership benefit your company/ organisation?
HLAF: One of HLAF’s key agenda is to devise innovative ways to create partnerships and linkages with businesses, industry player, centres of excellence and world communities to enable knowledge and technology transfer for common good. To date, we have more than 50 networks members (18 global partners, 23 local partners, and 11 universities/COEs). By collaborating with MTDC, we will gain access to companies in MTDC’s ecosystem that have developed new technologies and innovations, which can be beneficial to world communities. This will allow HLAF to play a more meaningful role, consistent to its vision to enhancing human lives.
MyRAS: This partnership will benefit MyRAS in terms of networking and bridging the gap between supply and demand for the effective adoption of Robotics and Industry 4.0 amongst MTDC ecosystem.
RESPECT: The immediate benefit that we hope to enjoy from this partnership will be an increase in our market penetration, especially to companies operating in the textile and furniture/wood manufacturing sectors. With MTDC’s credibility and network, we could penetrate ASEAN countries (and beyond) as a consortium providing Industry4.0 related consultation and solutions.
RTI: Although RTI is a well-established global institute since 1958, we only recently set up
in Malaysia since 2017. Therefore, the Co9P partnership will be mutually beneficial, helping
to grow RTI’s presence as a knowledge and skills provider for I4.0 in Malaysia while also
complementing the capabilities and services provided by MTDC and other partners.
MyIota: Being the go-to association for IoT & Industry 4.0 , one of our charters is to promote the use & application of IoT technologies, services & training programs delivered through our IoT-eco system partners & members. We hope to be able to share the vast experience from our members consisting of global tech leaders such as Lenovo, AMD, STMicroelectronics, MIMOS, Altair Engineering, TM One, Envision Digital etc. , System Integrators, SME’s & start-ups in the IoT-space.
Tell us how the partnership was forged?
HLAF: The collaboration was initiated when we proposed to MTDC to collaborate in organising Malaysian Technology Transfer Showcase 2018 (MTTS2018) in Istanbul in conjunction with the 4th USIMP National Patent Fair and Annual Congress. MTDC showed great commitment to support our good cause by bringing 19 start-up companies from various sectors including biotechnology, engineering, food & beverage, IT/IoT, agriculture, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical among others, to participate in that event. As the result of the collaboration, the start-up companies gained access to new markets in the European region. Some of participants came back with success stories and others with on-going communication with their foreign counterparts.
MyRAS: The partnership was forged through meetings with MTDC and its ecosystem companies who are players and proponents of the industry 4.0 initiative.
RESPECT: There is a mutual need between our two organisations in working together in Industry 4.0 as we have the experience in developing I4.0 standard, performing profiling/rating assessment, as well as developing strategies for SMEs which is followed through with on-site improvement programmes; while MTDC has an ecosystem that is conducive for the growth of I4.0 in Malaysia. In the beginning, being a University spin-off company, we successfully applied for a MTDC research grant to develop an audit instrument for MTDC and the relationship continued to grow from thereon.
RTI: In 2017, RTI signed an MoU with MTDC to collaborate broadly as RTI was recognised
as a leading research institute with extensive capabilities in building innovation-led ecosystems for economic growth. Since then, RTI has continued to foster a close relationship with MTDC by co-developing solutions and joint proposals that aim to develop the innovation ecosystem in Malaysia. These areas cover expertise such as commercialisation of R&D, technology adoption for SMEs, leadership readiness assessments for I4.0 and industry ecosystem development. The RTI-MTDC relationship reached a new milestone with the signing of the second MoU on the Co9P in 2018 and we envision further joint opportunities to add value to Malaysian industries together with MTDC
and other partners.
MyIota: The partnership was initiated after a few meetings at Industry 4.0 conferences over the year & our common interest to grow the local IoT industry & eco-system & create a thriving environment to collaborate, scale-up & grow adoption of IoT & Industry 4.0 to advance digital economy potential of the region.
What are the benefits of the partnership to Malaysia in terms of technology, manpower and funding?
HLAF: By linking the vision, mission and objectives of both organisations, we are able to leverage on the strength of each other to expand the opportunities for local technopreneurs and promoting new technologies and innovations at the international level. This effort will push new technologies into the international market and will help to assist developing nations like Malaysia to improve their access to new technologies and keep up with the technological advancement in developed nations. HLAF can be the point of contact in order to enable MTDC to promote strategic partnerships with start-ups, industrial companies and international organisations under HLAF’s network. This is important for the development of innovations and to increase the potential commercialisation opportunities of local technopreneurs.
MyRAS: Partnership with MyRAS will create a pool of technology players in the industry and users will benefit from the technology.
RESPECT: In the short term, we think that RESPECT-MTDC partnership could lead to a healthy business ecosystem within the Co9P community. We intent to be true to our calling as market pathfinders and provide accurate assessment and strategy to the clients of Co9P. These assessment reports will then be shared with the Co9P solution provider teams, where the best solutions in line with the transformation strategy that we crafted for the client can be developed and offered. This hopefully will spur industry-driven technology growth and with it the need for appropriate human capital. In the long run, we hope that the RESPECT-MTDC partnership can blossom as an export platform for the Co9P community, and with it increases Malaysia’s Economic Complexity Index (ECI). We also hope that the relationship will give birth to formal training programmes for the industry (relating to Industry4.0), the students (primary, secondary and tertiary), as well as the general society.
RTI: We hope through this programme, RTI will contribute to the acceleration of SMEs to become regional and global competitors through better integration of I4.0 with their respective core business focus areas. We recognise the key role that SMEs play as an engine of economic growth for Malaysia and through sharing of our extensive expertise and
experience in managing the process of innovation, developing innovative new products and services, as well as innovate skills development, we aim to help SMEs to make the right decisions and effectively implement new technologies to improve quality, productivity and competitive advantage.
MyIota: We hope to be able to create collaborative opportunities between MyIoTA members, MTDC eco-system partners, other various industry associations & also IoT industry in general to share knowledge, create business opportunities& drive or promote the adoption of IoT technologies to SME’s in Malaysia & help them to scale up to compete in the global market.
