July - September 2014 - PlaTCOM Venturesplatcomventures.com/upload/doc/platCOM_Innozine_Jul2014.pdf · July - September 2014 07 PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd A National Brand PlaTCOM Ventures

July - September 2014

01www.platcomventures.com


PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd (1079744-P)Advisor : Dr. Viraj PereraEditor : Biruntha Mooruthi

Subscriptions: Agensi Inovasi Malaysia, 3501, Level 3, Quill Building 3, Jalan Teknokrat 5, 63000 Cyberjaya,MalaysiaE-mail: [email protected]: (603) 8319 3116 / Fax: (603) 8319 3499www.innovation.my

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Associate Director, Publishing, Southeast AsiaAnnette JohnManager, Publishing Operations, Southeast Asia & Hong KongPreghaladhan Vizia BalakrishnanSenior Legal EditorMaria AhamadDesign & ProductionMohd Khairil JohariMarketing & AdvertisingWilliam Quek ([email protected])

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PlaTCOM InnoZine is the offi cial publication of PlaTCOM Ventures, published quarterly in collaboration with LexisNexis Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

This newsletter is written as a general guide only. It is not intended to contain defi nitive legal advice, which should be sought as appropriate in relation to any particular matter. The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors are theirs alone, and do not refl ect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of PlaTCOM Ventures or any employee thereof. All users are permitted to view the content of this newsletter, without prejudice to the intellectual property rights belonging to PlaTCOM Ventures. However, any unauthorised reproduction, duplication, transmission or alteration, in any form or by any means, whether in part or in whole, of this newsletter, is strictly prohibited. PlaTCOM Ventures also prohibits the use of this newsletter and all or any of its contents herein, for commercial and/or personal gain, profi t or sale.

© 2014 All rights reserved.

Enquiries on advertising:William Quek – [email protected]

Article contribution:PlaTCOM Ventures welcomes letters, articles, views and news (including photographs) for possible inclusion in this newsletter. However, PlaTCOM Ventures reserves the right not to publish or to edit those published for content, clarity, style and space considerations. Contributions and enquiries may be directed to [email protected].

ContentsEditor’s Message 00

Foreword from CEO of AIM 00

About PlaTCOM 00

Lifestyle

Article 1 00

Article 2 00

Article 3 00

Article 4 00

Article 5 00

Hot Picks

Article 1 00

Article 2 00

Article 3 00

Article 4 00

Article 5 00

Events

Article 1 00

Article 2 00

Article 3 00

Article 4 00

Article 5 00

Interviews

Article 1 00

Article 2 00

Editor’s MessageJuly - September 2014


From the Editor In-Chief

A great teacher of mine once told me that change is the only constant in life. This certainly holds true in every aspect of our lives. It is a fast-paced world with constant fl ux of change ensuing in every corner. Businesses strive to fi nd new strategies and ways to dominate their markets. With the rapidly changing technological realm, companies are faced with a great many options of how to grow their business. Complacency has killed far too many corporates. This means that enterprises that have been around for a long time as well as those that are new to the game need to change to adopt new advances and improve their own product and service portfolios. How companies choose to conduct business in a fast-paced world falls under the topic of innovation – “open innovation” indeed.

Some time ago, Steve Jobs was quoted as saying, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower” and that statement has never been more meaningful than it is today. At a time when even the most basic elements of business success are being questioned, reassessed and redefi ned, one thing becomes crystal clear - innovation is no longer a “nice to have”, it’s a “must have.” It’s what we call the “innovation imperative” or “innovate or perish”. If

innovation distinguished between leaders and followers in the recent past, today it increasingly differentiates between survivors and the barely breathing. Innovation is the new Darwinism in business. It is no longer “survival of the fi ttest”; it is rather “survival of the most innovative.”

The aim of PlaTCOM InnoZine is to offer a lifestyle magazine for innovative businesses and knowledge creators such as universities, research institutes and a variety of other organisations that businesses rely on in attracting new knowledge, new technology and expertise to innovate. In this respect we strive to entertain our readers with articles relating to “Innovation Lifestyle” while also providing technology “Hot Picks” for relevant businesses to consider engulfi ng. The “Events” section reveals recent events in the innovation and commercialisation space. The interviews section portrays discussions with distinguished innovators from academia and industry with regards to their inventions.

I would like to convey a few words of thanks; I must say that PlaTCOM Ventures is an inspiring collaboration between Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) and SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp). As such, I fi rst want to acknowledge our collaborator SME Corporation Malaysia and would like to convey my heartfelt thanks to Dato’ Hafsah Hashim (CEO, SME Corp) and Ms. Karunajothi Kandasamy (Senior Director of Economics and Policy Planning, SME Corp) for their incredible support and encouragement. I am also very grateful to Mr. Mark Rozario (CEO, AIM) and Mr. Naser Jaafar (COO, AIM) for their insightful guidance, support and leadership in making PlaTCOM Ventures – and hence PlaTCOM InnoZine - a reality. Furthermore, thanks to our writers and to you, our fi rst readers, for making it all real.

I welcome you to the premiere issue of PlaTCOM InnoZine and I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to drop us a line anytime with your thoughts, questions, comments, and feedback at [email protected]. Alternatively, please visit our website at www.platcomventures.com for a digital copy of this magazine or to join our dedicated PlaTCOM InnoZine blog.

Dr. Viraj PereraEditor/Executive Director

Foreword from CEO of AIM July - September 2014

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Searching for the Next Big Thingmanufactured in China and the raw materials may be sourced from such places all over the world, but the bulk of the money you pay for each unit goes to the people who came up with and own the rights to the concepts, designs and software at the Apple HQ in Cupertino, CA.

Malaysia is not short of brilliant inventors, scientists and researchers, and our R&D facilities rank way up there with the best. Yet a lot of our research work does not result in products that end up in the hands of consumers or solutions that address industry and society’s needs, so evidently there’s a gap in how we’ve been doing things, and there’s an urgent need to correct this.

Since its inception in 2010, Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) has initiated many programmes to fi ll this gap and raise the innovation levels in local R&D institutions, academia, industry, government agencies as well as the population. Focusing on improving the innovation eco-system and encouraging R&D rooted in solving industry needs, AIM’s initiatives are geared towards creating wealth – be it economic, intellectual or social – for the country, via innovation.

There are certainly many things that need fi xing in order to bring us to where we need to be. From improving our education system to increasing the capacity of our workforce, from changing the mind set of Malaysians to tackling the ineffi ciency and the ineffectiveness of some of our systems, AIM is working hand-in-hand with various other government and private organisations, both local as well as international bodies to make sure Malaysia remains competitive.

However, while we work to improve on all of our weaknesses, the key to our success is to focus our resources on our inherent strengths and niche areas. This approach has been proven by successful and highly innovative economies; for example, South Korea has focused on its heavy industries, electronics and creative content sectors to drive its economy, while The Netherlands has invested heavily in innovation to ensure its leadership position in the agrifood sector.

Malaysia’s advantage is in its rich and diverse natural resources and culture, and the best bet for us is to leverage on these strengths to fi nd our game changers to spearhead our charge.

When was the last time you were completely blown away by a new invention? If you’re active on social media and follow the latest tech trends and lifestyle magazines, it probably was quite recent. With the many new products being developed and launched every day by tech giants, start-ups and enterprising individuals globally, it’s hard to keep track of the latest wearable, gears, apps, tools, nifty futuristic gadgets as well as new technologies which serve to make life easier and better. However, when was the last time you were mesmerized, excited and inspired by a Malaysian invention?

Look around you right now – it’d be quite a challenge to fi nd a remarkable Malaysian innovation being used by the average person. From the devices and apps we use to the cars we drive, as well as the things we wear – most have roots in Korea, the US, Europe, Japan or the UK.

Sure, they may be produced here in Malaysia, but the original idea and the IP are most probably foreign.

Herein lies the issue – real wealth does not come from manufacturing a product; instead, the real money goes to the intellectual property owner. The iPhone may be

Foreword from CEO of AIMJuly - September 2014


AIM’s initiatives, such as the National Biomass Strategy, Graphene National Strategy, the National Corporate Innovation Index (NCII), i-THINK, UReka, Genovasi and most recently, PlatCOM Ventures, are conceived to enable Malaysians to embrace new ways of thinking, increase their innovation skills and take advantage of our strengths and create new opportunities to generate wealth. AIM hopes to bring about an innovative culture, spark new ideas, encourage exciting collaborations and identify new prospects to empower Malaysians to surge ahead.

Will Malaysia unearth its ‘next big thing’? You’d better believe it. We are a nation powered by passion, intellect, culture, diversity and at the same time, unity.

We are guided by strong values and rooted in our thirst for prosperity. Our people are innovative, resilient, energetic and hungry for better things, as seen in the many innovation competitions our researchers have won before. With the right environment, support and guidance, Malaysians will make even bigger waves out there.

Thank you for supporting our cause, and do enjoy reading Innozine. Give us your honest feedback and I hope you get inspired to do something great.

Mark RozarioCEO of Agensi Inovasi Malaysia



PlaTCOMVentures Sdn Bhd

A National Brand

PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd is the national technology commercialisation platform of Malaysia. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary company of Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) formed in collaboration with SME Corporation Malaysia under one of its six High Impact Programmes (HIPs) in SME Master Plan 2012-2020.

PlaTCOM Ventures has a mission: to turn the creative ideas of our inventors and entrepreneurs into successful products and services that change the world.

PlaTCOM Ventures is designed to discover and support innovations wherever they may be, assess ideas very critically, explore them systematically, and turn the best ones into successful products and services. Rather than following traditional technology transfer models, PlaTCOM Ventures has designed a model that facilitates any segment of the entire commercialisation process (end-to-end facilitation) from idea to products and services. The whole approach will be market driven in supporting industrial innovation and competitiveness. The model is more suited to the innovation environment in

the South East Asia region in providing commercialisation support for the fl edgling businesses, innovators and entrepreneurs including those from academia and public research institutes.

PlaTCOM Ventures is not just another technology commercialisation initiative. It is a company with ‘national innovation’ at its core, and with creativity running through every detail of the way it is modeled, organised and operated. It is an association of restless individuals who will settle for nothing less that being at the leading edge of technology commercialisation thriving to help inventors and entrepreneurs to achieve commercial success.

PlaTCOM Ventures model was approved for implementation in December 2013 by the National SME Development Council (NSDC) of Malaysia and the Governance Council (GC) of Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM), both chaired by the YAB Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak.

Lifestyle



A Strategic Model to Underpin Commercialising Innovations

The SME Masterplan 2012–2020 of SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) takes a unique approach and is based on evidence and sound analysis. It adopts an outcome-based approach and is considered a ‘live plan’ that can be fi ne-tuned to remain relevant with changing times. One of the most peculiar features of the said Masterplan is that it is demand driven, catering to the business needs of SMEs. It also has a strong element of public-private partnership thus encouraging shared responsibility and accountability between the government (‘the government intervention’) and the private sector.

The SME Masterplan 2012–2020 consists of six High Impact Programmes (HIPs), 14 initiatives, specifi c measures for East Malaysia and other measures that are macro in nature and affect SME businesses.

The six High Impact Programmes (HIPs) are regarded as the ‘Drivers of Change’. HIP1 deals with the integration of business registration and licensing to enhance ease of doing business. The programme is aimed at creating a single window for both business registration and licensing to encourage formation of businesses. HIP2 is a technology commercialisation platform to encourage innovation by removing fi nancing and market barriers to innovation. HIP3 is an SME Investment Programme to provide early stage fi nancing and addresses early

stage fi nancing needs of SMEs to facilitate the shift towards an innovation-led and high-income economy. HIP4 is termed the Going Export Programme to expedite internationalisation of SMEs. The programme is aimed at addressing challenges faced by SMEs on new market entry overseas due to the high upfront costs and lack of detailed knowledge about the new markets and competitors. HIP5 – the Catalyst Programme – is designed to remove market barriers and provide targeted assistance to potential high growth fi rms to become homegrown champions. HIP6 – Inclusive Innovation – is a programme to empower the bottom 40% of the income pyramid to leverage on innovation. The programme is expected to transform communities including microenterprises in rural areas through handholding as well as provision of technical, fi nancial and management support.

The 14 key initiatives in the Action Plan are clustered into four thematic areas for: (1) creating demand for SME products and services; (2) resource pooling and shared services; (3) reducing information asymmetry; and, (4) building capacity and capability.

Specifi c measures for developing SMEs in East Malaysia include: (1) improving connectivity within East Malaysia and with Peninsular Malaysia; (2) improving basic

Lifestyle



amenities in East Malaysia through increased investments and enforcements; (3) improving Government delivery to address administrative challenges; (4) easing market access for SMEs in East Malaysia through deregulation, provision of aggregation infrastructure and enforcement on informal sector; and, (5) review laws and policies taking into consideration market realities in East Malaysia.

Other supporting measures under the SME Masterplan highlights seven other measures to accelerate the growth of SMEs.

High Impact Programme 2 (HIP2)

High Impact Programme 2 (HIP2) – Technology Commercialisation Platform (TCP) is the fi rst of the six HIPs to be deployed in 2014. The programme is designed to link all existing innovation initiatives under one platform and to ensure that it is seamless for SMEs to move from one stage to another in the entire innovation process and to link with early stage fi nancing. The model addresses the innovation gaps through a holistic and ‘market-driven’ approach in supporting innovation and industrial competitiveness. It is designed to remove market and fi nancing barriers to innovation. The programme provides necessary support from ‘concept to commercialisation’. This is done through the provision of access to technical assistance, market intelligence, incubation facilities, testing facilities and other relevant services – all in a single platform.

Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) and SME Corp collaborated in forming the TCP and deploying the HIP2 programme. PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd. was thus born as a wholly-owned subsidiary company of AIM formed in collaboration with SME Corp.

‘The partnership between AIM and SME Corp today has given birth to a new entity (PlaTCOM Ventures) that will bring the nation’s innovation agenda one step further and with it, create a platform that encourages better visibility and marketability of homegrown IPs.’

Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak in conjunction with the launch of PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd on Wednesday, 23 April 2014.

Why is HIP2-TCP strategic and what is unique about it?

Currently, while there are many initiatives to promote innovation, these initiatives are fragmented and not inter-linked and there exists a gap between the different phases of innovation. Some of these include gaps in securing fi nance, accessing facilities, regulatory certifi cation,

technical assistance and advisory. Given this SMEs face diffi culty in accessing the national innovation ecosystem.

HIP2-TCP addresses the gap through a holistic and market-driven approach in supporting innovation and industrial competitiveness. Commercialisation is a complex process and the complexity varies on the innovation being addressed. The complexities, especially for Malaysian SMEs, arise due to fi nancing and market barriers such as technical assistance, market intelligence, incubation facilities, verifi cation and validation, regulatory approval and other relevant factors. These market barriers can repeatedly hinder the development and commercialisation of a good innovation that will not see the light of day. A platform that can handhold these innovators and their innovations that will constantly remove market barriers as they arise so as to seamlessly move their innovations from one stage of the commercialisation process to another can be a strategic and a unique means to overcome this problem.

Has the HIP2 programme been implemented?

HIP2 is the fi rst of the six HIPs in the SME Masterplan 2012-2020 that has been deployed. PlaTCOM Ventures rolled out the HIP2 programme in July 2014. SMEs who are Malaysian majority-owned entities with good innovations are eligible to apply. A minimum of 16 companies will be admitted to the programme by the end of 2014. Further information on the programme can be obtained by visiting www.platcomventures.com/HIP2

The application procedure requires the development of a sound business case for the innovation. The SME applicant develops the business case with the assistance of PlaTCOM Ventures. Since the programme is market-driven, it is essential to demonstrate that there is a clear ‘unmet market need’ for the product or service in order to maximise the possibility of the innovation reaching the market. PlaTCOM Ventures will handhold the SME in order to remove market barriers in commercialising their innovation thereby facilitating the seamless transformation of their creations from one stage of the complex commercialisation process to another. This very strategic and unique approach is expected to maximise the chances of successful commercialisation of innovations.

Dr Viraj PereraExecutive DirectorPlaTCOM Ventures Sdn BhdE-mail: [email protected]

Lifestyle



Increasing the Success Rate of Incubators in Malaysia

Peter Relan, a successful Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur and investor, claims that 90% of incubators and accelerators will fail. He argues that the hundreds of incubators in the US are really startups, and that the oft-cited rule of thumb that nine out of ten startups fail also applies to incubators. The three reasons he gives for this high failure rate are:

(a) Too many companies, too little mentorship;

(b) No clear funding path after the ‘programme’;

(c) Lack of business development resources.

If we put this in a Malaysian context I have to agree with all these points, except that in Malaysia we don’t see as much deal fl ow as in tech startup hotbeds like Silicon Valley. There is also no shortage of incubator facilities in Malaysia. In fact, in my opinion people put too much emphasis on the real estate factor in incubators and less so on the value add services that really drive the success of startups.

Over the last few years, I have spent quite a lot of time thinking about what ingredients local incubators need to provide to make startups fl ourish in the region and on a global stage. In my quest to answer this enigmatic question, I have spoken to many entrepreneurs and have had knowledge sharing sessions with investors and incubators/accelerators.

Here are my top three ingredients (in no particular order) for a successful incubation model in Malaysia:

• The human touch: Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) programmes

EIR programmes are quite common in US incubators where young entrepreneurs can tap into the rich experience of entrepreneurs who have started and exited companies before. Maybe we do not have that many high tech serial entrepreneurs, but we should be able to make more effi cient use of the available

Lifestyle



Malaysian business acumen. Programmes like Coach & Grow have been successful in mentoring entrepreneurs, but we need to see more of these programmes inculcated in local incubators in order to make a real mark in the nurturing of the next generation entrepreneurs and business leaders.

• ‘Show me the money’: funding startups all the way through to commercialisation

In Malaysia we are blessed with a government that has been supportive in developing the local innovation ecosystem through various initiatives and grant schemes. The government is also the biggest Limited Partner (investor) in Malaysian Venture Capital funds. However, this funding is heavily skewed towards Proof of Concept and R&D activities. As a consequence there is a lack of funding at the tail end of the R&D projects, resulting in a failure to commercialise products or services. Except for a few brave investors, most VCs are not positioned in this early stage space, but rather focus on investing in less risky companies with established business and revenue models. To fi ll up this so-called equity gap and avoid killing companies in the ‘valley of death’ pre-commercialisaton phase, I believe there should be more incentives for incubators to raise funds with government support. For example, last year the Singapore government

announced that they would co-invest S$50m with VCs to spur the funding landscape. This has already resulted in many VCs setting up shop in Singapore to provide seed funding to startups. It also matches the funding raised by a select number of accelerators and has developed schemes to make incubators more sustainable. It has to be seen how these initiatives pan out on the longer term, but I strongly believe that an increase in early stage funding in Malaysia will have a multiplier effect on the commercialisation of products and services.

• Connecting to the world: customers really don’t care about you if they don’t know who you are

It really is all about networking, networking and networking. If you don’t get out of your offi ce, you will lose touch with what is happening in the world around you and you may miss out on forming key strategic partnerships or striking hot deals with customers. Other than knowing your partners and customers it is also important to stay abreast on new technological developments and market trends. I believe that a lot of local startups are not fully in sync with real market needs or problems and are not able to clearly pinpoint their competitive advantage. As a result they don’t pivot their business model or technology roadmap quickly enough and will become obsolete sooner or later. Incubators should encourage entrepreneurs to attend regional and international conferences and facilitate building partnerships with SMEs and industry players, so that local startups can test out their business models more effectively.

If we don’t want to miss the next wave of technology innovation we should have a more in depth look at the Malaysian incubators and work together to establish a model that will enable entrepreneurs to become successful. It should not just be the government that is to step in, but it needs to involve all stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem. I am looking forward to hear from incubators how we can work with you to create successful ventures in Malaysia and prove that we can have a higher success rate than the 10% mentioned by Peter Relan!

Matt van LeeuwenCommercialisation SpecialistE-mail: [email protected]

Lifestyle



Patent Strategy as a Source of Survival

Technological innovation has been the principal reformer of our world. In the past, innovation and IP had only been a topic of interest to scientists, investors and patent lawyers. Today, as we move into Intellectual Capitalism, companies and research organisations around the world are gaining the awareness of the importance of innovation and IP as key business assets. Intellectual Properties (IP) such as patents, copyrighted materials, software, know-how, trademarks are no longer used only as legal rights to keep competitors out of specifi c markets, but also for generating revenue through licensing the IP to others.

Patents become especially important as strategic weapons to compete when the pace of technological transformation increases for most companies. As countries grow, local businesses and inventors are fi ling for greater number of patents and local entrepreneurs are starting to look at ‘unworked’ patents in their countries as a possible source of opportunity. Although patents are the most expensive and time-consuming type of intellectual property to obtain, they also provide the best scope of protection. A patent provides its holder with the exclusive right to make, use or sell an invention, meaning that it can exclude a competitor from making or selling the patented invention, regardless of whether the competitor copied the invention or even previously identifi ed the patent.

Prior to fi ling a patent, it is important to develop a patent strategy that devises to maximise the identifi cation, protection and exploitation of patent assets where they are most aligned with the commercial strategy, using a defi ned mapping process and patent analysis exercise. This allows maximum fl exibility and competitive

advantage to support the transition of the invention to the new emerged disruptive technology and have a solid market understanding of the technology space.

Developing an effective patent strategy also requires the role of the patent attorney to be envisioned as more than just a legal advisor and more of a partner with business and technical management in identifying, protecting and exploiting those intellectual assets that will help inventors, researchers and companies to ride the next wave of technology into the future. In addition, aligning the patent strategy to commercial strategy will also provide a good insight on where the company may expand in future and become familiar with its competitors’ products in those areas that the client is or may become involved in. This allows businesses or companies to position themselves well in the marketplace.

When developing a patent strategy, a business should fi rst defi ne how it intends to use its patent portfolio. In particular, the business should determine whether a patent portfolio would be used to:

• As revenue generation or assert against others;

• To prevent competitors from developing similar products or to counterclaim against a competitor who fi led a suit fi rst;

• To attract venture capital investments.

Thereafter, the business needs to identify its main business objectives, including technology areas of interest, current and future products, competitors and partners, and geographical markets. Finally, the business needs to determine the budget allocated for patent work. Once these key parameters are decided, the company can identify what inventions to fi le patent applications on, how many patent applications to fi le and where to fi le the patent applications.

The companies that develop and implement a good patent strategy that recognises and addresses the accelerated rate of technological transformation and commercial potential have a greater likelihood of survival than those that assume that the status quo will continue indefi nitely.

Biruntha MooruthiAssistant Vice President, Patent AgentPlaTCOM Ventures Sdn BhdE-mail: [email protected]

Lifestyle



Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA)What is NDA?

Non-disclosure agreement (NDA) also known as confi dentiality agreement (CA) or confi dentiality disclosure agreement (CDA) is a contract that governs the disclosure of information from one party to another party.

The kind of information normally protected by NDA are trade secrets, business plans, fi nancial account, scientifi c information or any information which the disclosing party feels will jeopardies his/her business if the information fell into the wrong hands.

Things you should look out for before you sign any NDA

How long should you keep the information secret?

Generally, two different terms have to be taken into consideration in an NDA:

• term of the agreement itself, and

• period of confi dentiality (ie the period where confi dential information has to be kept confi dential)

Sometimes these two terms are not clearly distinguished and the question may arise whether the obligation to treat certain information as confi dential still exists after the expiry of the agreement.

The best solution to this problem is to make sure there is a defi ned beginning and end for both time periods. Normally, the term of the NDA itself is one year or more depending on the purpose of disclosure. As for the term of confi dentiality, the usual time periods are between three years to fi ve years from the effective date of the NDA. Any term of confi dentiality above ten years is not advisable unless you have a foolproof SOP and an A-star management system to ensure the information stays confi dential or else you run the risk of breaching your obligation under the NDA.

Is there a need to include affi liates and external parties?

Confi dential information is not to be forwarded to third parties. The term ‘third parties’ generally refers to separate legal entities, external counsel, freelancers, subcontractors and their employees.

In today’s system, we often cooperate closely with third parties. In order to pass on the confi dential information to them, the NDA must explicitly permit you to do so.

As a general rule, the NDA must permit you to disclose confi dential information received from the disclosing party to your affi liates, freelancers, subcontractors, etc.

Return of routine back-up copies

NDA often lack a clause where routine information technology back-up copies of confi dential information or copies, which must be stored according to the provisions of mandatory law, or internal compliance guidelines do not have to be returned or destroyed.

Deletion of such copies of confi dential information is either not possible from a technical point of view or is illegal. However, keeping such copies would infringe the NDA.

It is always a good practice to have a clause in the NDA that exempt such copies from the obligation to return or destroy.

Choice of law

In most cross-border NDAs, each party will usually try to impose ‘its’ law as the applicable law in its standard NDA.

In cross-border NDAs, negotiations on applicable law sometimes develop into a battle of will. Quite often, the applicable law agreed upon in the NDA predetermines the applicable law for subsequent agreements between the parties.

As such, during negotiations, the parties will usually compromise on a third jurisdiction, for example English law.

Courts or Alternative Dispute Resolution

NDA often foresee ordinary courts as the forum for disputes. Court proceedings are usually open to the public. Therefore, in case of a confl ict there is a risk that confi dential information will have to be revealed.

NDAs should contain an arbitration clause as arbitration proceedings are not public and as such are more appropriate for proceedings concerning NDAs.

NDA is a legal agreement and the above are just some pointers before you sign an NDA. However, all said and done, if you don’t feel comfortable with any of the clauses in the NDA, please do seek expert opinion and check on your rights and obligations before you sign on the dotted lines.

Samantha LeongAssistant Vice PresidentPlaTCOM Ventures Sdn BhdE-mail: [email protected]

Lifestyle



GST – How do SMEs want to position their business? The Malaysian Government announced the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the 2014 Budget and that GST will come into effect as of 1 April 2015. GST is not a new concept. Over 160 countries around the world including the Caribbean, African and some regional countries have already implemented it. GST has been seen to being a more fair tax regime as compared to the Sales and Services Tax (SST). Global practice and research has shown that GST is indeed an effective, more transparent and business-friendly tax. From a policy perspective, GST is also seen as a more comprehensive and effi cient tax system, as it raises the share of Government revenue to income of the nation without burdening the citizens.

As compared to the current SST in Malaysia of 16%, most of the goods and services sold will be taxed at a fl at rate of 6%. There are some exceptions, where essential goods and services are exempted or zero rated In Malaysia, GST is made mandatory for businesses with annual sales turnover of more than RM500,000, while companies with annual turnover of RM500,000 and less can voluntarily adopt GST if they wish to do so.

It is understandable that majority of the business community particularly SMEs have not been enthusiastic with the coming on-stream of the GST in 2015 given that it is a new regime altogether and is rather technical. They would need to put in place the necessary framework to implement which include accounting software, upgrade their hardware as well as send their personal for training in order to ensure proper compliance to the system. This may require some initial spending by SMEs. In this context, the Government has been very generous coming out with a comprehensive package to reduce the burden on SMEs through fi nancial assistance including the RM1,000 GST eVoucher for software purchase; tax concessions on hardware / software purchase and training; as well as lowering of the corporate tax for small businesses with paid-up capital of RM2.5 million and below from the 20% rate currently to 19% for the fi rst RM500,000 of the taxable income from year of assessment 2016.

The recent fi rst quarter 2014 SME Corporation Malaysia survey has shown the general lack of understanding by SMEs on GST. Thus majority of the SMEs have

not been able to assess the impact of GST on their business and how they are going to position themselves moving forward. In particular, how do they price their product / services? What will be the initial cost? Do they need to hire new personal or tax consultant to manage their fi nances? SMEs would need to have a proper understanding of the entire supply chain, ie the input taxes that can be claimed. Some businesses may also take advantage of the situation or due to genuine ignorance raise prices more than necessary. As a matter of fact, studies have shown that not all prices of products / services will increase, but prices of some need to be adjusted downwards or in some cases, the impact is neutral.

The next few months will be a critical period for SMEs, especially those below the mandatory threshold to decide on whether to implement the GST. It is important that SMEs take advantage of the Government assistance as this is a one-off incentive which will not be applicable if they so decide to join the GST after 1 April 2014, SMEs also need to assess their business carefully as may lose market share over time if those in their supply chain shy away from doing business with business as they cannot claim the input costs.

Findings from SME Corp. Malaysia’s survey have indicated that SMEs on average need around 6-10 months to prepare for the implementation of the GST. Based on evidence from other countries, implementation of GST will be benefi cial for the country as a whole, a win-win situation for all parties, the Government, consumers and business community. In the long term, businesses will be able to reduce costs of business supplies and improve their overall global competitiveness in line with the aspirations of the country to achieve a high income nation by 2020.

More Information on implementation of GST by SMEs is available at www.smecorp.gov.my.

Hot Picks Innovation Business Opportunities



Real-time Weighing System for Vehicles in Motion

The Big Picture

Overloaded truck traffi c is a serious problem in many developing countries because it incurs huge costs in terms of maintenance and rehabilitation of damaged road networks. Overloaded truck traffi c not only causes economic loss but also safety and environmental problems. Many African and Asian countries have been attempting to address this problem in recent years. Each year, damage to highways and accidents caused by overloaded trucks cost billions worldwide. Fleet management companies invest large amounts in research and development in order to have a better control of their fl eets and to prevent road accidents. If there is substantial reduction in overloaded vehicles, the public will benefi t through reduction in road maintenance budget, less accident risks involving heavy trucks and lesser greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. To address the above industry problem, an innovative solution was designed to automatically measure the weight of a vehicle while it is in in motion for generating precise vehicle weight information in real-time and transmit the captured data and image to a surveillance station for enforcement purposes.

TrafficDirection

Quartz Sensor

Camera

Vehicle DetectionSystem

Roadside Processorand Data Storage Unit

Central MonitoringStation

Layout of WIM System

The Innovation

“The innovation is a real-time system that is able to weigh a vehicle in motion automatically and continuously for generating accurate vehicle weight information to an observation station for effective monitoring and law enforcement. The system can also be adopted by logistic companies to assess safety and comply with effective weight limit enforcement”

Innovation Business Opportunities Hot Picks



What’s in the Bottle?

This innovation is an effi cient and effective weight limit enforcement solution. The real-time weighing system for vehicles in motion provides information regarding vehicles overloading to enforcement station automatically and continously. The key benefi ts of this advanced solution ensures 24/7 effi cient and effective operations by capturing real-time information. The system is also designed to witstand any weather condition and is able to capture unlimited number of vehicles. This innovative solution is fully automated and requires no human intervention.

Great Investment Opportunity

Malaysia’s manufacturing sales is expected to grow exponentially by end of 2014. According to the Asian Economic News, the sales value of the manufacturing sector rose 5.4 percent in December 2013, after posting 4.7 percent growth in November 2013. In order to stay competitive and effi cient in handling cargo and following the positive growth in the GDP as well as manufacturing sectors in Malaysia, many transport companies have adopted truck fl eets that are larger in terms of both loading and size. Hence the implementation of the said innovation will benefi t not only road authorities but also logistics companies and motorists at large. The solution will be an appropriate instrument in assisting enforcement agencies in helping road infrastructures from premature deterioration and enhance safety of other road users. Excess revenue generated as a result of this innovative implementation may be directed towards better road maintenance expenditures or other infrastructures. This innovative solution has won many international awards for its unique features and functionalities in addressing the present fl eet management problems.

Intellectual Property

This innovation is patent protected under the Malaysian Patent Regulations 1986.

What’s Next?

The real-time weighing system for vehicles in motion is market ready and is available for licensing. The system is easy to deploy and offers many advantages.

Dr Viraj PereraExecutive DirectorPlaTCOM Ventures Sdn BhdE-mail: [email protected]




Extreme and Rapid Battery Charging Technology

lithium-ion external battery pack for an iPhone from the maker of Mophie in 1 hour without any heat. This process normally takes 17 hours to fully charge using heat through traditional charging methods. The technology is a ‘State of the Art’ Green Technology.

The extreme battery charging technology requires low maintenance and it is easy to implement. The innovation is portable and comes in various sizes.

From Technology to Business Opportunity

In most developing countries, the accessibility to national grid in rural areas is low. The extreme battery charging technology offers an alternative to kerosene, generator power or dry cells. Based on market research, there is high potential for rural ICT, which is still untapped in most parts of world, predominantly in the Eastern market. The implementation of this innovation can be profi table whilst improving lives of billions in rural areas. The inventors would like to form potential collaborations with investors, electric vehicle developers, electrical manufacturers, battery supply organisations and also with those industry players who are able to bring value to rural communities. There is a strong market potential in commercialising this innovation.



This innovation is maintained as trade secret.

What’s Next?

The extreme battery charging technology is market ready and is available for licensing. The innovation is easy to implement and offers many advantages.

The Big Picture

Energy is a key factor for social and economic development of a country. It is needed for various economic sectors such as industry, agriculture, transportation and business. The main commercial energy source of most developing countries in the world is fossil fuels, especially oil. An estimated 1.2 billion people around the world live without access to electricity whilst hundreds of millions more only having access to an unreliable electrical grid. Despite efforts being launched by international organisations and local governments, it is estimated that in 2030, there will still be close to 1 billion people living without electricity. Currently those living without electricity rely on open fl ame kerosene lighting, which leads to dangers of open fl ame, fi nancial reliance on kerosene and poor light conditions. Given the above problem, an innovative extreme battery charging solution was developed using green technology to produce power supply rapidly at a cheaper cost.

The Innovation

This innovation can charge any battery in less than 2 minutes with minimal heating of battery. The innovation uses a unique frequency formulation. The extreme battery charging is one-of-a-kind where it can be applied to various applications and adopted by various players such as electric vehicle developers, mobile phone manufacturers, consumer rechargeable batteries and most importantly the masses in rural areas.


This breakthrough has the potential to become a leading player in the desired battery technology market. The proven Science & Technology used in this innovation is based on unique frequency modulation and green innovation. The innovation is capable of recharging a




Real-time Monitoring System for Operating Theatres

The Big Picture

Operating theatre (OT) is hospital’s largest cost and revenue centre and it has a major impact on the performance of a hospital as a whole. According to the Frost & Sullivan market report (2012), operating theatres contribute 40% of hospital revenue. However managing operating theatre is diffi cult due to confl icting priorities and increasing demand for surgical services. Currently operating theatres are not optimised and this makes the scheduling of OTs an important problem in order to meet the hospital goals. Operating theatres require impeccable availability and monitoring systems to ensure effective communication and inventory keeping. Given the above problem, a total operation theatre solution was developed to enable real-time monitoring of multiple operating theatres simultaneously and remotely over wireless networks with customisable supervisory and inventory modules for the management of doctors and nurses.

The Innovation

The innovation is a total operation theatre solution that enables real-time monitoring thereby enabling effective time management by capturing time movement for each surgery. The system can monitor multiple operating theatres simultaneously and capture data in the form of charts and graphs while facilitating effective communication between multiple operating theatres, manager’s room/station. It gives surgeons the fl exibility to consult surgical procedures remotely and provides a total management solution for doctors and nurses.


This innovation is the fi rst of its kind to be implemented in the Malaysian healthcare institutions. The solution is designed with a unique built-in video integration component that integrates patient-related data from existing hospital system including demographics,




laboratory and radiological data for both viewing and integration into new data using a central intelligent processor. Surgeons have the fl exibility to monitor and assess patient’s condition and provide consultancy in any surgical procedures through a live feed. Additionally the solution also allows nurses and doctors to plan, record and review a treatment using the customisable supervisory modules. The real-time monitoring system for operationg theatre reduces the number of screens that a surgeon needs to focus in a surgery and allows surgeons to capture important moments of the surgery via snapshots and video recording features.

Great Investment Opportunity

The Malaysian healthcare sector is set to grow at an average rate of 8.4% over the next six years, according to Frost & Sullivan. The healthcare sector, which is valued at RM 6.96 billion in 2012, will grow to RM 11.29 billion by 2018. In tandem, Malaysia’s healthcare expenditure is expected to almost double in the next six years, reaching up to RM 68.4 billion in 2018 with an annual growth rate of 6.5% over the six-year period. According to market analysts, the hospital sector is moving towards high technology implementation and private hospital networks have electronic medical record systems that can link patients in their branches. In order to remain competitive by increasing operational effi ciency, clinical outcomes and fi nancial profi tability, private and public hospitals will invest extensively in installing, maintaining and upgrading healthcare Information Technology (IT). This innovative solution will be a perfect answer to generate revenue for hospitals and optimise the workfl ow in Malaysian hospitals. The real-time monitoring solution for operating theatres can be confi gured to any system and the deployment of this solution is seen as a great advantage in the local healthcare industry.



This innovation is maintained as trade secret.

What’s Next?

The extreme battery charging technology is market ready and is available for licensing. The innovation is easy to implement and offers many advantages.




Cost-Effective Kit to Detect Dengue Virus in Mosquitoes

A Rapid PCR Test Kit

Dengue viruses are transmitted to human through the bite of infected mosquitoes. For many years, members of the subgenus Stegomyia, especially Aedes aegypti and Ae. Albopictus (Skuse), have been recognised as the primary vector of dengue.

Rapid urbanisation has resulted in the creation of suitable habitats for cosmopolitan vector mosquitoes. Artifi cial containers are the most important factors determining the breeding of mosquito larvae especially Aedes since these are the major larval habitats in and near human habitation. The type and location, presence of shade and water conditions are also known to affect breeding. Aedes aegypti breeds in clean water collected in and around human settlements while Aedes albopictus can be found not only around and near human habitat, like Ae. Aegypti; but also in the forest and plantation. The

four dengue serotypes: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4 belong to a larger heterogenous group of viruses called arboviruses.

Dengue is affecting a large number of populations causing high mortality and morbidity. Despite extensive research on vaccine development, there is at present no known method of controlling dengue except by interrupting the transmission by the mosquito vectors. This approach is less effective since the virus is already circulating in the population. A more effective approach is to detect the virus in the mosquitoes before it is introduced into the human population. This way, preventive vector control measures can be undertaken immediately to offset an outbreak. However, present method of detecting dengue virus in the vector is still dependent on cell culture and mice inoculation which are slow, costly and requiring skills. Therefore it is important to develop a rapid, easy to use and sensitive method of detection.




The present study has came out with a rapid PCR test kit to detect dengue virus infection in mosquitoes to enhance early detection of dengue outbreak, so that remedial action can be taken prior to outbreak.

The Innovation

The PCR test kit is invented to detect dengue virus infection in mosquitoes so that remedial action can be taken prior to outbreak. The normal approach of interrupting the transmission by the mosquito vectors is less effective when the virus is already circulating the population.

Competitive Advantages

• Can detect dengue virus in mosquitoes

• Able to process large number of mosquitoes

• All reagents and chemicals are supplied

• Positive control (infected mosquitoes) and negative control (non infected mosquitoes) are provided

• Easy to use

• Rapid detection

• Highly sensitive and specifi c

• Cost effective

Market Potential

The potential users for the test kit included Ministry of Health, town councils, researchers and private laboratories, especially for tropical and subtropical regions. In Malaysia, the estimation cost for Aedes control is USD25.55m per annual. As such, the present invention has a high market potential.


Detection method of dengue virus has been protected via the fi ling of a Malaysia patent.

What’s Next?

The inventors would like to speak to companied interested in licensing the technology.

Samantha LeongAssistant Vice PresidentPlaTCOM Ventures Sdn BhdE-mail: [email protected]




Diabetic Retinopathy Grading System

Diabetic Retinopathy

There is an increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus worldwide and consequently the incidence of diabetic retinopathy (‘DR’) is on the rise. An enlargement of foveal avascular zone (‘FAZ’) is usually found in the eyes with DR resulting from a loss of capillaries in the perifoveal capillary network, which will lead to blindness. Currently, it is diffi cult to discern the FAZ area and to measure FAZ enlargement in a patient based on raw colour fundus images. Instead, ophthalmologists record the occurrence of DR based on observation. This analysis method presents several challenges such as high image variability, improper illumination and artefact due to the presence of differing imaging conditions for the same patients or different patients. The innovation is a new approach for grading the severity of DR by analysing the FAZ enlargement in colour fundus image has been developed. It is based on the binary map of retinal vasculature where the vessel ends surrounding FAZ are derived for accurate determination of FAZ area. This new approach is reliable, accurate and fast compared to the current practice. It has the potential to be used for mass screening of DR and enabling early detection and intervention to prevent the progression of the disease and blindness.

The Innovation

A reliable, accurate and fast method of grading the severity of diabetic retinopathy, which has the potential to be used for mass screening, and enabling early detection and intervention to prevent the progression of the disease that can lead to blindness.

Competitive Advantages

Several methods have been studied to detect the presence of DR pathologies. Nonetheless, most of the methods developed focus on the detection of retinal abnormalities to determine whether a patient is suffering from diabetic retinopathy rather than to monitor and to grade DR severity.

The analysis of the current invention is based on the correlation of FAZ enlargement with DR progression in colour fundus image is investigated. It is known that FAZ enlarges in DR resulting from a loss of capillaries in the perifoveal capillary network. This led to the development of a new DR grading system based on FAZ enlargement and analysis. Early detection of FAZ enlargement can thus prevent the disease progression towards visual loss.






DR grading system has been protected via the fi ling of a Malaysian patent.

What’s Next?

The inventors are seeking for an interested party to license this technology, which is commercial ready.

the fi ling

interested p

Market Potential

• No comparable system – Currently, there is no computerised system using FAZ enlargement measurement for DR available at clinics

• Clinical supervision – The current system has been developed in collaboration with the Department of Ophthalmologyof a reputable hospital

• Market size – Every major hospital has an ophthalmology department. Therefore, this system has a high commercial value

Events



PM Launches PlaTCOM PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd to provide a single platform from concept to commercialisation

PUTRAJAYA, 23 APRIL 2014 – Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak launched PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd marking the collaboration between Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) and SME Corporation Malaysia (‘SME Corp’), an agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (‘MITI’).

This new entity will unleash innovation capability among SMEs by addressing market gaps in the different stages of the innovation process through a holistic and market-driven approach.

The initiative, based on public-private partnership, is an amalgamation of two national initiatives, namely the Innovation Business Opportunities (‘IBO’) under AIM and High Impact Programme 2, Technology Commercialisation Platform (‘TCP’) of the SME Masterplan (2012-2020) under SME Corp.

PlaTCOM Ventures is expected to increase the number of high growth and innovative fi rms as part of the effort towards realising a higher contribution of SMEs to GDP from 33% currently to 41% by 2020.

The event also saw the signing of a collaboration agreement between the two parties. SME Corp was represented by its Chief Executive Offi cer Dato’ Hafsah Hashim and AIM by its Chief Executive Offi cer Mark Rozario.

The signing was witnessed by Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad and Secretary-General Datuk Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria.

The agreement is aimed to facilitate collaboration between both parties in the design, development and implementation of PlaTCOM Ventures with a view to encourage innovation amongst the SMEs over a period of three years.

Under the agreement AIM will be working with SME Corp in developing clear key performance indicators and tracking the output and outcome KPIs on a regular basis to ensure that the programme can be further refi ned and enhanced on its effectiveness as it progresses towards achieving its goals.

Events



SME Corp will provide required support and initial funding in addition to conducting monitoring and evaluation to track progress in ensuring that the goals of the SME Masterplan are achieved. It will also undertake capacity building and training programmes with AIM.

PlaTCOM Ventures is a unique model designed by AIM, SME Corp and the World Bank incorporating best practices from successful models such as the Oxford University’s Isis Innovation in the UK.

IP owners from academia and industry as well as entrepreneurs, particularly small and medium enterprises (SME), will benefi t from the ease of access to support provided by PlaTCOM Ventures in its end-to-end facilitation service from concept to commercialisation and links to early stage fi nancing.

Rozario said that Malaysia has its own strengths in producing new ideas and solutions that are innovative in nature.

‘The challenge has always been in identifying innovations that have a market value and are market ready. In order to achieve this, what is needed is a bridge between academia and industry to ensure that the needs on both

sides can be fulfi lled, thus eventually raising the per capita of the nation. We need to go beyond stopping at just the R&D stage and move onto the next stage of commercialisation,’ he said.

Hafsah said that the programme links to the existing landscape.

‘We fi nd that SMEs have limited diffusion of technological innovations due to lack of participation in the national innovation system. Hence, under the SME Masterplan, we are addressing this by providing all the support that SMEs require, i.e. funding, advisory, technical expertise, market information, incubation facilities, testing facilities and other relevant services under ‘one roof’ so that the assistance is seamless.’

SME Corp will undertake the monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the goals of the programme are met.

The launch was also attended by members of AIM’s Governance Council. For more information on PlaTCOM Ventures, please visit www.platcomventures.com

Events



JKR Training on Technology Transfer and Commercialisation

14 May 2014 – PlatTCOM Ventures recently conducted a capacity building training on technology transfer and commercialisation for Public Works Department (Jabatan Kerja Raya, JKR) staff. A total of 32 participants across different divisions and states attended the one-day training, which was held at JKR’s Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. The goal of this capacity building training was for JKR’s staff (researchers and innovators) to obtain an overview of the commercialisation processes from evaluating an invention all the way to licensing. Success in technology transfer role requires a breadth and depth of knowledge and skills rarely found in other areas of business. Successful commercialisation of an invention very much depends on the credibility of an individual in understanding, assessing the technology and effi ciently developing the commercialisation strategy. Through this training, participants gained a snap shot of the ‘best practice’ commonly performed by professional technology transfer specialists in the commercialisation process. The interactive training session was delivered by consultants who themselves are technology and knowledge transfer practitioners. The modules delivered include:

• Opportunity Screening & Assessment

• Creating and Protecting Intellectual Property (IP)

• Patent Process and Management

• Marketing and Promotion of Intellectual Property (IP)

• Technology Licensing

As the de facto national technology commercialisation platform of Malaysia, PlaTCOM plays a key role in training and developing technology transfer professionals. The main goal is for relevant parties (technology transfer managers (TTM), researchers, companies etc.) to obtain invaluable knowledge on the entire technology transfer process, from evaluating technology opportunities to negotiating licenses and forming spinout companies, and thereby to learn technology transfer best practices.

PlaTCOM’s Executive Director, Dr. Viraj Perera, commented, “It is envisaged that through our carefully designed training modules, participants are empowered to use their skills in a way, which addresses their own self-identifi ed developmental needs in the process of technology transfer and commercialisation”. “PlaTCOM is market-driven and aims to continue to deliver excellent training courses to enhance technology transfer and commercialisation capability in the country” he added.

PlaTCOM designs and delivers a wide range of courses and programs to meet specifi c needs and requirements for a variety of institutions. For more information, please contact: [email protected]

Events



PlaTCOM Appointed As Panel Judge for ESTCON 2014 Innovation Pitching Programme.

3–5 June 2014 – Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) organised The World Engineering, Science and Technology Congress (ESTCON2014), a platform for knowledge sharing, intellectual discussions and also networking on various areas of interest; for all academics, researchers, scientists, engineers, interest groups and industry experts from all around the world.

The theme of this year’s congress is “Engineering, Science, Technology and Humanities: Convergence for a Sustainable Future” and was supported by Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM), Yayasan UTP and KPerak. The theme stresses the bridging of all community of experts in research and innovation in sustaining of knowledge for betterment of society. The conference was held from 3 to 5 June 2014 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia. During the conference, participants from different categories showcased and presented their innovation products during the Exhibition and Innovation Pitching Sessions.

A total of 26 innovators and inventors from UTP took part in the Pitching Programme which was evaluated by a panel of judges from PlaTCOM Ventures, wholly owned subsidiary of Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM). Among the products presented at the pitching sessions were portable diabetic retinopathy grading system, 3D tracking prototype using single 2D camera, skin melanin pigment analyser for dermatology care, ionic liquids

for desulfurisation, and continuous remote patients monitoring system.

The Pitching sessions which lasted for three days connects researchers and inventors to the right investors and business partners while at the same time creating opportunities to increase university revenues and create new job opportunities through commercialisation of R&D. Participants pitched their projects based on the four disciplines of Engineering, Science, Technologies and Humanities.

Events



PlaTCOM InnoSeed Event

23rd July 2014 - PlatTCOM Ventures organised its inaugural InnoSeed event, an exclusive event designed to showcase Malaysian IPRs to industry players. As indicated by PlaTCOM’s Executive Director, Dr Viraj Perera ‘PlaTCOM InnoSeed is a ‘new way’ of pitching and showcasing innovations such as technologies, prototypes, and products, face-to-face with SMEs thus taking a different and a proactive approach in bringing good IPRs to market.’ ‘This exclusive event will provide an opportunity to understand the market landscape and how these IPRs can create new lines of business opportunities for Malaysian SMEs.’ he included.

This inaugural event was offi ciated by Dato’ Hafsah Hashim, SME Corp Malaysia’s CEO, witnessed by En. Naser Jaafar, AIM’s COO. In her opening remarks, she strongly urged Malaysian SMEs to embrace innovation and leverage on the various initiatives provided to leapfrog ahead the value chain. She mentioned that the contribution of SMEs towards the national GDP is vital to fulfi ll the country’s ambition to achieve high-income nation status and this aspiration can only be achieved if SMEs are assisted accordingly in their business transformation. ‘Innoseed will be a good platform for SMEs to embark on their journey of transformation into high value businesses’, she added.

This occasion was graced by VIPs from various sectors, namely Dato’ Hafsah Hashim, SME Corp Malaysia’s CEO, En Naser Jaafar, Agensi Inovasi

Malaysia’s COO, Dato’ Dr. Mohd Nazlee Kamal, CEO of Biotech Corporations, Prof Dr Rofi na Yasmin Othman, Director of University Malaya’s Centre of Innovation & Commercialisatin (UMCIC), and Dato’ Dr. Marzalina, Head of Research Planning Division of Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM).

Platcom Innoseed was designed to showcase and pitch local Intellectual Property Rights (‘IPRs’) to industry players. This bi-monthly occasion will stage Malaysian IP-based advances from various industry verticals and is a key platform for opening new business opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

PlaTCOM InnoSeed Programme benefi ts:

• A pragmatic approach of promoting good Malaysian IPRs to the industry.

• Demonstration of wide range of products and technologies across various industry verticals to Malaysian SMEs.

• A strategic platform for opening new business opportunities.

• Bridging academia and industry gaps through our networking session.

• We provide commercialisation advice and insights for SMEs.

Events



PlaTCOM Ventures is a Smart Partnership between AIM and SME Corp that creates an innovative programme tailored for Malaysian SMEs to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative, market-driven products and services as well as encouraging the creation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) for commercialisation. The concept of the programme is strategic - PlaTCOM will provide end-to-end facilitation and funding to selected Malaysian SMEs for further development of innovations into commercially viable end products.

PlaTCOM’s fi rst InnoSeed was based on the cosmeceutical sector and the event was specifi cally designed for SMEs to understand the current market landscape and explore how these Malaysian IP-based natural products can create new lines of business for them. A range of Cocoa, Palm Oil and Aloe Vera based products from various research institutes were featured. The event was held at SME Corp Malaysia’s offi ce at Platinum Sentral, Kuala Lumpur and attracted over 25 small and medium enterprises within the cosmeceutical sector.

Two prominent speakers from the industry, Dr Diah Bramono, Open Research Manager from L’Oréal Singapore and Ms. Christine Ng, former CMO of Luxola Singapore were invited to give an overview of

the cosmeceuticals industry market. Diah Bramono is the Open Research manager for L’Oréal Research & Innovation (R&I) Singapore. In her current role as an Open Research manager, Diah is responsible in identifying and managing external research collaborations in Singapore and the surrounding region. She works closely with the global network of L’Oréal Open Research team to bring in relevant cutting edge technologies into L’Oréal R&D. Ms Christine Ng was most recently the Chief Marketing Offi ce at Luxola - South East Asia from March 2013 to May 2014, where she lead a team that consists of marketing, strategic partnerships, business development, design, and product management. Both Dr Diah Bramono and Ms Christine Ng shared their insightful talks on research, product development, market landscape, strategic partnerships and marketing strategies, which were very well received by the audience.

The event was a success and generated many leads from SMEs who are looking into expanding their products lines and opening new business opportunities. Each event will feature IPs, technologies and products in a specifi c sector to uncover new business opportunity for Malaysians SMEs.

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

Interviews



Interview with Suzanna Shahari

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I would describe myself as a go-getter; I realised early on the impact that science and technology has on the environment and lifestyle and I thus fervently pursued a career in engineering, while learning the ropes of the business world. The support and encouragement of my parents and my family helped me greatly in achieving this goal. I have also been blessed with a host of mentors and experts to guide me through this often-arduous process. I thus feel a responsibility towards disseminating similar advice and guidance to others, in order to help motivate them towards their own successes.

In regards to networking, I actively participate in several associations such as the Selangor Water Association (SWAN), the Malaysian Oil & Gas Services Council (MOGSC), the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Malaysia (NAWEM), Malaysia Industry Council For Defence, Enforcement, and Security (MIDES), and the EU-Malaysia Chamber Of Commerce And Industry (EUMCCI). I am also very involved with government SME programs and international trips.

2. How did you think of this idea?

With the rise in crime rates, especially crimes towards women, I felt it necessary to come up with effective personal protection devices. The unique factor about my range of devices is that they integrate personal protection and entertainment. These devices are suitable for a wide age group and incorporate media player capabilities.

3. What has been your greatest achievement so far?

My greatest achievement to date would be to have brought this company up from its humble beginnings to what it is today. However, this is not the end for me; I envision an even brighter future, where bona fi de SMEs contribute a signifi cant part of the nation’s wealth. In effect, this will be the true realisation of the motto ‘Malaysia Boleh!’

4. How did you fund your idea?

I have been fortunate enough to be able to fund my initiatives thus far by my own initiatives. It has been challenging, but I found that by innovating and fi nding the most creative and cost-effective method of doing something, I was able to signifi cantly reduce funding costs. I hope to one day share my ideas with other SMEs that are in their infancy.

Interviews



5. What are the most challenging aspects of running a start-up?

The most challenging aspects of running a start-up as a women entrepreneur is that you are constantly negotiating deals with many different people. I often feel as though I have to adopt a stereotypically ‘male’ attitude towards business: competitive, aggressive and sometimes overly harsh. It can be intimidating and bias when your business strengths as a woman led engineering bumi company are questioned because it is still a male-dominated industry. However over time, I have learned to equip myself with the right skills and business attitude to be lead in this industry. I believe opportunities to lead do exist for women; we just need to continue to to support and promote women in the limelight to encourage other to come along for the ride.

6. What has been your most valuable lesson so far since starting your business?

I would say the two most valuable lessons I have learned since starting this business is to never give up too soon, and that discipline is paramount. A good source of business strategy would be ‘The Art of War’ by Sun Tzu; the application of war-room techniques in business or real-life scenarios has been an invaluable experience for me. I would also add that a businessperson needs to be objective in decision-making, and to not allow emotions to cloud professional judgment calls.

7. How does your start-up stand out against its competitors?

One of our biggest strengths is we have a very strong engineering base coupled with a comprehensive support network of experts. This helps us stand out among the competition.

8. Where do you see your business in 18 months?

With a range of our own products in the development pipeline, Innopeak has a very big chance of moving away from just being a product customisation/localisation service provider, to being a global player in high-quality integrated personal protection devices. This, coupled with support from relevant agencies allows me to say, the sky is the limit when it comes to the potential success of Innopeak.

9. What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

I believe that in order to be a successful entrepreneur, one needs to be proactive and persevere, especially in the face of adversity. In addition, having suffi cient business and industry knowledge, combined with a strong network of the right people, will practically ensure success for any startup company. Finally, it always helps to have a little bit of luck on your side.

About Innopeak (M) Sdn Bhd

Innopeak (M) was incorporated in 1993. Our company specialises in precision tools and components, with an emphasis on high-value, low-volume niche engineering activities that are customised according to the needs and requirements of customers. In the 21 years we have been in operation, Innopeak has accumulated a wealth of technical know-how and also a large customer base in the high-tech market sector. Our main market segment includes, but is not limited to, aerospace, oil and gas, energy, marine defense, and automotive sectors. Besides customised builds, we also provide R&D and inspection services. We are ISO9001:2008 certifi ed and we have also received the INNOCERT and SCORE certifi cations from SMECorp.

Our next goal is to develop our own products via the Industry University Collaborative Campus (IUCC) initiative. We began this initiative in 2012; it involves both researchers and SMEs from the local and international scene. Examples of products under development are a 4x4 off-road vehicle, a race-ready motorcycle, marine aircraft with a ‘wing in ground’ effect, and also a series of personal protection devices for women.

Sdn Bhd

Interviews



Interview with Prof Dr Mohd Hamdi bin Abd Shukor

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of University of Malaya. I am also the current Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & International) of the university. For almost 20 years, I have dedicated my career to the advancement of education, research, and innovation. Among my achievements are the successful supervision of over 90 postgraduate students, the publication of more than 100 research articles and the fi ling of 34 patents. I am the founder of the Centre of Advanced Manufacturing and Material Processing (‘AMMP Centre’). This centre has grown tremendously, from its humble beginnings of a modest outfi t with a small team of researchers and engineers, to an interdisciplinary research hub with a keen focus on medical-engineering developments. I am also on the Board of Directors of Zecttron Sdn Bhd, which to date is the most successful spin-off company from University of Malaya.

2. How did you conceive of this idea?

Our product ideation and conceptualisation stems from the observation of existing product limitations and also user needs. The research and development team then

creates feasible solutions that are not only solely based on the requirements of our clients, but also synced with the research and education-related policies and aspirations of the nation.

3. What has been your greatest achievement so far?

I would say my greatest achievement to date is to have successfully commercialised my team’s research output. Although this has been an oft spoken topic in the university, the reality is that it has not been easy or straightforward. Thus, my success in this area earned me the University of Malaya Excellence Award for two consecutive years (2012 and 2013).

4. How did you fund your idea?

I was fortunate to receive full support from the university to cover the initial set-up costs of Zecttron Sdn Bhd. Funding for the conceptualisation of ideas was partially funded by the university; the rest of the funds came from commercialisation grants that were offered by various agencies.

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5. What are the most challenging aspects of running a start-up?

In my opinion, the most challenging aspect of running a start-up is acquiring the right team members. Finding people who have the expertise, but also have the right temperament and attitude to function as a team has been the most daunting task for me. Fortunately, my core team of dedicated members has persevered throughout the ups and downs of the company, and has tremendously assisted me in getting the company off the ground.

6. What has been your most valuable lesson so far since starting your business?

I would say the most valuable lesson I have learned thus far is that business is worlds apart from academia. It is extremely challenging and often brutal; it would have been practically impossible for me to have survived and single-handedly brought the company to where it is today. Thus, I have I have my team and the support of the university, especially the University of Malaya Centre of Innovation and Commercialization (UMCIC), to thank for.

7. How does your start-up stand out against its competitors?

Unlike our competitors, Zecttron Sdn Bhd creates fully bespoke products. We begin by a round of discussions to determine the exact needs of the client. Fabrication of the product then begins; the client is regularly invited to see the various stages of development. Another advantage that we have over our competitors is that some of our products such as the ATDM and the CNC lathe have features that are non-existent in the market.

8. Where do you see your business in 18 months?

We are in the process of launching our latest product, the educational CNC lathe, which we feel will make a signifi cant impact to technical education in the country. In 18 months’ time, I hope to see our products positively helping the nation to build a strong generation of highly skilled manufacturing-capable workforce. Also I would see the company venturing forth into the overseas market for our ATDM products.

9. What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to be ambitious but at the same time be realistic. Success cannot come overnight, and the road to the top is lined with sweat and tears. Attach yourself to good individuals and mentors, whom can positively give advice and second opinions. Ultimately, the fi nal decisions is yours to make, but having these people as ‘sparring partners’ really does helps to untangle the mental burden and keeps your feet fi rmly on the ground.

About Zecttron Sdn Bhd

Zecttron Sdn Bhd is an engineering-based company and was founded in 2009. This University of Malaya spin-off company was entrusted with the task of commercialising a medical device that was designed and developed by Prof. Dr. Mohd Hamdi research team. The device has been successfully sold to several Malaysian dental research institutes, and is now attracting interest from regional countries. However, their biggest success to date is the development of the 1st Made-in-Malaysia CNC lathe machine.

Zecttron Sdn Bhd takes pride in offering a comprehensive range of services to cater for the research needs of both academia and industry. They provide design, development and fabrication of customised devices. They also provide consultation and analysis on areas such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (‘CFD’), Finite Element Analysis (‘FEA’) and Computer Assisted Manufacturing (‘CAM’).

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Documents

July - September 2014 - PlaTCOM Venturesplatcomventures.com/upload/doc/platCOM_Innozine_Jul2014.pdf · July - September 2014 07 PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd A National Brand PlaTCOM Ventures