APU Hosted UNIIC Demo Day and ASIP Conference 2023

EMPOWERING INNOVATIONS AND PIONEERING KNOWLEDGE

By fostering academic networking and offering a platform for academic research publication, Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) has also created a foundational platform for early-stage start-ups to showcase their ideas and for investors to scout new opportunities. These developments were recently brought to life by APU.

18 student teams from 11 universities spanning six countries participated in UNIIC Demo Day.

APU played host to two significant events: the University Incubator Consortium (UNIIC) Demo Day 2023 and the Asian Society for Innovation and Policy (ASIP) Conference 2023. These events took place consecutively from September 20 to 21 and from September 22 to 23, respectively, at APU's campus within the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology & Innovation (MRANTI) Park, located in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.

Both UNIIC Demo Day and the ASIP Conference were orchestrated by APU's Enterprise@APU and the School of Business (SoB) teams. These events received sponsorship from the AIQ Group, International Institute of Innovation and Sustainability, ant3, and ASIP.

APU holds the distinction of being the driving force behind the University Incubator Consortium, comprising 16 universities hailing from nine countries: Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, South Africa, South Korea, India, and Malaysia. This year, APU not only hosted UNIIC Demo Day in an unprecedented manner but also welcomed the participation of 18 student teams from the following fellow members:

Tra Vinh University, Can Tho University, and Hung Vuong University from Vietnam. Universitas Trisakti, Universitas Indonesia, and Telkom University, Bandung from Indonesia. Palawan State University, and the Department of Science & Technology from the Philippines. National University of Cheasim Kamchaymear and Cambodia University of Technology & Science from Cambodia. Coimbatore Institute of Technology from India.

Dr. Ko Young Joo, President of ASIP, addressed the audience on Day 1 of UNIIC Demo Day.

On Day 1 of Demo Day, attendees received comprehensive insights from Dr. Ko Young Joo, President of ASIP, who shared his perspective on the knowledge and skills essential for future leaders in startup innovation. Additionally, student teams leveraged the opportunity to network with industry representatives and fine-tune their pitches and products, with their industry mentors also in attendance.

Day 2 marked the culmination of participants' efforts as they presented their ideas and prototypes to a distinguished panel of judges. Mr. Lucas Tee, Co-founder of AIQ Group, inspired students to remain steadfast in pursuit of their dreams and goals.

Following this, the spotlight shifted to the 13th annual ASIP Conference 2023, centred around the theme "Entrepreneurship and Digital Society." The conference was chaired by Associate Professor Dr. Jason Turner, who also serves as APU's Senior Head of the School of Business.

Researchers from more than 15 countries, along with over 200 participants, gathered at APU to attend the 13th annual ASIP Conference in 2023.

The presence of ASIP’s President, Dr. Ko Young Joo, and Professor Dr. Ho Chin Kuan, Vice Chancellor of APU, added distinction to the conference. This event served as a platform for research dissemination, featuring an in-house journal and participation in Emerald journals and other academic publications. Throughout the two-day conference, more than 120 presentations were made by attendees from over 15 countries. Additionally, the event drew over 200 participants, including students, academics, and industry professionals.

The keynotes and panel session were delivered by Professor Dr. Yutao Sun from Dalian University of Technology, China; Professor Dr. Jonathan Winterton from Leeds University, UK; Mr. Adrian Hia from Kairous Capital, Malaysia; Mr. Sorato Ijichi from Creww, Japan; Mr. Juan Carlos Mauritz from Nordic Apiary, Sweden; and Ms. Noraminah Omar from Startlah Innovation PLT, Malaysia.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jason Turner (centre) received an award of excellence from Emerald Publishing as co-author of a paper. He is flanked by Emerald Publishing’s East Asia Regional Marketing Manager Ms. Rozita Nordin (left), and Business Manager Mr. William Loh Wui Lun. 

Emerald Publishing was represented by Ms. Rozita Nordin, Regional Marketing Manager, East Asia, and Mr. William Loh Wui Lun, Business Manager. Ms. Rozita Nordin praised the well-organized and skillfully executed conference, stating, "The conference agenda was meticulously curated, featuring numerous high-quality papers that were presented and, hopefully, will be submitted for publication. It reflected outstanding collaboration between teams and speakers from around the globe."

There were two awards sponsored by Emerald and eight awards sponsored by ASIP, including the Award of Excellence, Best Paper Award, Best Student Paper Award, and Best Idea Award, respectively. These awards were presented to the winners on the second day of the conference.

Reflecting on the conference's goal to enhance the visibility of entrepreneurship-related research and provide networking opportunities for students, staff, and practitioners from participating universities and organisations, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jason Turner remarked, "With international keynote speakers, panellists, and conference presenters, this truly was a global event, stimulating debate, international collaboration, and impactful research aimed at reshaping society and the world of work."