IIB Ventures inks MoU to establish robotics centre in Johor
New Straits Time – 18 June 2021
KUALA LUMPUR: IIB Ventures Sdn Bhd (IIB Ventures), a subsidiary of Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysian Technology Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (MTDC) to accelerate the growth of industry revolution (IR) 4.0 in Johor.
The MoU includes establishing a robotics centre at Medini Iskandar, intended to develop technopreneurs and talents in robotics and emerging technologies.
Further, the MoU outlines the collaborative initiatives to facilitate and support activities in line with MTDC’s Centre of Nine Pillars, aimed at creating a community-in-practice that would offer local companies affordable and impactful Industry 4.0 solutions.
IIB Ventures president and chief executive officer Datuk Khairil Anwar Ahmad said the signing of the MOU for establishing the robotics centre of excellence (CoE) is an exciting development through which the company aims to develop 200 technopreneurs in Iskandar Puteri in the next five years.
Khairil said the MoU would be attained through programmes under Iskandar NEXT, namely the Iskandar Innovation Hub and Drone and Robotics Zone (DRZ) Iskandar, among others.
“As part of this collaboration, IIB Ventures would also provide companies coming into the location, access to markets for commercialisation opportunities, advisory services for funding, access to industry mentors, create visibility, awareness and provide relevant regulatory facilitation,” he said.
Meanwhile, MTDC chief executive officer Datuk Norhalim Yunus said the collaboration would strengthen the company’s efforts to provide a platform for local Industry 4.0 solution providers in Johor.
Norhalim said MTDC has in its ecosystem local companies producing customised i4.0 solutions, including robotics, autonomous robots and drones that can be expanded into the Robotics CoE.
“This collaboration will also boost the immense potential to develop local talents to be IR4.0 ready and assist in achieving the digital transformation agenda as part of Iskandar’s main initiative.
“The collaboration will also enable MTDC to introduce its talent development programs for small and medium enterprises (SME), universities, entrepreneurs and innovators in the southern region,” he said.
Iskandar Investment will be the host platform that will facilitate advisory assistance in the southern region.
The robotics CoE will offer programs to support IIB’s DRZ Iskandar initiatives further, a regional drone and a robotic zone to create a drone and robotics eco-system in Iskandar Puteri, which would become a growth engine, technology leader and talent hub for Malaysia and APAC.
This collaboration also forms part of a series of initiatives by IIB, which advocates the environment, social and governance (ESG) philosophy in its business activities.
This MoU is part of Iskandar NEXT – Innovation Hub to develop and implement IR4.0-based technology ecosystems supporting Johor Vision 2030 and National MyDigital Blueprint.
This was further evidenced by Malaysia’s first drone and robotics hub, the DRZ Iskandar, in December 2020.
DRZ Iskandar was projected to bring in RM351 million of investment and generate 1,000 high-value jobs by 2025 in drone and robotics.
