Taking university research to industry level
(SMEs) and they might not have the capability or funds to turn university research into industry-ready prototypes.”
SMEs, she pointed out, preferred to take on a ready-to-sell product, but would not be able to do much with fundamental research, like what UM focused on.
To solve the problem, university researchers will have to be involved in forming an early-stage company to develop the research prototype into industry-ready products.
In UMCIC’s earlier technopreneur programme, the centre had 16 researchers as chief executive officers, and half survived.
“We allowed the researchers to take 60 per cent equity. They were given seed money and could develop new products,” Rofina Yasmin said.
“Last year we got four early-stage grants, not for commercialisation, but pre-commercialisation for the technologies. A start-up’s success is not measured by how many products they sell, but how much money they raise. The money raised is linked to future potential.”
UMCIC has rolled out another programme to take university research to the commercial stage — the UM Xccelerate Incubator, which focuses on accelerating research outcomes in key technology domains to marketable products.
Xccelerate is a professionally managed fullserviced incubator that accelerates the commercialisation of UM innovations and technologies by facilitating industry uptake. It offers training and mentoring in entrepreneurship, as well as provides high-end technology services to the industry.
But instead of researchers or lecturers, the start-up owners are post-graduate students.
A start-up’s success is not measured by how many products they sell, but how much money they raise.
Universiti of Malaya Centre of Innovation and Commercialisation (UMCIC) director
“UM graduates 600 PhD Science annually for the past three years and we are meeting that target again this year,” Rofina Yasmin said. She is also UM’s Industry and Community Networks associate vice-chancellor.
“But where will the 600 go? Most will leave the country as there are not much opportunity here. SMEs will not hire PhD researchers and multinational companies (MNCs) do not usually have their research functions in Malaysia.
“The option that has not been explored is for post-graduate students to take their research out to the market via start-ups.
“We are looking at this untapped resource to push our next phase of techoprepreneurship programme, a short- term acceleration programme to create start-ups from our research output.
“Every year we fund 30 to 40 prototype grants. During the period of prototyping, we provide market access, support for finding clients, costing, etc. At the end of the prototyping period (six months) in the incubation programme, we will have a demo day to showcase the products to potential investors. We have 30 deep-tech companies within the incubator.”
On future plans, Rofina Yasmin said the incubator would team up with Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia for product certification and Global Entrepreneur Movement for packaging.
Super Factory Japan — a network of 300 small— and medium-sized Japanese manufacturers, who are world famous for their cutting edgetechnology in high precision manufacturing — will help with the technical needs or product development of the start-ups.