TFE SCENT Demo Day 2026 Showcases Emerging Innovators Driving Real-World Impact
On 5th May 2026, the TFE SCENT Demo Day 2026 successfully brought together young innovators, industry leaders, and ecosystem partners to celebrate the culmination of an intensive innovation and entrepreneurship journey under the Tech Frontier Explorer (TFE) SCENT program. Organised by Leave a Nest Malaysia and Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), in collaboration with University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), the Demo Day served as a platform for participating teams to present innovative solutions addressing real-world challenges across various sectors.
The event marked a significant milestone for the participants, who underwent months of rigorous development, ranging from problem identification and validation to prototyping and business model formulation. A total of nine finalists were selected following the Pre-Demo Day held on 23rd April 2026. The finalist teams were categorised into three themes: Next-Gen Human Experience, Smart Systems for Better Living, and Tech for Impact & Sustainability.
Pitching sessions by finalists during the Demo Day highlighted the creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurial mindset of emerging innovators.
The finalists were evaluated by a panel of five judges:
- Mr. Roderick Sunang anak Bilin, Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development
- Dr. Khairul Hafiz Sharkawi, Head of Research and Product Development, Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC)
- Mr. Jacob Anak Jim, CEO & Founder, Stinablis Sdn. Bhd.
- Mr. Zahiruddin Ibrahim, FYP Coordinator, University of Technology Sarawak (UTS)
- Mr. Abdul Hakim Sahidi, Managing Director, Leave a Nest Malaysia, serving as Head Judge
The award recipients were announced after closing remarks delivered by the Chief Executive Officer of Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), YBhg. Dato Ir. Ts. Sudarnoto Osman. Reflecting on the progress of the TechFrontier Explorer x SCENT initiative, Dato Sudarnoto shared encouraging outcomes from previous cohorts, where several student teams continued refining their prototypes beyond the program and explored commercialization pathways. He described the initiative as more than a competition, but a launchpad for real entrepreneurial journeys. He further emphasized the importance of collaboration between academia, industry, and ecosystem partners in nurturing future innovators and strengthening Sarawak’s innovation ecosystem.
The Leave a Nest Award and SDEC Award each carried a cash prize of RM500, while the Grand Winner Award carried RM1,000.
The award recipients were as follows:
- People’s Choice Award – 1nfinite
- Leave a Nest Award – Aurumvelle Technologies
- Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) Award – Innovibe
- Grand Winner Award – Tekkonologia
The TFE SCENT Demo Day not only featured pitching sessions by the finalists and lightning talks, but also included poster presentations to all 16 participating teams and booth exhibitions. The event provided opportunities for attendees, industry players, and ecosystem partners to engage directly with the teams, exchange ideas, and provide valuable feedback on the innovations presented.
Dato Ir. Ts. Sudarnoto Osman explored poster presentations and booth exhibitions during demo day.
The TFE SCENT Demo Day 2026 reflects a growing commitment toward cultivating innovation-driven talents and empowering young innovators to transform ideas into meaningful societal impact.
Special appreciation is also extended to the external mentors who worked closely alongside Leave a Nest members in guiding and supporting the teams throughout their preparation for the Pre-Demo Day and Demo Day sessions. Their insights and mentorship played an important role in strengthening the participants’ ideas, presentations, and entrepreneurial thinking.
The external mentors included:
i) Mr. Thomas Pui, Co-Founder and COO of Entomal Biotech Sdn. Bhd.
ii) Mr. Edmond Yap, CEO and Co-Founder of Tupai.ai
iii) Mr. Saidi Adha, Start-up operator and strategist
iv) Mr. Darween Reza, CEO of MyConceptual Robotic Sdn Bhd
v) Mr. Muhammad Qayyim Nureen, Founder Bossrec Adventures Sdn. Bhd.
vi) Dr. Hadi Affendy bin Dahlan, Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
Leave a Nest Malaysia would also like to express its sincere appreciation to Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), judges, mentors, collaborators, and all participating teams for their continuous support and commitment in making the program a success.
The secretariat from Leave a Nest, Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation and University of Technology Sarawak.
As the program concludes, it also marks the beginning of new journeys for the participating teams as they continue refining their ideas, exploring collaborations, and contributing toward the innovation ecosystem in Sarawak and beyond.
The details information about the demo day could be found at this booklet