Sustainable Aquaculture Summit (SAS) 2026 Concludes Successfully in Sabah, Driving Regional Collaboration in the Blue Economy
Kota Kinabalu, 4 June 2026 – The Sustainable Aquaculture Summit (SAS) 2026, co-organised by Leave a Nest Malaysia and Institut Marin Borneo, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), was successfully held at the Biotechnology Research Institute, UMS, bringing together 97 participants from across government, academia, industry, and startups.
Held under the theme “Regenerating the Blue Economy: Nature-Positive, Blue Carbon, and the Future of Aquaculture,” SAS 2026 served as a dynamic platform to foster dialogue, showcase innovation, and catalyse collaboration in sustainable aquaculture and marine ecosystems.
The summit was honoured by the presence of YB Jordan Jude, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Sabah (KPSTI), who delivered the Keynote Address, highlighting Sabah’s commitment to advancing innovation and the blue economy. The event also featured a Special Keynote Lecture by Dr. Yap Sau Wai of Yayasan Sabah Group, providing valuable insights into Sabah’s development direction and ecosystem initiatives. We also learned more about the sustainable aquaculture initiatives by WWF-Malaysia, presented by Mr. Chor Wei Kang. SCENIC, represented by Mdm Uliantie Sarjuni, joined in to share their initiatives in Sabah, especially nurturing startups and driving ecosystem development to accelerate growth in the creative and technology sectors, introducing two aquaculture-based startups within the ecosystem – Seadling and Kundasang Aquafarm.
The summit featured two innovative startups from Japan, ARK Inc. and Innoqua Inc., and one environmental-centric startup from Malaysia:
- Mr. Yota Takakura, CEO, Innoqua Inc. (Japan)
- Mr. Yosuke Kurihara, CEO, ARK Inc. (Japan)
- Mr. Syazwan Mokhtar, CEO, Nuplas Solutions (Malaysia)
These sessions highlighted innovations such as Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) to farm grouper species, biosphere transfer technology, and circular innovation that transforms discarded fishing nets into sustainable materials, emphasizing the importance of cross-border collaboration between Malaysia, Southeast Asia, and Japan.
In addition, we are pleased to witness the Letter of Intent (LOI) Exchange Ceremony between the Institute of Marine Biology, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, and Leave a Nest Malaysia. This exchange signifies a shared commitment to strengthening collaboration in research, innovation, and the development of sustainable aquaculture and blue economy initiatives. It marks an important step forward in building long-term partnerships that bridge academia, industry, and international ecosystems.
Key Partners of SAS 2026
SAS 2026 was supported by key partners including:
- ARK Inc. (Japan)
- Innoqua Inc. (Japan)
- Nuplas Solutions (Malaysia)
- Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (SCENIC)
- Institut Borneo Marin, Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Recognition of Outstanding Poster Presentations
SAS 2026 also recognised outstanding research contributions through its Best Poster Awards, presented in collaboration with partners. The Leave a Nest Award was presented to Dr. Janifal Alipal (UCSF) for the study “From Local Knowledge to Scientific Narratives: Early Findings from a Community-Led Seaweed Farming Initiative in Sabah,” highlighting the importance of community-driven innovation. The Innoqua Award was awarded to Mr. Chuan Chee Hoe (UMS) for “Source or Sink? Respiratory Subsidies Offset the Blue Carbon Sequestration of Seaweed Ecosystems,” contributing valuable insights into blue carbon dynamics. Meanwhile, the ARK Award was presented to Dr. Norfazreena Mohd Faudzi for “Torch Ginger Powder as a Feed Additive for Growth and Color Enhancement in Red Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.),” demonstrating practical applications for sustainable aquaculture.
Driving Impact Through Collaboration
In addition to keynote and sharing sessions, SAS 2026 included Pocket Talk presentations, poster presentations, exhibition booths, and networking sessions, enabling participants to exchange ideas and explore potential partnerships. List of speakers can be found on SAS2026 website: https://hic.lne.st/schedule/sas2026/
As the first SAS event held in Borneo, the summit marked a significant milestone in expanding regional collaboration and empowering local researchers, startups, and communities in Borneo. The event reinforced Sabah’s growing role as a hub for innovation in aquaculture and the blue economy.
Leave a Nest Malaysia remains committed to building platforms that connect research, technology, and industry, and to driving the creation of sustainable, impact-driven ecosystems through global collaboration.