Kuala Lumpur, 10 November 2025 – The Innovathon Season 3 media launch, officiated by the Minister of Economy, YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, today celebrated Malaysia’s growing innovation spirit, with an impressive 2,032 entries received — more than double last year’s 1,003 participants.
Themed around advancing local innovation and entrepreneurship, Innovathon continues to serve as a national platform for Malaysian innovators to showcase creative ideas with strong commercial potential and significant social impact. Jointly organised by the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), the reality TV programme aims to nurture innovation-driven talent and foster a culture of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among Malaysians.
“The government has increased the total allocation for the Business Development Support Fund from RM1 million to RM1.65 million this year,” said Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah. “This reflects our commitment to strengthening Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem, in line with the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) priority to enhance economic diversity through a robust Research, Development, Commercialisation and Innovation (R&D&C&I) ecosystem.”
This season introduced a new targeted audition format across five strategic locations — Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd, National Institute of Health (NIH), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Melaka, the Fire and Rescue Academy of Malaysia (Central Region), and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) — focusing on participants with strong innovation potential. Meanwhile, open auditions held from June to August 2025 spanned six zones nationwide, including Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Terengganu, Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak.
Winners of Innovathon Season 3 stand to receive attractive prizes, including cash awards and business development funding:
- 1st Place: RM100,000 + RM500,000 Business Fund
- 2nd Place: RM80,000 + RM400,000 Business Fund
- 3rd Place: RM50,000 + RM300,000 Business Fund
- 4th Place: RM10,000 + RM250,000 Business Fund
- 5th Place: RM5,000 + RM200,000 Business Fund
The programme’s eight-episode broadcast will air on Astro Ria and RTM TV1 from 6 December 2025 to 25 January 2026.
According to the Minister, Innovathon has successfully cultivated Malaysia’s innovation landscape by connecting innovators with investors, promoting market-ready inventions, and positioning Malaysia as a hub of creativity and resilience.
“After three seasons, we’ve seen that up to 40% of innovations are community-focused — from agriculture and social innovation to technology-based solutions that improve everyday life,” Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah added. “This growth reflects Malaysia’s rich pool of talent and our nation’s commitment to building an inclusive, forward-looking innovation culture.”
