KUALA LUMPUR: The National Technology and Innovation Sandbox (NTIS) has helped commercialise 27 local tech products, generating RM87.2 million in sales since its launch in August 2020, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang.
He noted that the platform has supported more than 190 homegrown technology solutions and stressed that Malaysia must move beyond relying on imports and adaptation.
“If we’re serious about becoming a high-tech nation, we must dare to innovate, create and test new ideas in real-world settings,” he said in a Facebook post tonight.
Describing NTIS as an ‘innovation accelerator’, Chang said the initiative offers researchers, start-ups and tech entrepreneurs a space to trial ideas with flexible regulatory backing.
“It’s not just a testing ground. It is a space that believes in local talent, where there’s room to fail, learn and return with better solutions,” he said.
He added that each innovation tested under NTIS takes Malaysia a step closer to building a more mature innovation ecosystem, one where ideas are not just conceived, but refined and brought to market.
Chang also noted that the programme is a core part of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (DSTIN) 2021–2030 and aligns with the Malaysia MADANI agenda, which sees innovation as grounded not just in technology, but in values like trust and opportunity.
“With NTIS, we open the path. Those who dare to try, we give space. Those who succeed, we support all the way to market. That’s how we build the future,” he said.
