The Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), marked a significant milestone on 22 July 2025 with the successful launch of STAR LEAD Series 1: “Building an Innovation Ecosystem”. Led by Assoc. Prof. Ts. ChM. Dr. Nik Ahmad Nizam Nik Malek, Deputy Dean (Research, Innovation & Development), this initiative represents a strategic move to embed an innovation-driven mindset among researchers and strengthen the translation of research into impactful solutions.
Supported under the STAR LEAD 2025 Leadership Certification Programme, this project addresses the long-standing challenge of bridging the gap between laboratory research and market-ready innovations. Series 1 kickstarted a structured mentorship program involving 3 experienced mentors and 12 mentees, focusing on essential skills in innovation planning, prototype development, and early-stage commercialization.
Participants were introduced to the Research Innovation for Science (RI4S) roadmap—an initiative to guide academic researchers through the stages of technology readiness and commercialization potential. Through interactive sessions and expert facilitation, faculty members explored the innovation value chain, discussed the infamous “Valley of Death” in research commercialization, and learned how to navigate from TRL1 (basic research) to TRL9 (deployment in the real world).
As part of this initiative, future series will guide mentees through innovation marketing, prototype pitching, and industry collaboration. The program will culminate in an Innovation Pitch Day in January 2026, offering faculty members a platform to showcase their technologies to industry partners and potential investors.
By nurturing a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, this initiative is set to enhance grant success rates, encourage interdisciplinary research, and accelerate research commercialization—firmly positioning the Faculty of Science as a catalyst for national and global impact.
