PENANG, Malaysia, June 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Penang TECHFEST2020, which will take place from 11 - 20 September 2020 with its inaugural edition of #futureON, is a technology festival that is all about experiencing the latest innovation and technology from around the world. The festival has one main mandate -- that is to call for a reframe on the promises of technology to better serve humanity. Buildings and streets throughout Penang during this 10-days festival will be turned into technology showcase sites where networking, competitions, panel discussions and immersive trials with emerging technology will take place.
TECHFEST2020 aims to connect and bring together an ecosystem of technologies, solutions, consumers, key decision makers who influence policies in city planning, mobility and innovators as well as leading industry players to be responsible in bringing about advancement and growth. The festival will comprise of public showcase featuring 300 new and emerging techs, various activations on how technology is to be used for common good as well as demonstrations of innovations' applications that implicate the government, business and the society. "One of Penang TECHFEST2020's main missions is to be ahead of the technology's curve that is evolving at exponential rate. The rising adoption and dependence on technology applications that have been impacting everyday lives are proofs that there is a definitive need to be updated of its growing influence in order to innovate alongside it and more importantly, to hold every innovation accountable for societal good," announced the chief minister of Penang, Chow Kon Yeow, when he launched the festival's logo on Monday. The Penang TECHFEST2020 logo consists of a simple symbol that can be made by the hands to signify the act of REFRAMING the promise of technology to maximise innovations in our daily lives.
With over 45 years of cumulative industrial experience and over 300 MNCs and 3,000 local supporting companies in Penang, Penang has an established an E&E ecosystem that is well integrated with the global supply chain. One third of E&E investments of Malaysia takes place in Penang and this is supported by the fact that Penang holds 8% in contribution of global back-end semiconductor output. To date, our internet users stands at 87.4%, mobile-cellular penetration hit 44 million subscriptions, and fixed-broadband users are at 3 million. As at 2015, 83% of Government services are provided via online platforms. "We are ready and we want to have conversations that matter -- how do we want the applications of technology to affect our lives as opposed to being swept up in its advancement without any say. This is definitely in line with our efforts to achieve PENANG2030 -- a family-focused green and smart state. With a population of 650million in Southeast Asia, having Penang TECHFEST2020 can fill the gap to power the conversation and collaboration due from the quantum-leaps of transformations of the various nations here via the digital economy," the Chief Minister continued.
A growing list of programming content is already lined up under 6 main interest clusters:
Penang TECHFEST2020, a Visit Malaysia 2020 highlight event, is expected to be the main showcase for World Congress On Information Technology, WCIT2020 which will take place from the 14 - 16 September 2020 to an international audience of 4,000 visionaries, captains of industry, government leaders and academics that span across 80+ countries. Penang TECHFEST2020 itself targets to attract the participation of 45,000 footfalls with 10,000 international tourists which is broken down to participation of 15% from Europe, Middle East, Latin America and the USA; 60% from Taiwan, Mainland China, Korea, Japan and India; as well as 20% from the immediate Southeast Asia's.
Penang TECHFEST2020 is jointly organised by the National ICT Association of Malaysia, PIKOM and enabled by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, MDEC. Penang TECHFEST2020 also aims to propel local talents alongside the international players. "I believe that it is crucial to engage the multinationals and the private sector as they have the capacity and resources to be the main drivers of innovation. But more importantly, there is truly a need for us to keep pace with the evolving economic landscape, driven in part by technology, economic growth and business transformation," asserts Dato' Ng Wan Peng, Chief Operating Officer of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
Corporations and technology players in Malaysia are encouraged to make use of Penang TECHFEST2020 as a platform to showcase their solutions to a global audience. Updates on Penang TECHFEST2020 can be found on http://techfest.my.
Media contact for Penang TECHFEST2020:
ABOUT THE WORLD CONGRESS ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, WCIT
The World Congress On Information Technology, WCIT; is the largest and the most reputable international event among worldwide IT leaders. Known as the Olympics of the world's information technology industry, this is an international signature event since 1978.
WCIT2020 will be the 24th edition of World Congress on Information Technology and it is returning to Malaysia, positioned as the gateway to Southeast Asia, connecting the world. WCIT2020 will take place in Penang, Malaysia at the Setia Spice Convention and Exhibition Centre Penang from 13-16 September 2020.
Malaysia last hosted WCIT in the year 2008. The Kuala Lumpur WCIT2008 secured total sales and investments worth RM8.3billion with more than 20,000 jobs created. 800 business meetings were held over the same duration capturing over RM1.24billion of business opportunities for the Malaysian ICT industry. RM2.0billion worth of potential investments were identified through these meetings with 10 FDI and 26 DDI, with additional 13,000 jobs potentiated.
WCIT2020 is expected to attract the participation of international 4,000 visionaries, captains of industry, government leaders and academics that span across 80+ countries with 160+ global speakers.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL ICT ASSOCIATION OF MALAYSIA, PIKOM
The National ICT Association Of Malaysia or PIKOM, is the association representing the information and communications technology (ICT) industry in Malaysia. Its membership currently stands at 800+ comprising companies involved in a whole spectrum of ICT products and services which commands 80% of the total ICT trade in Malaysia. Under PIKOM, a total of 5 Chapters were formed to better serve the members and industry: --
As a non-profit organization, PIKOM is managed by a team of Council elected by the members every year during the Annual General Meeting.
ABOUT MALAYSIA DIGITAL ECONOMY CORPORATION, MDEC
Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation or MDEC (formerly known as Multimedia Development Corporation Sdn. Bhd.) is the lead agency in driving the digital economy in Malaysia under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia. Since its inception 22 years ago, MDEC's mission is to develop the nation's digital economy. MDEC's implementation efforts are centred on driving investments, building local tech champions, catalysing digital innovation ecosystems and propagating digital inclusivity.
MDEC is also responsible to ensure that Malaysia plays an integral part in developing and nurturing talent to drive digital innovation around the world, while attracting participation from glob-al ICT companies to invest and develop cutting edge digital and creative solutions in the coun-try. To know more about MDEC's efforts and initiatives in driving digital economy, please visit www.mdec.my or follow us on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyMDEC/
Twitter: @mymdec
