The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) has launched the Malaysia Grand Challenge (MGC) on 8 January 2021.
The MGC is supported by five MOSTI R&D funding schemes under the Strategic Technology Driving Fund Program (PEMACU) namely the Applied Innovation Fund (AIF) ), Technology Development Fund 1 (TeD 1), Technology Development Fund 2 (TeD 2), Bridging Fund (BGF) and Strategic Research Fund (SRF).
This MGC is to produce solutions based on science, technology and innovation that can benefit society through quality and high-impact research and development (R&D) results according to priority areas that have been identified through the 10-10 MySTIE framework and also 30 thrust areas that have been developed.
The ten priority areas are energy; education; water and food; agriculture and forestry; environment and biodiversity; smart barns and transportation; medicine and health care; culture, arts and tourism; business and financial services; as well as smart technologies and systems (new generation engineering and manufacturing).
This funding scheme is offered to eligible applicant categories including researchers from Higher Research Institutes (HIPs), Government Research Institutes (GRIs), individuals and registered associations, cooperatives and NGOs.
In addition, it is also open to business companies including start-up companies based on or related to technology and innovation and PMKS registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM). Applicants from start-ups must meet basic criteria such as majority ownership by Malaysian citizens.
“As outlined in the MADAN I Economic Plan, the government is committed to empowering the R&D sector, with a target of 3.5 percent ratio of R&D gross expenditure (GERO) to GDP by 2030, to ensure sustainable national development for a long period of time,” commented Chang Lih Kang, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.
He added that the empowerment of the R&D sector will lead to an increase in the value and level of the country’s economy due to the development of innovation, in addition to the development of local talents that will boost the creation of viable and global-class local technology.
The 12th Malaysia Plan overall allocation ceiling for the approved PEMACU fund is RM350 million. Until September 2023, MOSTI has approved 119 R&D projects with a total cost of RM252.7 million.
The three socio-economic drivers that received the largest amount of grant funding from the MOSTI Fund are Smart Technology and Systems (New Generation Engineering and Manufacturing); Medicine and Health Care; and Smart Cities and Transportation.
