KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 1): The Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC) will be holding its E-Nation entrepreneurship ecosystem virtual symposium for entrepreneurs, innovators, regulators, investors, policymakers and industry leaders.

In a statement today, MaGIC said the symposium will be held from Oct 20 to 23 to connect 1,000 participants from across the start-up ecosystem with 65 speakers and moderators in developing a sustainable innovation-driven entrepreneurship ecosystem for the nation.

Among the speakers at the conference are Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin, former South Korean prime minister Dr Chung Un-chan, former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, New York University professor of risk engineering Prof Nassim Nicholas Taleb and Google Malaysia country head Marc Woo.

E-Nation is MaGIC's flagship annual conference to connect tech start-ups, social enterprises, innovators, thought leaders and academics with investors, corporate innovators and technology partners, policymakers, regulators and government agencies.

This year's theme — Propelling a Resilient Economy — is propped by three pillars: Embracing Change, Enabling Technology and Empowering Societies.

MaGIC chief executive officer Dzuleira Abu Bakar said the three pillars are apt given the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which not only impacted public health but also induced a global recession.

She said Covid-19 has accelerated the need for innovation and created game-changing opportunities for the nation to bounce back and establish economic resilience via innovation and creativity.

"There are lessons to be learnt from the global health crisis, and it is important to learn, adapt and pivot.

"And by enabling technology, such as the application of artificial intelligence or robotics, we are able to re-engineer the way we operate and transform our futures," she said.

Dzuleira pointed out that many projects under the RM100 million National Technology and Innovation Sandbox and RM10 million Social Impact Matching Grant have brought about meaningful social impact through innovation.

She said Ethovent, a semi-ventilator, was developed within seven weeks to help healthcare workers cope with the shortage of ventilators at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Similarly, the MCK-19 robot was developed to help deliver meals to hospital rooms, thus reducing physical contact between staff and patients," she said.

For more information and reservations for E-Nation, visit enation.mymagic.my. Registration is free and on a first-come, first-served basis, so be quick!

MaGIC is an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.