By: Professor Dato Dr Ahmad Ibrahim
Malaysia boasts ambitious national goals: a high-income economy, technological leadership, and sustainable development. Our universities, repositories of significant talent and public funding, are crucial engines for driving this progress. Yet, a persistent and critical chasm separates the brilliant research emerging from our labs from tangible products, services, and economic impact in the marketplace. This research-to-market gap isn’t just an academic concern; it’s a national economic imperative we can no longer afford to ignore.
Walk through the labs of any leading Malaysian university, and you’ll find world-class researchers tackling challenges in advanced materials, medical diagnostics, sustainable agriculture, and digital technology. Millions in government grants fund this work, aiming for innovation that propels the nation forward. However, far too often, groundbreaking discoveries end up confined to journal publications gathering dust or patents languishing unused on a shelf. The infamous “valley of death” – the perilous transition from promising prototype to viable commercial product – claims countless Malaysian innovations.
Why does this gap persist? The roots are systemic and intertwined. The publication paradox is one. The primary currency of academic success remains peer-reviewed publications and citation counts. Promotion, tenure, and prestige hinge on this. While vital for scientific progress, this system provides minimal incentive for researchers to navigate the complex, time-consuming, and often unfamiliar path of commercialization.
Patenting, market analysis, business planning, and investor pitching are skills rarely cultivated or rewarded within the traditional academic framework. Next is the funding mismatch. Government R&D grants often focus on early-stage scientific exploration, stopping short of the crucial “proof-of-concept” and “prototype refinement” stages needed to attract private investment. There’s a critical shortage of patient, risk-tolerant capital specifically designed to de-risk technologies emerging from universities and bridge them towards commercial viability.
The culture clash has been cited as another roadblock. Academia and industry often speak different languages and operate on different timelines. Researchers seek fundamental understanding and publishable results; businesses need practical solutions, market fit, and rapid returns. This disconnect hinders effective collaboration. Universities may lack dedicated, well-resourced Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) with the expertise to identify commercial potential, manage intellectual property (IP) strategically, and broker industry partnerships effectively. Industry, conversely, may be hesitant to engage due to perceived bureaucracy, IP ownership concerns, or a lack of awareness of university capabilities.
The skills shortfall also contributes to the dilemma. Many brilliant scientists lack entrepreneurial training or business acumen. Conversely, the ecosystem lacks sufficient experienced professionals – technology scouts, licensing managers, venture builders – who can translate complex research into compelling commercial propositions. Bridging this gap isn’t optional; it’s essential for Malaysia’s future. Transforming research into marketable innovations drives economic diversification, creates high-value jobs, attracts foreign investment, solves local and global challenges, and ultimately delivers a return on the substantial public investment in R&D.
The solutions require a concerted, multi-pronged effort. Reward commercialization. Universities must radically overhaul their reward structures. Recognize patents, licenses, spin-off creation, and industry collaboration alongside publications in promotion and tenure decisions. Create prestigious awards and internal funding specifically tied to commercialization milestones. Turbocharge TTOs. Invest significantly in building professional, well-staffed, and empowered Technology Transfer Offices. Equip them with legal, business, and marketing expertise. Implement clear, streamlined, and attractive university IP policies that encourage disclosure and facilitate licensing or spin-off creation.
Government and government-linked investment arms must establish dedicated, sizable funds focused exclusively on the pre-seed and seed stages of university spin-offs. Programs like the Ministry of Higher Education’s Prototype Development Research Grant (PRGS) are a start, but scale and scope need massive expansion. Encourage more Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) focused on university tech. Integrate entrepreneurship and innovation management modules into STEM curricula. Establish robust mentorship programs connecting researchers with seasoned entrepreneurs and industry veterans. Create vibrant on-campus incubators and accelerators providing not just space, but crucial business support and networking.
Building bridges with industry is crucial. This must be structured, long-term industry-university partnerships. Encourage industry secondees into university labs and vice-versa. Establish collaborative research centers co-funded and co-designed by industry partners to tackle real-world problems from the outset. Simplify contracting processes. Create and share success stories to inspire more.
The time for incremental change is over. Malaysia possesses the raw intellectual capital. What we need now is the political will, institutional courage, and systemic reform to unlock its commercial potential. Let’s stop celebrating research merely for its publication impact and start demanding its real-world impact. Let’s align our universities’ incentives with our nation’s economic ambitions.
Only by decisively bridging the research-to-market gap can we transform Malaysia’s knowledge into tangible national wealth and progress. The future of our economy depends on it. Both universities and industries must answer this call. Less we risk losing to the competition.
The author is affiliated with the Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI Policy Studies at UCSI University and is an associate fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya.