Malaysia-Japan Fast Track Pitch 2025 Held as the Third Event of ASEAN-JAPAN Fast Track Pitch 2025

1. Overview

METI and JETRO co-organized the Malaysia-Japan Fast Track Pitch 2025 with Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) of Malaysia on Thursday, February 5, 2026. 

In front of about 170 participants (about 140 in-person and 30 online), 14 finalists from Japan and Malaysia presented their proposals on the open innovation challenges provided by the six challenge owners. Prior to the presentations, Mr. Akazawa Ryosei, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, Mr. Nihei Daisuke, Minister of the Embassy of Japan in Malaysia, and Mr. Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MIDA, gave the opening remarks, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation for the creation of innovation between the two countries.

2. Pitch session by the finalists

During the application period, about 110 proposals from all over the world were submitted to the challenges provided by the six challenge owner companies from Japan and Malaysia. From among these, 14 finalists selected by the challenge owners presented their proposals.

Please refer to JETRO’s special website for the detailed challenge statements and finalists.

• Malaysia-Japan Fast Track Pitch 2025 (English)

3. Schedule of future events

The following Fast Track Pitch Event will take place this fiscal year.

• Indonesia (Jakarta): Thursday, February 12, 2026, afternoon

• Indonesia-Japan Fast Track Pitch 2025 to Be Held as the Fourth Event of ASEAN-JAPAN Fast Track Pitch 2025

4. (Reference) About the ASEAN-Japan Co-Creation Fast Track Pitch Initiative

Overview

Taking the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation in 2023, METI and JETRO launched the ASEAN-Japan Co-Creation Fast Track Pitch Initiative to support the creation of open innovation through collaborations among startups, SMEs, and large corporations from both ASEAN and Japan. This initiative proposes a new format of cooperation with ASEAN countries to create new innovations.

Under the ASEAN-Japan Co-Creation Fast Track Pitch Initiative, startups and SMEs from ASEAN and Japan will have the opportunity to (1) receive support not only from Japanese organizations such as JETRO, but also from the government agencies of ASEAN countries, and (2) access not only large Japanese corporations but also a wide range of innovation ecosystems, including global companies based in ASEAN.

5. (Reference) Results from the Past Fast Track Pitch Events

• Singapore-Japan Fast Track Pitch Event 2025 Held as the First Event of ASEAN-JAPAN Fast Track Pitch 2025
• METI Holds the Inno Vietnam-Japan Fast Track Pitch 2025 as the Second Event of ASEAN-JAPAN Fast Track Pitch 2025

Division in Charge

Asia and Pacific Division, Trade Policy Bureau