KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — Selangor’s rise as a hub for advanced technology and innovation is seen as a reflection of its ambition to drive Malaysia’s innovation landscape.
Hannover Fairs Australia and Asia Pacific managing director Tim Bostridge said its growing prominence and progressive policies reflect its strategic base in technology and high-value industries, which have led to collaboration between the state government and Hannover Messe in organising the Selangor Techsphere Summit 2025.
“Selangor, in particular, is emerging as a national leader in artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, renewable energy, and digital ecosystems. It is a testament to these ambitions that Hannover Messe is powering the Summit in Selangor.
“Selangor’s key advantages lie in its diversified industrial base, strategic location, highly skilled workforce, and progressive state policies that actively support innovation,” he said in his welcoming remarks at the opening of the Selangor Techsphere Summit 2025 earlier today.
The inaugural event is the first technology event hosted by a state government that is supported by Hannover Messe, the world’s premier trade fair for industrial technology.
Also present at the opening ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister cum Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) or MBI group chief executive officer Dato’ Saipolyazan M Yusop, and Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre (STDC) chief executive officer Harizal Hamid.
Bostridge added that Malaysia is growing rapidly into a future-ready manufacturing hub, driven by cutting-edge technologies, sustainable practices, and robust digital infrastructure.
He said that the nation’s industrial ambitions, which include AI-powered industrial transformation, sustainable and resilient manufacturing, smart energy solutions, and innovation in production at scale, align with the core themes of Hannover Messe.
At the core of the national transformation is Selangor’s unique position that has deep roots in the manufacturing industry, hosting some of the country’s most critical industrial ecosystems.
“The next two days are designed to bring those themes to life, right here in Selangor. This is where Malaysia’s industrial innovation meets national policy and business outcomes, and where Selangor demonstrates what coordinated innovation looks like.
“We certainly hope that this event is just the start of a strong and impactful event platform for Selangor and Hannover Messe,” Bostridge said.
He noted that change is both inevitable and necessary and that nations across the region are accelerating the adoption of key technologies, including robotics, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy, to shape the future of industry.
Over the next two days, discussions at the summit will focus on the theme of Asean Industrial Transformation and how Industry X is enabling more efficient and sustainable industrial operations.
Other topics to be covered include digital ecosystems, sustainability, and carbon-neutral production, emerging technologies in manufacturing, and talent and linkages into the research industry.
The Selangor Techsphere Summit 2025 is being held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre for two days starting today. It highlights global innovation and showcases the state’s efforts to become a leading centre for technological and talent development in Southeast Asia.
The idea for the summit was sparked during Amirudin’s visit to Hannover Messe in Germany in April last year, which led to the development of a homegrown version aligned with Selangor’s long-term industrial and human capital development goals.
