By Amanda L
KUCHING, Sept 9: Former Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Dr. Soichi Noguchi and a lineup of international tech leaders will headline the 9th International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak 2026 (IDECS2026), held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) from Oct 5 to 6.
Carrying the theme Scaling Innovation Ecosystems for a Borderless Economy: Earth, Orbit and Beyond, the flagship event will expand its scope this year by introducing two new focus areas: Semiconductor Innovation and the Emerging Space Economy, alongside existing pillars in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Talent Development, and Future Cities.
Minister for Utility and Telecommunication Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi said the state is shifting its focus beyond foundational ground infrastructure, such as internet coverage and 5G deployment, to capture high-value economic growth from frontier technologies.
“Technologies that were experimental a few years ago now dictate global competitiveness.
“Having built these foundations, the focus now turns to commercial value. This means moving research into intellectual property, leveraging infrastructure to attract private capital, and empowering Sarawakians to design, build, and export our own technologies,” he said at a press conference today.
Dr. Noguchi, a two-time Guinness World Record holder, will lead a distinguished panel of keynote speakers including Pomeroy Studio founding principal Professor Jason Pomeroy, scientific futurist Dr. Catherine Ball, AI Her Way founder Dr. Nici Sweaney and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) professor De Kai.
Organisers are targeting over 20,000 attendees from more than 30 countries, featuring more than 100 speakers and over 100 industry exhibitions.
Delegates will navigate the conference across five main tracks: The Future, Future Cities, Startup Village, SHE-TECH Asia Forum, and the Centre of Excellence for Digital Research Conference.
IDECS 2026 is jointly organized by the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), and Sarawak Information Systems (SAINS). Official event partners include U Mobile, Huawei, SMD Semiconductor, MEASAT, Reach Ten, SACOFA, and the Sarawak Artificial Intelligence Centre. — DayakDaily
