Alibaba.com Summit Highlights AI, Digital Trade Opportunities For Malaysian SMEs

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- The Alibaba.com B2B AI Seller Summit and CoCreate Pitch Malaysia 2026 has highlighted opportunities for Malaysian businesses to use artificial intelligence (AI) and digital trade to expand into global markets.

The event, held on Oct 16, 2026, showcased innovations by 10 Malaysian entrepreneurs in areas spanning agriculture, aquaculture, halal beauty, wellness, manufacturing and safety technology, demonstrating the diversity of local businesses and their potential to reach international markets.

Among the finalists, LettuBoost took first place with its fish feed made from invasive aquatic plants and other biomass, offering an alternative to conventional feed.

Global Cerah, which is developing livestock feed and pet-food ingredients from agricultural by-products, secured second place, while Eartheories, which is developing an AI-assisted fragrance recommendation system, came third.

The top three CoCreate Pitch Malaysia 2026 winners will have the opportunity to attend the CoCreate Global Summit 2026 in London in November.

The other finalists also presented innovations spanning different industries, including Brewcoa, a zero-caffeine chocolate tea made from discarded cacao husks developed by Awen Global.

Meanwhile, ADTEC JTM Kampus Batu Pahat has developed the Smart Palm Sickle, an upgraded harvesting tool designed to reduce the physical effort required to cut oil palm fruit bunches, and Inai Republic showcased its halal beauty products, including henna-based hair colour designed for Muslim consumers.

AquFish uses underwater cameras and AI to help fish farmers monitor fish growth and optimise feeding, and Hydroplant has developed microbial agricultural inputs to improve soil health and plant growth.

Chino & Apex Pet Hotel is developing Veyra, a proposed digital platform combining pet identification, Global Positioning System (GPS) safety features and health records.

Galaxy Fire Alarm Service presented its Mini Fire Alarm System, designed to provide fire warnings and electrical safety protection for homes and small businesses.

The competition attracted more than 2,300 applications from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), startups, aspiring entrepreneurs and student innovators nationwide, with a total prize pool of RM500,000 to support business growth.

At the same time, Alibaba.com introduced its plug-and-play AI agent, Accio, in Malaysia, enabling businesses to explore market opportunities, source suppliers and identify manufacturing partners.

Its head of South and Southeast Asia Roger Luo said Malaysian businesses had strong manufacturing capabilities and quality products, but many SMEs continued to face challenges in understanding overseas markets and operating with limited resources.

“Product-based entrepreneurship increasingly depends not only on having a strong idea, but also on turning that idea into a real product and connecting it with global market opportunities,” he said.

Participants also used Accio to explore global suppliers, identify manufacturing partners and strengthen their business plans, highlighting how AI could support entrepreneurs in developing products and preparing to enter new markets.

The summit also highlighted the importance of collaboration in helping Malaysian SMEs strengthen their export readiness and reach international buyers.

Alibaba.com and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) formalised a memorandum of understanding to strengthen digital trade and export readiness, including plans to establish a dedicated Halal Pavilion on the platform to showcase certified Malaysian halal products to international buyers.

Meanwhile, UOB Malaysia will also support SMEs through its financial expertise and regional network, complementing Alibaba.com's digital commerce ecosystem to help businesses access financing solutions and expand internationally.

-- BERNAMA