Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) officially launched Innovation Festival 2025, also known as Innovfest 2025, a four-day innovation and entrepreneurship festival organised by the Office of the Assistant Vice Chancellor (Industry Engagement & Enterprise Development, IEED). InnovFest 2025 brings together students, researchers, industry experts, entrepreneurs, and the public in a shared celebration of bold ideas, collaboration, and entrepreneurial growth.
Delivering the opening remarks, Dr Masairol Haji Masri, Assistant Vice Chancellor (IEED), highlighted that InnovFest 2025 is a rebranding of the previous Incubation Festival to reflect its broader mission of creating an inclusive platform welcoming students from all faculties, postgraduate researchers, academic staff, and industry stakeholders can showcase innovations, prototypes, and research with commercialisation potential. He also highlighted that Innovfest 2025 student assessment incorporates international standards, such as the Babson Global Student Challenge Rubric, reinforcing UBD’s commitment to align with global best practices in entrepreneurship education.
Officiated by the Guest of Honour, Dr Hazri bin Haji Kifle, Vice Chancellor of UBD, the festival began with an opening speech by the Vice Chancellor, who highlighted that InnovFest 2025 is guided by the UBD Entrepreneurship Blueprint — a long-term vision to position the university as a catalyst for innovation and economic development in teaching, research, and community engagement.
In his speech, the Vice Chancellor also highlighted the recent prestigious global recognition of the 2025 Babson Collaborative Spotlight Award in Paris, awarded to the IEED Office and its Entrepreneurship Management Team. He further emphasised that UBD is the first institution in Asia to receive this recognition, showcasing the commitment of UBD to fostering extraordinary leadership, teamwork, and collaboration.
The ceremony was followed by a tour of the exhibition booths and project showcase area. Throughout the event, UBD students undertaking programmes such as the Discovery Year U-Beyond Incubation, Venture Lab and Entrepreneurship for Digital Scientists will showcase their work to academic and industry audiences.
The event also features a Research Project Showcase, where UBD faculty and postgraduate students present cutting-edge research and innovative models. This provides valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange, cross-sector collaboration, and public engagement with the university’s ongoing research.
Besides various exhibitions and showcases, InnovFest 2025 also includes dynamic programmes such as entrepreneurial workshops for visiting schools and colleges, business talk sessions with Brunei’s prominent start-up figures, and Young Business Leaders Talks. The Spark & Create station at the event also offers interactive activities for younger participants, including educational games, art stations, and an entrepreneurship-themed treasure hunt, aimed at inspiring the next generation of thinkers and creators.
The UBD Alumni & Industry Partner Booth Exhibition highlights partnerships and innovations from across sectors, offering further opportunities for networking and collaboration. Over the four days, visitors are encouraged to explore, learn, and connect with students, professionals, and fellow innovators.
InnovFest 2025 serves as a platform for UBD’s student entrepreneurs and innovators to present the results of their hard work in developing and prototyping business ideas. The festival features projects across various industries, including technology, healthcare, environmental services, cybersecurity, and agriculture, demonstrating both creativity and real-world applicability.
Also in attendance during the officiating ceremony were UBD principal officers and industry stakeholders.
InnovFest 2025 is held from 14 to 17 April 2025 at the Inspiring Hub, UBD, and is open to the public.
For more information and live updates, follow @ubd.ieed on Instagram or contact office.avc.ieed@ubd.edu.bn.
