KUCHING, Malaysia, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sarawak returns to IMEX Frankfurt 2026 for the fourth consecutive year, marking a new phase in its evolution as the Legacy Capital of Business Events in Malaysia and Borneo.
Building on years of international engagement, Sarawak is shifting beyond destination promotion towards strategic industry development and long-term impact through business events. This vision is supported by major investments in infrastructure and connectivity, including the upcoming expansion of the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK2) and the introduction of Sarawak's regional airline, AirBorneo.
Expected to be completed in 2028, BCCK2 will significantly increase Sarawak's capacity to host larger international conventions and exhibitions. At the same time, AirBorneo and the continued growth of international hotel brands will strengthen regional accessibility and further enhance Sarawak's business events ecosystem.
Held under the theme "Driving Impact Together", Sarawak's participation at IMEX Frankfurt reflects its commitment to collaboration, sustainability, innovation, and legacy-driven development in alignment with the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
While Sarawak's conventions and exhibitions strategy focuses on creating long-term legacies through knowledge exchange, industry advancement, and social impact, BESarawak is also introducing "Legacy Wonders", its fresh approach to corporate meetings and corporate incentive travel in Sarawak.
Built on the pillars of culture, adventure, nature, gastronomy, wellness, and kindness, "Legacy Wonders" offers corporate meetings and corporate incentive delegates meaningful and immersive experiences that foster deeper connections with Sarawak's heritage, environment, and communities. Through cultural immersion, community engagement, and responsible travel, delegates are encouraged to contribute to, and experience the positive legacies being created across the destination.
Datu Hii Chang Kee, Deputy State Secretary (Operation) and Chairman of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), said Sarawak's presence at IMEX Frankfurt is no longer just about destination visibility.
"Our focus today is on encouraging the global industry to contribute to the PCDS 2030 through meaningful collaboration and long-term growth opportunities," said Datu Hii.
"Sarawak has evolved beyond being a host destination to becoming a strategic destination partner that collaborates with organisers to maximise the long-term value and impact of their events. This includes supporting legacy and sustainability initiatives, measuring impact, and creating opportunities for investment, innovation, sector growth, and wider industry collaboration. Through this approach, business events can contribute meaningfully to the PCDS 2030 and the broader United Nations Sustainable Development Goals," he added.
Sarawak is also strengthening its support ecosystem through initiatives such as the Academic Mobility Programme (AMP), which connects universities, industry players, and international partners through technical visits, study exchanges, and knowledge-sharing opportunities aligned with the state's priority sectors.
"These initiatives reflect how Sarawak is strengthening its position as the legacy capital of business events through investments in both hard and soft infrastructure, while creating opportunities for different groups to contribute to community wellbeing and long-term development. Programmes such as AMP also provide platforms for academia and industry experts to channel their research, knowledge, and expertise into Sarawak's priority sectors, driving meaningful collaboration and long-term impact across the destination," said Jason Tan Chin Foo, Acting Chief Executive Officer of BESarawak.
Leading the Sarawak Pavilion at IMEX Frankfurt, BESarawak will be joined by exhibitors representing the state's business events and tourism ecosystem: Borneo Adventure, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, Cat City Holidays, Mercure Miri City Centre Hotel, Pullman Kuching Hotel, Pullman Miri Waterfront Hotel, and Wah Tung Travel. The pavilion will also feature local F&B partners, The Bibber's Tale and the Culinary Heritage and Arts Society Sarawak (CHASS), showcasing Sarawak's rich culinary heritage to the global business events community.
Held from 19 to 21 May 2026 at Messe Frankfurt, IMEX Frankfurt is one of the world's leading business events trade shows, bringing together global meeting planners, association leaders, convention bureaus, and industry suppliers from around the world.
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ABOUT BUSINESS EVENTS SARAWAK (BIRO KONVENSYEN SARAWAK / 砂拉越会展局)
Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) is a strategic advisor driving legacy impact through business events. As a Sarawak Government non-profit, we provide advice, support, and services to develop and host impact-driven events that deliver lasting value. The business events industry is a key contributor to Sarawak's Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), with BESarawak trusted to facilitate outcomes that support Sarawak's sustainable growth and advance the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). More at www.businesseventssarawak.com.
ABOUT LEGACY IMPACT
Legacy impact refers to the positive, long-term change generated through business events. In Sarawak, conventions and exhibitions are structured to create legacies, whereas corporate meetings and incentive programmes emphasise the experience of legacies. Through strategic event planning, programming, and curated experiences, Sarawak aims to build a legacy of innovation, collaboration, and sustainable impact, generating tangible benefits for communities, industries, and the region.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Sarawak Signals Strategic Growth Phase at IMEX Frankfurt 2026
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SINGAPORE, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At ATxSummit 2026, hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA), Minister for Digital Development and Information Mrs Josephine Teo unveiled new global partnerships and initiatives to strengthen Singapore's position as a leading AI hub. These announcements mark a shift from exploring AI tools to building, deploying and governing real-world AI systems that deliver impact. As recently highlighted by the Economic Strategic Review committee, Singapore aims to be a trusted hub to develop, test and deploy AI solutions that solve real-world problems at scale.
Singapore Government and eight industry leaders to research, test and deploy physical AI in Punggol Digital District
IMDA, JTC and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) are collaborating with eight industry leaders to bring physical AI into the real world at Punggol Digital District (PDD). Launching later in 2026, the testbed will be Singapore's first scaled mixed-use public space for multi-use case and multi-operator physical AI deployments. Certis, DHL, Grab and QuikBot will be among the first to co-design, deploy, test and validate commercially viable robotics services, including food and parcel delivery, cleaning and security patrolling, to complement human operations. The testbed is facilitated with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) through a precinct-level exemption framework under the Active Mobility Act.
To strengthen Singapore's embodied AI (EAI) capabilities, IMDA and National Robotics Programme (NRP) will work with FieldAI and Thoughtworks, alongside companies like Slamtec, Unitree, and QuikBot, to develop and trial EAI use cases through SIT's new Centre for Intelligent Robotics at PDD.
Strengthening Singapore's AI Research Frontier
To sharpen Singapore's manufacturing advantage, NVIDIA is launching its Singapore AI research lab, its second research presence in Asia Pacific, focused on embodied and efficient AI with university researchers, industry partners, and government.
The lab will focus on two domains with manufacturing potential: Embodied AI, enabling intelligent systems to perceive, reason and act in the physical world, and Efficient AI computing, which optimises models and infrastructure to reduce compute costs, improve energy efficiency and support scalable AI deployment.
Accelerating AI for Public Good: New Industry Partnerships
The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and Google announced a new National AI partnership to expand collaboration with the Singapore Government. The partnership aims to harness frontier AI to address societal challenges, fostering an AI-ready workforce in Singapore, and creating a secure, trusted ecosystem.
MDDI and OpenAI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the "OpenAI for Singapore" initiative to strengthen Singapore as a hub for applied AI innovation. The MOU covers advancing applied AI innovation, building AI talent, and making AI accessible to citizens, enterprises and the public sector, backed by OpenAI's over S$300 million commitment to Singapore's AI ecosystem.
Building the foundations for trusted, scalable AI deployment
Singapore is advancing ecosystem-wide initiatives to support AI adoption in high-trust sectors like finance and the public sector, where reliability, governance and safety are critical.
Temus, a Temasek-established AI and digital transformation firm, will launch an AI Foundry to help enterprises scale AI solutions and develop talent pipelines. Supported by Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), the Foundry will hire 50 professionals and deploy them on enterprise projects including financial services and precision health.
A*STAR Institute for Infocomm Research (A*STAR I2R) is updating the MERaLiON (Multimodal Empathetic Reasoning and Learning in One Network) AI Model to advance capabilities, drive real-world use cases, and scale adoption. The updated MERaLiON AudioLLM v3 will deliver paralinguistic intelligence across Southeast Asian languages. MERaLiON will be available through cloud hosting, API access, and edge computing, including Apple silicon devices such as Mac and iPad.
Governance that keeps pace with AI
Singapore continues to take a practical, risk-based approach. Two initiatives reflected this approach:
- Updated Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI: First launched at the World Economic Forum in January 2026, the Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI ("MGF") has been updated with real-world case studies and new best practices contributed by over 50 organisations.
- Google Whitepaper on AI Agents: Google worked with CSA, GovTech Singapore, and IMDA to explore how AI agents can be safely and effectively used in the real world. The resulting Whitepaper provides guidance for governments looking to harness AI agents for public good.
As Singapore grows its AI ecosystem, these initiatives will help translate innovation to real-world impact, strengthening Singapore's position as a trusted global AI hub where businesses, researchers and governments can develop, test and deploy AI solutions at scale.
Minister for Digital Development and Information Mrs Josephine Teo attended an ASEAN-US AI Ministerial Roundtable on the sidelines of ATxSummit today. Bringing together ASEAN Digital Ministers, the ASEAN Secretariat, the US government, and industry leaders from Amazon and Google, the Roundtable marked the launch of "The Road to 50 Years of ASEAN-US Relations" under the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Discussions centred on inclusive AI adoption across the region.
For more information on ATxSG, please visit asiatechxsg.com.
Media: atxsg.imda@archetype.co
SINGAPORE, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At ATxSummit 2026, hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA), Minister for Digital Development and Information Mrs Josephine Teo unveiled new global partnerships and initiatives to strengthen Singapore's position as a leading AI hub. These announcements mark a shift from exploring AI tools to building, deploying and governing real-world AI systems that deliver impact. As recently highlighted by the Economic Strategic Review committee, Singapore aims to be a trusted hub to develop, test and deploy AI solutions that solve real-world problems at scale.
Singapore Government and eight industry leaders to research, test and deploy physical AI in Punggol Digital District
IMDA, JTC and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) are collaborating with eight industry leaders to bring physical AI into the real world at Punggol Digital District (PDD). Launching later in 2026, the testbed will be Singapore's first scaled mixed-use public space for multi-use case and multi-operator physical AI deployments. Certis, DHL, Grab and QuikBot will be among the first to co-design, deploy, test and validate commercially viable robotics services, including food and parcel delivery, cleaning and security patrolling, to complement human operations. The testbed is facilitated with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) through a precinct-level exemption framework under the Active Mobility Act.
To strengthen Singapore's embodied AI (EAI) capabilities, IMDA and National Robotics Programme (NRP) will work with FieldAI and Thoughtworks, alongside companies like Slamtec, Unitree, and QuikBot, to develop and trial EAI use cases through SIT's new Centre for Intelligent Robotics at PDD.
Strengthening Singapore's AI Research Frontier
To sharpen Singapore's manufacturing advantage, NVIDIA is launching its Singapore AI research lab, its second research presence in Asia Pacific, focused on embodied and efficient AI with university researchers, industry partners, and government.
The lab will focus on two domains with manufacturing potential: Embodied AI, enabling intelligent systems to perceive, reason and act in the physical world, and Efficient AI computing, which optimises models and infrastructure to reduce compute costs, improve energy efficiency and support scalable AI deployment.
Accelerating AI for Public Good: New Industry Partnerships
The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and Google announced a new National AI partnership to expand collaboration with the Singapore Government. The partnership aims to harness frontier AI to address societal challenges, fostering an AI-ready workforce in Singapore, and creating a secure, trusted ecosystem.
MDDI and OpenAI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the "OpenAI for Singapore" initiative to strengthen Singapore as a hub for applied AI innovation. The MOU covers advancing applied AI innovation, building AI talent, and making AI accessible to citizens, enterprises and the public sector, backed by OpenAI's over S$300 million commitment to Singapore's AI ecosystem.
Building the foundations for trusted, scalable AI deployment
Singapore is advancing ecosystem-wide initiatives to support AI adoption in high-trust sectors like finance and the public sector, where reliability, governance and safety are critical.
Temus, a Temasek-established AI and digital transformation firm, will launch an AI Foundry to help enterprises scale AI solutions and develop talent pipelines. Supported by Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), the Foundry will hire 50 professionals and deploy them on enterprise projects including financial services and precision health.
A*STAR Institute for Infocomm Research (A*STAR I2R) is updating the MERaLiON (Multimodal Empathetic Reasoning and Learning in One Network) AI Model to advance capabilities, drive real-world use cases, and scale adoption. The updated MERaLiON AudioLLM v3 will deliver paralinguistic intelligence across Southeast Asian languages. MERaLiON will be available through cloud hosting, API access, and edge computing, including Apple silicon devices such as Mac and iPad.
Governance that keeps pace with AI
Singapore continues to take a practical, risk-based approach. Two initiatives reflected this approach:
- Updated Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI: First launched at the World Economic Forum in January 2026, the Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI ("MGF") has been updated with real-world case studies and new best practices contributed by over 50 organisations.
- Google Whitepaper on AI Agents: Google worked with CSA, GovTech Singapore, and IMDA to explore how AI agents can be safely and effectively used in the real world. The resulting Whitepaper provides guidance for governments looking to harness AI agents for public good.
As Singapore grows its AI ecosystem, these initiatives will help translate innovation to real-world impact, strengthening Singapore's position as a trusted global AI hub where businesses, researchers and governments can develop, test and deploy AI solutions at scale.
Minister for Digital Development and Information Mrs Josephine Teo attended an ASEAN-US AI Ministerial Roundtable on the sidelines of ATxSummit today. Bringing together ASEAN Digital Ministers, the ASEAN Secretariat, the US government, and industry leaders from Amazon and Google, the Roundtable marked the launch of "The Road to 50 Years of ASEAN-US Relations" under the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Discussions centred on inclusive AI adoption across the region.
For more information on ATxSG, please visit asiatechxsg.com.
Media: atxsg.imda@archetype.co
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Singapore Deepens AI Ecosystem with Global Collaborators to Accelerate Real-World Deployment
