The 9th International Biotechnology Competition and Exhibition 2023 (IBCEx 2023) was held on May 5–6, 2023, at Dewan Sultan Iskandar, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). IBCEx this year, with the theme “Youth Awakening: Ways to a Sustainable World,” is a perfect platform to give SDGs a bigger exposure among the community, especially the youth. A total of 10 groups participated in the innovation project presentation for the postgraduate category and showcased innovative and creative ideas while promoting SDGs at an international level. The enthusiasm and willingness to take risks have enabled all the participants to bring about unprecedented progress in social, economic, and environmental issues. Our team presented an innovative product titled “Nature Bless: Rice Husk-derived Wound Dressing for Diabetic Wounds.” The innovation focused on producing a novel nanofiber wound dressing derived from rice husk waste and applied to chronic non-healing diabetic wounds, which aligns with the ICBEx 23 theme. The competition was held in two rounds, and the best five teams competed in the final round by pitching their innovations to the judges. It was a tight competition among different universities and countries. UCSI University won the gold award; UTM won the silver award; and UTAR and Taylor’s University won the bronze award. Our team successfully made it to the finals and won the silver medal and the best booth award for the postgraduate category. I am delighted that IBCEx 2023 provides such a good platform by allowing youth to showcase their innovation and creative ideas while promoting SDGs at the international level.
By: Dr Siti Pauliena Mohd Bohari
Aryanny Nasir