SERDANG, Jan 24 – The CO₂ Mortar team, represented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nur Hafizah Abd Khalid and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Azman Mohamed from the Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), together with Ts. Dr. Adrina Rosseira Abu Talip from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and Ts. Dr. Syed Mohd Saiful Azwan Syed Hamzah from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), has achieved a significant national milestone by advancing to the Grand Final of INNOVATHON Season 3 and securing a Top 5 position (4th place).

INNOVATHON Season 3 is a reality television programme organised by Astro, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), and other related government agencies. The programme showcases high-impact local innovations with strong potential to contribute to Malaysia’s socio-economic development and sustainability agenda.

The CO₂ Mortar innovation was initially shortlisted among the Top 56 innovations out of more than 2,032 nationwide participants during the audition stage of INNOVATHON Season 3. The team demonstrated consistent excellence throughout the competition by progressing through multiple evaluation rounds and delivering strong performances up to Week 6 of the programme, highlighting the innovation’s technical robustness, scalability, and readiness for real-world application.

CO₂ Mortar advanced to the Grand Final through the first Wildcard selection of INNOVATHON Season 3, a special second-chance pathway reserved for exceptional innovations. The Wildcard selection involved a rigorous evaluation process by 28 professional judges comprising experts from industry, academia, and government agencies, and was awarded unanimously by the panel of permanent judges.

For INNOVATHON Season 3, only two Wildcards were awarded nationwide, namely CO₂ Mortar and Wondaleaf Adhesive Pouch, underscoring the highly selective and competitive nature of this recognition. The judges’ decision was based on CO₂ Mortar’s capability to capture and utilise carbon dioxide, its novel contribution to the construction industry, and its strong alignment with Malaysia’s environmental sustainability agenda and Net Zero carbon target. The innovation was recognised as a practical, scalable, and industry-ready solution that bridges academic research with real-world industrial application and supports national efforts towards low-carbon technologies.

At the Grand Final night, CO₂ Mortar was announced as the 4th place winner (Top 5), securing a Business Development Support Fund worth RM250,000, along with a cash prize of RM10,000. Further strengthening this achievement, CO₂ Mortar also received the People’s Choice Award during Week 6 of the competition, reflecting strong public support and engagement. The success of CO₂ Mortar is expected to serve as a catalyst for the advancement of low-carbon construction technologies, contributing meaningfully to Malaysia’s aspiration towards a sustainable future and Net Zero carbon emissions.

This article was contributed by UTM representatives, Associate Professor Dr. Azman Bin Mohamed and Associate Professor Dr. Nur Hafizah Binti Abd Khalid from the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

#CO₂ mortar on stage in week 6 – https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSauYnFWY/

#CO₂ go grand final via Wildcard – https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSau2FfFx/

#CO₂ mortar on stage at grand final – https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSauYoJrB/