Keynote Speaker 3: 

Dr. Mariam Firdhaus

Founder AM Zaideen Ventures Sdn. Bhd.

Dr. Mariam, is a senior lecturer at the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, UTM Kuala Lumpur. She is a Ph.D. graduate from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and has experience conducting research in the equipment design and optimum extraction method for agriculture at McGill University in Quebec, Canada. In addition to teaching and research activities in universities, her experience also covers involvement with the industry as well as community skills enrichment and empowerment initiatives through various knowledge transfer programs. Based on her research experience, she has received in total about RM 1,806,120 research grant from several agencies as project leader.

Dr. Mariam has founded AM Zaideen Ventures Sdn. Bhd., a spin-off company from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in June 2018. HALEA Natural Skincare is the first product launched in January 2019. Besides that, she has also received several commercialization awards including Research Entrepreneur during Malaysia Commercialization Year 2019. In addition, HALEA is also the recipient of NanoVerify Certification Programme under NanoMalaysia Berhad. Her goal with HALEA is to offer affordable premium quality skincare product which is at par with premium global brands in terms of product safety, quality, efficacy and Halal.

With a vision of creating a premium Halal skin care product, HALEA has set a more holistic objectives as a guidance of its existence which are:

• To commercialize research products from natural resources that have been carried out in Malaysian universities particularly UTM,

• To promote development and production of more quality halal products to the market,

• To explore and encourage spirit of entrepreneurship among students and lecturers towards job creations instead of employment, and

• To share the entrepreneurship experience and economic benefits with the society.

Keynote Title:

HALEA Natural Skincare: Unlocking Research Potential from Lab to Market

HALEA Natural Skincare is a premium research-based product from wild ginger which isa species of plant in the ginger family that can be found in tropical forest. Through HALEA Natural Skincare, it is proven scientifically through R&D conducted in local university to nourish the skin and provide anti-ageing effect naturally. To commercialize research product from lab to market, the technology maturity should be evaluated between TRL 8 and 9 for commercialization. The research-based product should undergo the basic analysis including alpha and beta testing to be accepted at the market level. In HALEA case, the required testing has been conducted prior to the release to the market. It includes basic analysis to register with Ministry of Health, Malaysia (KKM) and received certified HALAL by Jakim. In expediting the process of product commercialization, the company should engage with the experienced people as their mentor, besides the team cooperation. Unique selling proposi tion of the product should be highlighted and business strategy should be planned from the beginning of commercialization stage. Through research commercialization, collaborative network is also important to be highlighted as it is significant to achieve bigger impact that leads to great benefi t to society.