Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) proudly served as a Gold Partner at the Johor Business Summit & Expo (JBSE) 2025, a premier regional platform that convened business leaders, investors, and innovators to shape Johor’s economic future.
The event brought together more than 5,000 participants, featuring over 150 exhibitors and 30 influential speakers from Malaysia, Singapore, and across ASEAN. It reinforced Johor’s standing as one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic hubs for investment, innovation, and sustainability.
During the summit, Dato’ Idzham Mohd Hashim, President & CEO of IIB, shared insights on how the organisation continues to catalyse Johor’s sustainable growth and position Iskandar Puteri as a world-class economic powerhouse under the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
As a strategic partner of JBSE 2025, IIB demonstrated its leadership in driving innovation-led transformation through its catalytic developments, Medini, EduCity, and Wawari. Collectively, these projects have attracted more than RM35 billion in committed investments, supported over 30,000 high-value job opportunities, and enabled the growth of more than 200 multinational and domestic enterprises in key sectors such as digital technology, green innovation, and advanced services.
Dato’ Idzham emphasised that IIB’s efforts are anchored on five key enablers, Money, Market, Mentor, Talent, and Business Support Services, which collectively strengthen Johor’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. These enablers are designed to enhance access to funding and investment linkages, facilitate market expansion and business matching opportunities, provide expert mentorship through IIB’s ecosystem partners, develop a future-ready talent pipeline via EduCity, and deliver comprehensive business support services for investors and startups.
“We are shaping the future economy for Malaysia, one that is high-value, innovation-driven, and globally competitive,” said Dato’ Idzham Mohd Hashim, who represented IIB during the panel session titled ‘ASEAN SME Hub: JS-SEZ as ASEAN SME Hub: New Gateways for Global Market’. “We aspire to establish Johor, especially Iskandar Puteri, as ASEAN’s most compelling destination for global investments,” he added.
In line with the JS-SEZ’s agenda to accelerate cross-border economic growth, IIB underscored the pivotal role of Medini as a dual-market launchpad that offers businesses cost-efficient operational advantages in Malaysia while leveraging Singapore’s global connectivity. This strategic ecosystem enables investors to access a regional market of over 670 million consumers, empowering enterprises to scale their operations efficiently.
“Medini empowers SMEs to scale faster through innovation while expanding globally through Singapore’s networks,” shared Dato’ Idzham Mohd Hashim, President & CEO of IIB.
Through Medini Nexus and the Medini Soft Landing Programme (MSLP), IIB continues to facilitate the establishment and growth of international businesses in Johor. To date, 35 companies from Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia are exploring business expansion in Medini.
These initiatives provide fast-track market entry, strategic networks, operational support, and regional market access, positioning Medini as a preferred destination for high-impact enterprises in Southeast Asia. To further support this ambition, the MSLP has assisted more than 50 startups and SMEs, reducing operational barriers and providing access to infrastructure, ecosystem partners, and market-driven funding networks valued at over RM500 million.
In collaboration with its ecosystem partners, IIB continues to deliver impactful programmes that empower startups and entrepreneurs. These include the PACE Bootcamp, which nurtures emerging startup founders; the Funding Workshop with MRANTI, designed to enhance investment readiness; and Business Matching via Cradle, which connects innovators to new market opportunities.
Additionally, IIB’s Match@Medini investment pitch initiative successfully convened 26 venture capital investors representing more than RM700 million in investment funds, including participation from Khazanah Dana Impak.
Collectively, these initiatives reflect IIB’s proactive approach in strengthening Johor’s innovation landscape, fostering entrepreneurship, and attracting quality investments that drive sustainable regional growth.
Talent development remains a strategic priority for IIB. Through its education arm, EduCity, the company continues to nurture the region’s future workforce, supporting over 15,000 students and professionals annually.
EduCity integrates higher learning institutions, training providers, and industry partners to build workforce readiness in high-impact sectors such as robotics, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and digital engineering, ensuring skills development aligns with Johor’s evolving economic trajectory.
Beyond entrepreneurship and talent development, IIB continues to reinforce its commitment to sustainability and inclusive growth through the Medini Innopolis framework, which promotes climate-aligned urban development. Currently, 80% of developments across Medini are certified under global green building standards, advancing IIB’s mission to establish Malaysia’s first Net Zero Carbon Central Business District (NZCCBD). This initiative underscores IIB’s belief that sustainability fuels competitiveness, attracting better investments and creating more resilient communities.
As Johor progresses under the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and in alignment with the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030, IIB remains at the forefront of driving regional integration and economic competitiveness. The company’s catalytic developments, Medini, EduCity, and Wawari, continue to demonstrate measurable socio-economic impact, contributing significantly to Johor’s transformation into a high-value, innovation-driven economy.
“Medini serves as the gateway connecting global enterprises to Johor and Southeast Asia, driving innovation, investment, and inclusive growth,” said Dato’ Idzham Mohd Hashim.
The Johor Business Summit & Expo (JBSE) 2025 featured a robust programme of investment forums, cross-border dialogues, and innovation showcases, resulting in over 200 business-matching engagements that unlocked new opportunities for trade and collaboration. The summit also reinforced Johor’s alignment with Malaysia’s NIMP 2030 and ASEAN’s broader ambition of deeper regional economic integration, highlighting the state’s strategic role as a gateway for global business expansion into Southeast Asia.
Moving forward, Iskandar Investment Berhad remains steadfast in its mission to advance Johor’s long-term prosperity through strategic investments, innovation-led development, and public–private partnerships that deliver tangible socio-economic impact.
The organisation will continue to accelerate digital transformation, sustainability leadership, and inclusive economic opportunities, ensuring that local communities and talent benefit directly from Johor’s growing economic momentum.
 proudly served as a Gold Partner at the Johor Business Summit & Expo (JBSE) 2025, a premier regional platform that convened business leaders, investors, and innovators to shape Johor’s economic future. ){kind=link}