Innovation is often associated with bold ideas and breakthrough outcomes. Yet, between research and real-world impact lies a complex and often overlooked phase known as the “messy middle”. This was the central focus of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM)’s Convosphere: Signal in the Noise, held on 31 March, where leaders across sectors gathered to explore how innovation can move more effectively from concept to execution.
With the theme “Overcoming the Messy Middle of Innovation”, the session brought attention to one of the most critical challenges in today’s innovation landscape. While research and ideation continue to grow, translating these into tangible outcomes remains a persistent hurdle. Discussions throughout the event highlighted the importance of addressing gaps that often slow down or prevent innovation from reaching the market.
A key highlight of the event was the panel session titled “Mission-Oriented Innovation in the Industry”, where Mr Chan Kee Siak, Founder and CEO of Exabytes, was invited as a panelist alongside other industry leaders. The session explored how mission-oriented approaches can help align efforts across sectors to achieve broader national goals.
Bridging the Gap Between Research and Impact
A recurring theme throughout Convosphere was the challenge of bridging the gap between research outputs and real-world application. Speakers and panellists emphasised that while innovation capacity continues to grow, the journey from lab to market is often slowed by practical barriers.
Among the commonly discussed challenges were:
- Funding constraints, particularly in scaling innovations beyond early stages
- Regulatory complexities that may delay or limit implementation
- Market readiness, including adoption barriers among businesses and consumers
- Fragmentation across stakeholders, which can hinder coordinated progress
These factors contribute to what is referred to as the “messy middle” — a phase where promising ideas require not only technical validation, but also ecosystem support to succeed.
The Role of Mission-Oriented Innovation
The panel session on Mission-Oriented Innovation in the Industry examined how a more structured, goal-driven approach can help address these challenges. Rather than pursuing isolated innovation efforts, mission-oriented frameworks encourage alignment across industry, government, and academia towards shared national priorities.
As part of the discussion, Mr Chan Kee Siak contributed an industry perspective on the realities businesses face when navigating innovation and digital transformation. The conversation highlighted the importance of understanding both the limitations and strengths within the industry in order to accelerate adoption.
The session also underscored the need for organisations to move beyond siloed efforts and work collaboratively towards clearly defined outcomes. By aligning resources, expertise, and objectives, mission-oriented innovation can help reduce inefficiencies and improve the likelihood of successful implementation.
Strengthening Cross-Sector Collaboration
A strong emphasis throughout the event was placed on the importance of cross-sector collaboration. Innovation at scale requires coordinated efforts between multiple stakeholders, including industry players, policymakers, research institutions, and technology providers.
The panel explored how such collaborations can:
- Enable faster translation of research into practical solutions
- Support businesses in adopting new technologies
- Create a more cohesive innovation ecosystem
- Drive progress towards national missions and long-term impact
Mr Chan’s participation reflects Exabytes’ ongoing engagement in conversations that shape the future of digital innovation. As a technology solutions provider, Exabytes continues to support businesses in navigating digital transformation, while contributing to a broader ecosystem that enables growth and innovation.
Insights from Other Speakers
Convosphere 2026 featured other notable speakers who shared valuable insights and key takeaways on overcoming the “messy middle” of innovation.
Dr. Izzat, CEO of MyDigital shared his perspective on how national digital strategies are critical for aligning various innovation efforts towards a common national vision. He stressed that the government must play a facilitating role, creating policies that encourage investment, while fostering an ecosystem conducive to digital transformation.
Ms. Sarah Tan, CTO of Innovatech Solutions, discussed the importance of collaboration between startups and corporates to bridge the innovation gap. She highlighted the significant role of corporate accelerators and incubators, which provide startups with the necessary resources, mentorship, and access to markets that enable them to scale faster and more effectively.
Additionally, Professor Amir Hisham, Senior Academic at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, touched on research and academia’s role in innovation, underscoring how interdisciplinary research can fuel novel solutions for industry challenges. He called for greater synergy between academic institutions and industries, stating that “universities must not just produce knowledge but also play an active role in solving real-world problems.”
Key Takeaways from the Event
- Collaboration is Key: A strong emphasis was placed on breaking down silos and fostering cross-sector collaboration to drive innovation forward. Industry, government, and academia must work together to overcome barriers and meet national goals.
- Overcoming Innovation Barriers: The “messy middle” of innovation requires addressing the practical challenges of funding, regulation, and market readiness. Innovation cannot move forward without solving these critical issues.
- Mission-Oriented Innovation: Adopting mission-driven frameworks is crucial for aligning resources and efforts towards shared goals, ensuring that innovation serves broader, societal outcomes.
- The Role of Startups and Corporates: Encouraging collaboration between startups and established corporates can lead to faster and more impactful innovation, leveraging the strengths of both sectors.
- Interdisciplinary Research: Universities must play a more active role in real-world innovation. Research should not be isolated from practical implementation but should be aligned with the needs of the industry.
Moving Forward: Embracing Complexity
Convosphere 2026 served as a timely reminder that innovation is not just about generating ideas, but about successfully implementing them. The “messy middle” is not a phase to avoid, but one that requires deliberate attention, collaboration, and strategic alignment.
By addressing challenges such as funding, regulation, and market readiness, and by strengthening partnerships across sectors, organisations can improve their ability to turn ideas into meaningful outcomes.
As highlighted during the discussions, achieving this requires a collective effort. Mission-oriented innovation offers a pathway to align these efforts, ensuring that innovation contributes not only to individual organisational success, but also to broader national development.
Exabytes remains committed to supporting this journey by empowering businesses with the digital infrastructure and solutions needed to innovate, scale, and thrive in an increasingly complex landscape.
