Questions, answered.
Five categories. Every answer is the official position — if it conflicts with the Rules & Regulations document, the R&R wins.
Eligibility
Anyone, any nationality, any age. Each team must include at least one Malaysian citizen (MyKad holder) — Permanent Residents and international students do not qualify as Malaysian citizens. The Team Leader is not required to be Malaysian; any team member may satisfy this requirement. Malaysian citizens living or working abroad are eligible.
No age restriction. Students, professionals, entrepreneurs and independent builders all apply on equal terms.
No. There's no academic or professional status requirement. Side projects, university work, employer-permitted projects and full-time startups are all welcome.
Teams
One to five members. Solo applications are welcome.
No exceptions: one person, one team. Listed on two? Both teams may be disqualified.
Only with written organiser approval, and only before the next stage begins. Mid-stage changes are not permitted.
Industry & Artifacts
No. Your industry selection locks at submission and cannot be changed. Choose deliberately — see the tracks guide.
A pitch deck (PDF), a written project summary, and an AI usage disclosure are mandatory at application. A demo video URL, artifact/repo URL, and LinkedIn profiles are optional and can be added or updated later from your team dashboard.
No. Artifacts must be publicly accessible without a login wall during judging windows. You may keep it private outside those windows.
Prizes & Equity
The champion receives RM 100,000 cash plus RM 100,000 equity investment from the MAIC Nexus Challenge Organisers. The prize is indivisible — you cannot take cash without equity.
The champion must incorporate a Malaysian Sdn. Bhd. within 90 days of the award to receive the investment component. Cash can be held in escrow during that window.
All 30 finalists receive a merit certificate, a commemorative gift, listing in the Huntier talent pipeline, free AI Forum + Expo access, and sponsor API credits.
Cost & Logistics
No. Entry is free for all 300 applicant teams.
Preliminary is fully online. Semi-Finals (September) and Finals (estimated November 2026) are in-person in Kuala Lumpur. Teams cover their own travel unless otherwise announced.
Free, online, runs in June 2026, open to all applicants. Live sessions plus recorded materials.
