BrightSparX 2026/27

SRDC BrightSparX 2026/27 is Open!

Submit your Idea Now!

The BrightSparX Fund offers grants of up to RM5,000 for ambitious, student-initiated STEM-related projects in ideas within five PCDS 2030-aligned research themes (Translational Biotech, Health Science, Energy Horizons, Climate Resilience, Cyber-Physical) that can bring benefits to society and the economy. This is a merit-based award intended to fund school student research projects.


SRDC BrightSparX Objectives： 

1. Foster mastery in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) amongst primary and secondary school pupils.

2. Cultivate critical thinking, research aptitude and problem-solving mindsets.

3. Encourage ideas that address real-world societal, environmental, and economic challenges, in line with Sarawak’s PCDS 2030.


Who Can Apply?

Category 1: Primary (P): Age 10-12. National and Private Primary Schools (Sarawak only)

Category 2: Secondary (S): Age 13-17. National and Private Secondary Schools (Sarawak only)

Teams of 3 students, led by 1 teacher.

Submission must be made through school teacher. Each school may submit several teams, but a student may belong to only one team. Regardless of the number of submissions, each school will only be awarded a maximum of 3 grants.

“The best, most well-researched and developed idea from the program shall be accorded the Premier’s BrightSparX Innovation Award.”


Guidelines

  • Applicants must be students enrolled in a school in Sarawak.
  • Projects must be nominated by the school’s STEM committee in each participating school.
  • Proposals must be in a team of not more than 3 people.
  • Submissions must be in a written project proposal, using the template provided.
  • Funding provided may be used for research materials and learning experiences related to their project.
  • Funds may not be used to purchase equipment unrelated to the research or design project or professional services.
  • Grant money will be given directly to the hosting school for disbursement. Recipient schools are responsible for managing the fund for purchases pursuant to their own policies.
  • Schools may levy a fee of up to RM500 from the fund as bench fees to host the project team.
  • An amount of up to RM1500 of the fund may be allocated for travel and transportation-related activities.
  • Intellectual Property rights shall be discussed in good faith between the parties involved in the project, i.e., SRDC, the School, and the Project Team.
  • Project Team and recipient school will be required to provide a letter of undertaking that they will utilise the funds towards achieving the objectives proposed in their projects and assure completion of the project.
  • Cannot be used to support an existing project. Must be a new project.


What Kinds of Proposals are NOT Considered?

Note: Information & computer system, coding and apps-related innovations are excluded from the scope. Participants may use them to support their STEM innovation only.

e.g. the use of IoT sensors connected to a computer system to detect gas leak is not eligible, but the development of the sensor itself using sustainable material and demonstration using computer link is.


Important Date:

1. The grant application was opened on 11th September 2026. Applicants may submit their ideas for the grant via srdcbrightsparx.com. Submission of applications is scheduled to close on 11th November 2026.

2. Webinars will be scheduled to brief potential participants on the aim, eligibility, scope, application and grant rules and procedures.

3. A panel of assessors from the scientific and professional communities will select up to 150 teams across both categories to be awarded the SRDC BrightSparX grant. The selection is expected to be made by January 2027.

4. Up to RM 5,000 will be granted to these 150 teams to research, develop and prototype their ideas. The fund shall be remitted to an account nominated by the school. The team is expected to manage the fund responsibly on their own.

5. To ensure accessible hands-on training and lab access across Sarawak, regional bootcamps are scheduled to held in Kuching (South Zone), Sibu (Central Zone) and Miri (North Zone) between February-July 2027.

5. The 150 developed ideas shall be assessed again for the next round of funding and support in August 2027. 30 Finalist teams shall be selected.

6. The 30 Finalists will receive further mentoring and eventually pitch and exhibit their refined prototypes in September 2027 at an event to be announced.


At Submission

Submission is made via srdcbrightsparx.com with the following details:

1. Students, Team and School

2. The Idea:

- Type of innovation

- Focus area, selected from the five research themes

- Description of the idea

- STEM concepts used in the idea

- Methodology to be used

- Expected outcome from the development of the idea

- Societal and economic impact from the idea

- Pictures, sketches, short videos, texts, references, etc, to support the idea