Johor bahru: The Ministry of Digital, through Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), will host the ASEAN Digital Content Summit (ADCS 2025) from Sept 2 to 4 at Persada Johor International Convention Centre here, aiming to boost Southeast Asia’s creative digital economy and position Johor as a regional hub.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the event is organized in collaboration with the Johor State Government under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025. The summit will gather over 50 global and regional thought leaders, more than 100 exhibitors and buyers, and country pavilions from upwards of 10 nations.
MDEC chief executive officer Anuar Fariz Fadzil stated that the summit is intended to catalyze the region’s creative economy. He emphasized that ADCS 2025 is not just a summit but a significant step for Johor towards establishing itself as a central figure in ASEAN’s digital content revolution. By uniting the region’s innovators, storytellers, and technology leaders, Johor is expected to become a focal
point for gaming, animation, and immersive content.
Anuar also highlighted that hosting the summit in Johor Bahru, particularly against the backdrop of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ), underscores the state’s emerging role as a hub for creative industries and cross-border collaboration. With Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 as a strategic advantage and the Johor-Singapore SEZ as a launchpad, Johor is poised to attract investments, develop world-class talent, and drive collaborations that will elevate ASEAN’s creative economy globally.
The summit will commence with the ASEAN Roundtable on Sept 2, a high-level dialogue designed to enhance partnerships among ASEAN member states in animation, gaming, and creative technology, thus strengthening the region’s position as a global creative hub. Notable speakers include Koji Morimoto, co-founder of Japan’s Studio 4°C and a visionary behind the acclaimed anime ‘Akira,’ who will lead keynote sessions on innovation and storytelling.
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ness Xchange will facilitate connections between ASEAN creators and local and international broadcasters, distributors, and investors through pitching and matchmaking sessions. The exhibition hall will feature digital content from more than 100 companies and pavilions representing Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and other ASEAN nations.
ADCS 2025 will also present 50 global technical papers and over 60 university projects and intellectual properties, offering students the opportunity to present their work and engage with industry leaders. The initiative is organized with KL Chapter Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques (ACM SIGGRAPH) and the Digital Innovation Creativepreneur (DICE 3.0) program.
Public visitors can enjoy e-sports tournaments, outdoor screenings of BoBoiBoy Movie 2 and Out of the Nest, exclusive merchandise giveaways, and family activities at B5 Johor Street Market, a lifestyle hub named after Batu Lima (Fifth Mile). The M
alaysia Animation Film Festival (MAFF) will conclude the summit on Sept 4 before nationwide screenings at selected Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) from Oct 16. Admission is free. For details, visit mdec.my/adcs2025.