22 May 2026 – Swinburne Sarawak welcomed representatives from TOY8 for a discussion on potential research collaboration in digital developmental screening and early intervention for preschool children.

Representing TOY8 were Mr Shun Matsuzaka, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, and Mr Yuki Murakami, Product and Service Design Director. From Swinburne Sarawak, the engagement was attended by the Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research); Prof. Ida Fatimawati bt Adi Badiozaman, the Centre Director for the Centre for Innovative Society; Associate Prof. Choo Chung Siung, the Associate Director for the School of Research; Prof. Viknesh Andiappan, Dr Alicia Lim Zhi Hoon, Choo Chian Hou, Ting Mee Ling, and Dr Voon Mung Ling from the Faculty of Business, Design and Arts.

TOY8 is a Japan-origin healthcare and education company focused on child development through play-based digital screening. Its solution supports screening across gross motor, fine motor, speech and language, cognitive, and social domains, using smartphone-enabled activities designed for children aged 3 to 5 in Bahasa Malaysia and English.

The visit explored possible collaboration in research, data analytics, and evidence-based intervention, particularly in relation to Sarawak’s early childhood development priorities and alignment with PCDS 2030. Proposed research areas include urban-rural and socioeconomic disparities in developmental outcomes among Sarawak preschoolers, as well as the development of a data management system to support evidence-based decision-making. 

The discussion also considered potential funding pathways, including the SDEC Translational Research Grant, which supports the translation of academic research into practical applications, productisation, and service development to address challenges in Sarawak. This aligns well with the proposed Swinburne Sarawak and TOY8 collaboration, particularly in advancing digital developmental screening, early intervention, and data-driven decision-making for early childhood development. The discussion also highlighted TOY8’s existing work in Malaysia, including pilot programmes with SeDidik and AKO, where more than 150 teachers have been trained, over 15,000 screenings conducted, and more than 100 intervention programmes delivered.

This visit marks a promising step towards strengthening university-industry collaboration in digital health, inclusive education, and translational research for the benefit of children, families, educators, and communities in Sarawak.