← INNOVATIVE ECOSYSTEMS
    🇲🇾

    Malaysia

    Tier 1
    Southeast Asia · #28 of 117 markets · IEPA 2024 (final) · 2026 current estimate available
    66.6▲ +2.3 YoY
    ●●●0.91IEPA COMPOSITE

    Malaysia scores 66.6 out of 100 on the IEPA (2024 edition), ranking #28 of 117 economies. That is up 2.3 points on the year before. Its strongest zone is Prosperity Outcomes at 74.0. Its binding constraint, the lowest-scoring of its six zones, is Resilience at 56.3. How the IEPA works →

    SIX FACTORS · CLICK ANY SCORE FOR ITS EVIDENCE
    IEPA TRAJECTORY · 2010–2026
    2010201220142016201820202022202420264854606672
    CAPITAL FLOWS · FDI NET INFLOWS % OF GDP
    2010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202402468
    IE FDI intelligence · synced weekly
    PRODUCTIVE CAPABILITY
    IE COMPLEXITY LAYER · VINTAGE 2024
    #29of 145 ranked economies▲ 4 places since 2010
    How much productive know-how this market has demonstrated, read from the range and rarity of what it makes competitively.
    20102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202421252934
    CAPABILITY RANK · HIGHER IS BETTER
    4.45% / yr
    Implied growth
    Annual growth the current capability base points to.
    221
    Diversity
    Distinct products made at competitive scale.
    +0.86
    Capability score
    Standardized: 0 is the world average.
    +0.92
    Outlook
    Value of the new products within reach of what it already does.
    INDUSTRY STRENGTHS · REVEALED FROM TRADE EVIDENCE
    VINTAGE 2022-2024
    POSITION IN THE PRODUCT SPACE
    IE COMPLEXITY LAYER · VINTAGE 2024
    Electronic and Electrical Goods35 of 73 made · 87% of the rest within reach
    Industrial Chemicals and Metals38 of 157 made · 64% of the rest within reach
    Minerals9 of 48 made · 56% of the rest within reach
    Construction, Building, and Home Supplies19 of 104 made · 53% of the rest within reach
    Textile and Home Goods11 of 78 made · 43% of the rest within reach
    Agriculture26 of 200 made · 40% of the rest within reach
    Metalworking and Electrical Machinery and Parts18 of 155 made · 40% of the rest within reach
    Textile Apparel and Accessories3 of 50 made · 26% of the rest within reach
    MADE COMPETITIVELYONE STEP AWAY
    Widest opening is Industrial Chemicals and Metals. This market makes 24% of that cluster today, and 64% of what it does not make sits one step from something it already does.
    READ ON THE 159 OF 221 COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS THAT CARRY A POSITION IN THE CAPABILITY MAP
    POSITIONED TO BUILD NEXT
    IE COMPLEXITY LAYER · VINTAGE 2024
    Silicones in primary forms$7B world market
    Chemicals & PlasticsOPENS 0.44 · COMPLEXITY +1.18
    Articles for utensils, of cermet$6B world market
    Mining, Metals & MaterialsOPENS 0.42 · COMPLEXITY +1.64
    Petroleum resins$7B world market
    Chemicals & PlasticsOPENS 0.41 · COMPLEXITY +1.11
    X-ray machines$25B world market
    Healthcare & Life SciencesOPENS 0.39 · COMPLEXITY +1.16
    Amine-function compounds$10B world market
    Chemicals & PlasticsOPENS 0.38 · COMPLEXITY +1.34
    Isocyanates$5B world market
    Chemicals & PlasticsOPENS 0.37 · COMPLEXITY +1.03
    THE NEAREST OPTIONS AMONG 383 PRODUCTS ASSESSED · RANKED BY HOW MUCH EACH OPENS UP NEXT
    LIVE SIGNALS
    No recent scored signals for this market.
    PEERS · TIER 1
    🇰🇷South Korea69.2→🇸🇦Saudi Arabia59.8→🇦🇪UAE72.7→🇻🇳Vietnam58.4→
    ECOSYSTEM DENSITY
    IE Ecosystem Registry · 2026-07-17
    287organizations indexed across 8 types · 283 mapped
    Universities & research bodies
    132
    Government bodies
    39
    Health research
    39
    Research organizations
    36
    Corporate R&D
    23
    Fab labs & makerspaces
    11
    SEZ authorities
    4
    Science & tech parks
    3
    Universities, corporate R&D, government bodies, incubators, accelerators, science parks, and special economic zones, indexed today.Explore the directory →
    ORGANIZATIONS
    a sample of 287 indexed
    MRANTI Park
    Science & tech parks · Bukit Jalil
    Kulim Hi-Tech Free Zone
    SEZ authorities · Kuala Lumpur · 1996
    Bayan Lepas Free Zone
    SEZ authorities · Kuala Lumpur · 1973
    Fuel Cell Institute
    Universities & research bodies · Bangi · 2006
    Asia School of Business
    Universities & research bodies · Kuala Lumpur · 2015
    Biolitec (Malaysia)
    Corporate R&D · Petaling Jaya · 1991
    Humanology Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
    Corporate R&D · Kuala Lumpur · 2017
    Sabah Environmental Trust
    Research organizations · Kota Kinabalu · 2012
    INFOFISH
    Research organizations · Kuala Lumpur · 1981
    Kajang Hospital
    Health research · Kuala Selangor · 1889
    Assunta Hospital
    Health research · Petaling Jaya · 1954
    FabLabASB
    Fab labs & makerspaces · Kuala Lumpur
    Members get the full directory, filters, and exports.See all 287 organizations →

    Malaysia: common questions

    What is Malaysia's IEPA score?
    Malaysia scores 66.6 out of 100 on the IEPA, 2024 edition, which ranks it #28 of 117 economies.
    What is Malaysia's strongest zone?
    Prosperity Outcomes, at 74.0. The six zones are scored separately, so a market's strengths stay visible instead of being averaged away.
    What is holding Malaysia back?
    Its binding constraint is Resilience, at 56.3, the lowest of its six zones. The IEPA reports every zone separately so the constraint stays visible instead of being averaged into the composite.
    How does Malaysia compare with its peers?
    The closest scored peers are South Korea (69.2), Saudi Arabia (59.8), UAE (72.7), Vietnam (58.4).
    What is the IEPA?
    The Innovation Ecosystem Prosperity Assessment (IEPA) scores economies across six zones: innovation capacity, entrepreneurship capacity, resilience, alignment, the FDI accelerator, and prosperity outcomes. Every score carries a confidence band and traces to the evidence behind it.
    Run the full diagnostic →Talk to IE about Malaysia →