By Aileen Anthony
Who is organising Inspire Fest?
JCI Inspire Fest themed Young Hands, Leading Change, Building Tomorrow is jointly organised by JCI Entrepreneur Metropolitan (Malaysia) (JCI E-Metro) and Radiant, an official event organising company with a strong background in large-scale engagements in activation, exhibitions and conferences, including the iconic Global Transformation Forum. Together, they are positioning Inspire Fest as the first of its kind within the JCI universe: a three-day, high-impact showcase of JCI’s awards winners through inspiring storytelling, leadership, CSR, ESG, and SME empowerment under one roof.
The Junior Chamber International (JCI) is a global network with a legacy of over 110 years across more than 100 countries. Its mission is simple: to provide leadership development opportunity and empower young people between 18 and 40 to drive positive change in their communities. Over 70 local organisations affiliated under JCI Malaysia. JCI E-Metro is known for its progressive and entrepreneurial learning initiatives.
The Rationale Behind Inspire Fest
According to Chua, the idea behind Inspire Fest stemmed from a pattern: JCI award winners would often receive recognition and disappear. Their stories remained unknown, their impact untapped, and the ecosystem missed the opportunity to learn from their journeys.
“People don’t know the awards, and they don’t know the winners,” he shared. “So we created Inspire Fest as a stage, a spotlight, and most importantly, a starting point for meaningful storytelling.”
In that sense, JCI Inspire Fest is not just an event. It is a movement designed to highlight the stories of entrepreneurs who’ve overcome adversity, driven innovation, and found purpose beyond profit.
A Three-Day Showcase With Strategic Intent
Held from April 18–20, 2025, at Sunway Velocity’s Main Atrium, each day of Inspire Fest is built around a theme:
- April 18 – Inspire Entrepreneurs Day
- April 19 – Inspire Youth Day
- April 20 – Inspire Environment Day
Each day features thematic panels, keynotes from JCI award winners, and showcases from entrepreneurs across sectors. It’s not just a stage for business — it’s a stage for vision, values, and voice.
Notably, the event aligns with broader national priorities, inviting the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability to officiate the sessions — tying entrepreneurship to economic transformation, employability, and sustainability.
The Power of Story-Backed Recognition
The JCI Inspire Fest promotes JCI Malaysia’s three major awards: TOYM (Ten Outstanding Young Malaysians), CYEA (Creative Young Entrepreneur Awards), and SDA (Sustainable Development Awards). What sets this apart from other events is the emphasis on value-driven entrepreneurs who are not just scaling profits but solving problems and an equally committed partner line that contributes with key ESG-aligned, which includes-
Partners like MAE Global and Owned by Muse reflect a growing shift in the SME community toward purpose-aligned businesses empowering women. Likewise, RuruTiki is bringing innovation in e-commerce and digitalisation solutions into the fold, and EAS Academy is actively creating awareness of practising sustainable approaches nationwide.
Each name brings a story that could speak to a younger generation of aspiring founders.
Friday Chua, Organising Chairperson, JCI Inspire Fest
Building a Platform Beyond Events
While many event organisers focus on physical logistics and booth setups, Radiant and JCI E-Metro seek to provide participants with media exposure and narrative traction. “The best events don’t just gather people. They spotlight stories that deserve to be heard,” Chua emphasised. “That’s why we focus not just on exhibitions but on media partnerships and storytelling.”
Inspire Fest feels like the right move at the right moment. It invites leaders to build businesses and shape futures—starting with their own. In doing so, it reminds us that stories, when told with purpose, can spark something far greater than recognition—they can inspire transformation.
For Chua and his team, Inspire Fest is just the beginning. With over 400 outstanding youth and entrepreneur award winners in their network and an ever-growing base of forward-thinking SMEs, the event is an ecosystem in the making. More importantly, it signals a shift in how Malaysia’s entrepreneurial scene might be nurtured—not just through capital and networking but through shared experience, collective voice, and community-driven storytelling.
