As Impact Ecosystem Builder for TOY8, a support activity delivered under our hyumpact ventures service line, we are delighted to announce the publication of the research project report 「Advancing Inclusive Education from the early ages in ASEAN using AI and digital technologies」 realized in collaboration with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).

​The research project report explores inclusive early childhood care and education in Malaysia, with a particular focus on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies into developmental screening and intervention for preschool-aged children.

The research project report available for download at the ERIA Publications centre here is co-authored by Bruno Abrioux Takano, TOY8 Impact Ecosystem Builder, hyumpact ventures at encognize G.K., Chui Yee Chong, TOY8 Child Development Support Manager and Masaki Ishibashi, TOY8 Co-Founder and CEO.

Report Abstract
(source: ERIA Publications Research Project Reports)

This report explores inclusive early childhood care and education in Malaysia, with a particular focus on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies into developmental screening and intervention for preschool-aged children.
While Malaysia has established a strong policy foundation for inclusion, significant challenges remain. Access to screening and intervention services is still limited, fragmented, and uneven, particularly for children aged three to six.
To help address these systemic gaps, TOY8 proposes an Inclusive Education 2.0 model that leverages AI-powered, mobile-based developmental screening tools and a digitalised Individual Education Programme (IEP). This model is designed to enable early identification of developmental delays, streamline individualised intervention, and strengthen collaboration amongst stakeholders.
Initial pilot studies in Sarawak have shown promising results, including improved detection rates, shorter delays in intervention, and strengthened inclusive practices.
The report concludes by calling for strategic policy reforms, cross-sectoral collaboration, and investment in scalable, ethically grounded digital solutions to accelerate the development of inclusive education systems in Malaysia.

【About TOY8】
By leveraging AI, digital tools and structured pathways to facilitate the early identification of developmental delays, provide targeted intervention support, and ensure smooth transitions into inclusive learning environments for preschoolers, TOY8 aims to address critical gaps and challenges that governments often encounter in implementing inclusive education systems for the early ages, starting in Malaysia and now expanding to other countries in the APAC region.

【About ERIA】
ERIA is an international organisation established in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2008 through a formal agreement amongst the leaders of 16 East Asian countries. Its mission is to conduct research and provide policy recommendations to advance economic integration across the region.

【About hyumpact ventures】
hyumpact ventures is the encognize G.K. service line dedicated to helping innovative companies that can make a net positive impact to our world amplify their impact globally through ecosystem building and fractional expansion support services.

While several projects have shown some strong progress in Q1, we have decided to feature two of them in this brief post, as a representation of the breadth and depth of services our encognize X-Tech Force provides to our business partners.

First, ELLA, the EdTech Adaptive Learning-as-a-Service API tool co-sponsored by encognize through its digital service launchpad, 「lab4-203」, has successfully graduated from the incubator Social Change Maker 5, a program sponsored by the Nippon Foundation and powered by ImpacTech. This would not have been possible without the support and hard work of ELLA's global Ambassador, Nhi Duong, and ELLA's co-founder, Eric Wiel. As a next step, leveraging the learning from the incubator program and inputs from the various mentors, ELLA's team will engage further with elearning and mobile learning solution providers.

Second, as part of its 「wisdomseed」 service line, encognize has continued their effort supporting innovative companies grow their business by providing custom upskilling sessions to a successful Japanese startup in the consumer electronics sector. The goal of the sessions is to help the company CEO prepare the scaling-up of his company in terms of business and organization and maximize his chance of success by equipping him with the right management and leadership tools and practices.

As far as Q2 is concerned, the encognize X-Tech Force will of course keep all its focus on delivering quality results to its business partners for the various missions it has been entrusted with.

encognize G.K. is proud to announce that ELLA, an Adaptive Learning-as-a-Service API solution co-created and realized through encognize.lab4-203 Digital Innovation Launchpad services, is one of the 13 projects selected for the Social Change Makers #5 (SCM#5) Program.
This SCM#5 program, sponsored by The Nippon Foundation and empowered by ImpacTech Japan, kickstarted on October 01, 2021 at CIC Tokyo (Toranomon).
Being part of Social Change Makers #5  should help accelerate ELLA's mission to improve Remote Education by providing an off-the-shelf Adaptive Learning-as-a-Service tool to eLearning / mLearning solution designers and thus contribute to Japan Social Innovation in regards to SDG Goal #4 of Quality Education.