THE Penang Women Chamber of Commerce (PWCC) has officially opened registration for the Business Scaling and Expansion Summit 2026, an HRD Corp claimable conference aimed at equipping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in the digital economy.
Bringing together government leaders, Meta’s Small Business Growth Academy, funding agencies and industry experts, the summit will focus on practical strategies for digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and sustainable business expansion.
Held under the theme ‘Empowering SMEs through Digital Growth, Leadership and Strategic Expansion,” the one-day summit will take place on Aug 28 (Friday), from 9am to 6pm, at St Giles Wembley Hotel, George Town.
PWCC president Koh Shu Juan said the event was designed to address the real challenges businesses face amid rapid technological change.
“Today, businesses are operating in an environment that is changing faster than ever. AI is transforming industries, customer behaviour continues to evolve, and digitalisation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace.
“Many business owners recognise the need to embrace these changes, but they often ask: Where do I start? How can I actually use AI to grow my business? Where can I find the right support, funding and opportunities?
“These are exactly the questions that inspired PWCC to organise this summit. We did not want to create just another conference where people attend a few talks and leave.
“Instead, we wanted to build a platform where businesses can gain practical knowledge, connect with the right people and discover real opportunities that they can immediately apply to grow their businesses,” she said during a press conference at Komtar today.
Also present were Penang Trade and National Unity Committee chairman Goh Choon Aik, Penang Social Development, Welfare and Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim, and the summit’s adviser Datin Seri Datuk Annie Chin.
Highlighting one of the summit’s key attractions, Koh said entrepreneurs should not miss the Meta Small Business Growth Academy, an official workshop organised by Meta Malaysia.
“The workshop will be delivered by Meta Malaysia’s public policy team together with Meta-certified lead trainer Ashley Ong.
“This is a rare opportunity for businesses to learn directly from Meta Malaysia not only about AI, but also how to effectively leverage Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp Business to generate quality leads, engage customers more effectively and accelerate business growth,” she said.
Meanwhile, Chin said organising a large-scale summit requires significant commitment and collaboration.
“It is always easier to do nothing than to take the initiative to bring together government agencies, industry leaders, technology partners, financial institutions and the business community under one shared purpose.
“It takes vision, commitment and countless hours of coordination to build a platform like this. More importantly, it reflects PWCC’s determination to identify solutions, mobilise resources and create meaningful opportunities that will strengthen the SME ecosystem in Northern Malaysia,” she said.
She encouraged entrepreneurs and business owners to seize the opportunity by participating in the summit, learning from industry experts and expanding their professional networks.
Lim, meanwhile, described the summit as an important platform for advancing women’s economic empowerment in Penang.
“This is more than just a business event. It is an opportunity to inspire more women to venture into entrepreneurship, grow their businesses and build valuable professional networks.
“I encourage more women to participate in this summit and help make it a resounding success.
“Together, we can create greater opportunities for women to thrive and contribute meaningfully to Penang’s economic growth,” she said.
Story by Riadz Akmal