Penang’s prolific medtech industry has secured a major new investment from a global leader in surgical robotics.
Intuitive Surgical Inc (NASDAQ: ISRG) (ETR: IUI1) has signed a lease with Penang Development Corporation for a new manufacturing site at Bandar Cassia Technology Park. The American firm plans to invest nearly half a billion U.S. dollars or roughly 2 billion Malaysian ringgit over the next five years. The 316,000-square-foot plant is expected to open in 2028 and create 1,200 jobs by 2032.
Workers will produce surgical instruments and electromechanical devices for the da Vinci system. This marks Intuitive’s first factory in Southeast Asia and its second in Asia after Shanghai. Mark Brosius, the company’s executive vice-president for manufacturing, said the move supports rising demand across the Asia-Pacific region and reflects confidence in Penang’s talent, suppliers and infrastructure.
The systems enable minimally invasive procedures in areas such as prostate, gynaecological, cardiac and colorectal surgery. Intuitive, based in Sunnyvale, California, pioneered robotic-assisted surgery. Its da Vinci systems help surgeons perform procedures with greater precision, reducing recovery times for patients worldwide.
“We are immensely proud to have you join our growing community of MedTech companies,” said Loo Lee Lian, CEO of the state’s investment promotion agency InvestPenang.
The move helps puts Penang in greater direct competition with Singapore and China, both of which are also chasing high-end medical manufacturing investments.
This is a true story.
In January 2026, I received a call from InvestPenang CEO DS Loo Lee Lian.
“Can you come to Penang to meet an investor? An investor is considering other country and I want you to help do the last pitch “
At the time, I was just barely a month into my new… pic.twitter.com/NSwp1Xpnh2
— SimTzeTzin 沈志勤 🇲🇾 (@simtzetzin) August 15, 2026
Read more: Breath Diagnostics advances pre-op pneumonia screening with FDA breakthrough designation
A prominent medtech cluster
Penang holds the highest concentration of medtech firms in Southeast Asia. Six of the world’s top 30 companies by sales run factories here.
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) (ETR: ABL) manufactures advanced diagnostic tools and programmable devices such as pacemakers. Nearby, Boston Scientific Corp (NYSE: BSX) (FRA: BSX) produces cardiology and endoscopy equipment that supports heart and digestive procedures. DexCom Inc (NASDAQ: DXCM) (FRA: DC4) builds continuous glucose monitors that help people manage diabetes day to day.
Moreover, Steris PLC (NYSE: STE) (FRA: 2TG) focuses on sterilisation and infection-prevention systems while Smith & Nephew PLC (NYSE: SNN) (FRA: NPWA) makes orthopaedic implants and instruments for joint repair. Privately-held German firm B. Braun has also had a major presence in Penang since 1972, operating one of its largest manufacturing sites outside Europe where it produces intravenous catheters and surgical instruments.
These operations sit within a strong local supply chain that meets strict international standards. Manufacturing already drives nearly half of Penang’s economy. The sector powered the state’s 7.3 per cent economic growth in 2025 and accounts for a large share of Malaysia’s medical device exports — more than US$9 billion worth of devices per annum.
Beyond medtech, Penang serves as a hub for advanced manufacturing and semiconductors. Often called the Silicon Valley of the East, the state contributes more than five per cent of global semiconductor sales and routinely supplies over 60 per cent of Malaysia’s electrical and electronics exports more broadly.
Read more: Prestigious medtech intelligence firm recognizes Breath Diagnostics for innovation
Follow Rowan Dunne on LinkedIn
rowan@mugglehead.com
