Image

Malaysia’s Premier Digital Technology Institution, the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MaiStorage Technology Sdn Bhd, founded by renowned Malaysian tech innovator Dato’ Pua Khein Seng – widely celebrated as the “Father of Pendrive” for co-founding Phison Electronics Corporation in Taiwan and developing the world’s first single-chip USB flash drive controller.

The MoU, signed on 18 August 2025 at APU’s campus in Technology Park Malaysia, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, outlines a three-year roadmap (2025–2028) designed to accelerate innovation, strengthen Malaysia’s digital economy, and establish an ASEAN-centred talent pipeline in AI and semiconductor technology. 

Driving an Innovation Roadmap

MaiStorage Technology, a provider of integrated circuit (IC) design and storage solutions for data centres, artificial intelligence (AI) applications, and the automotive sector, will collaborate closely with APU on a structured roadmap:

• Year 1: Infrastructure deployment, curriculum design, and pilot projects.
• Year 2: Project scaling, wider industry collaboration, and startup incubation.
• Year 3: Commercialisation, ASEAN outreach, and measurable digital economy impact.
   

Welcoming the collaboration, Professor Dr Ho Chin Kuan, Vice-Chancellor of APU, said: “We are honoured to have Dato’ Pua collaborate with us in our drive to produce graduates who are immersed in industry-relevant infrastructure and training during their studies at APU. This partnership underscores our commitment to nurturing skilled, future-ready talents for Malaysia and beyond.” 

Building Talent Pipelines for AI and IC Design

The collaboration is spearheaded by Professor Ir EUR ING Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam, Chief Innovation & Enterprise Officer (CIEO) of APU, who emphasised two central goals: nurturing innovators and advancing AI talent in the semiconductor industry, particularly in digital IC chip design. 

In support of these goals, APU’s in-house expertise in Large Language Models (LLMs), natural language processing, conversational AI, and computer vision will contribute directly to MaiStorage Technology’s research and innovation agenda. 

Prof Vinesh elaborated, “Through MaiStorage Technology and Phison Electronics Corp, both under the leadership of Dato’ Pua, we can build commercial solutions around LLMs. This will allow us to spin out domain-specific AI agents tailored for ASEAN markets – contributing to an ASEAN Sovereign AI Network and developing the next generation of innovators.” 

Tangible Benefits for Students and Industry

With MaiStorage Technology’s support, the partnership will deliver tangible outcomes to APU’s community, including:

• On-Premise AI Infrastructure: Deployment of aiDAPTIV+ servers, AITPC systems and Intel® iGPU laptops for sovereign AI training and inference.
• LLM Curriculum & Courses: Hands-on courses in fine-tuning, inference optimisation, and deployment workflows.
• Pilot XR + LLM Projects: Small-scale prototypes for real-world application.
• Talent Enablement: Training of the first cohort of 100 students and faculty in agentic AI and edge inference.
   

First-Hand Impressions of APU’s Innovation

Following the signing ceremony, Dato’ Pua and his delegation toured APU’s state-of-the-art facilities. He expressed admiration for the university’s innovation arm, APU NextGen Technologies, which has pioneered advancements in NeuroAI, conversational AI with VR, VR-assisted surgical applications, vision systems for agriculture, and AI-powered mobile healthcare. 

This visit followed an earlier encounter with the APU NextGen Technologies team at the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025 (AAIMS25), where APU showcased its leadership in applied AI innovation. 

Dato’ Pua’s Vision for Collaboration

Reflecting on the collaboration, Dato’ Pua Khein Seng, Founder and Group CEO of MaiStorage Technology, stated: 

“This partnership with APU represents our shared belief that Malaysia can lead in AI, semiconductor, and IC design innovation. With the MoU in place, I anticipate practical and feasible outcomes with clear milestones. For any collaboration to have true value, it must deliver results that are implementable, scalable, and impactful for industry and society. Together with APU, I am confident we can shape a new generation of innovators and position Malaysia at the heart of the ASEAN digital economy.” 

A Collective Commitment to Innovation

The event was witnessed by senior representatives from both APU and MaiStorage Technology, including Mr Law Kin Fong (AI Team Lead), Ms Emily How (Acting CEO), Mr Goh Jin Yu (AI Solution Lead), Ms Irdina Ridwana (Sales Executive), and Mr Tuan Muhamad Affiq (Sales Consultant). From APU, the leadership team included Associate Professor Dr Thang Ka Fei, Associate Professor Ts Dr Tan Chin Ike, Associate Professor Ir Dr Siva Kumar Sivanesan, and Dr Teh Choon Jin. 

Together, APU and MaiStorage Technology are paving the way for a transformative journey – one that combines world-class expertise, home-grown innovation, and a strong commitment to nurturing talent, setting Malaysia firmly on the global stage as a hub for AI and semiconductor excellence.