From 11–12 September 2025, the Iconic Marjorie Hotel in Penang played host to one of Asia’s most strategic regional gatherings of the year, the 2nd Annual Advanced Innovation & Manufacturing Asia Week 2025. This year’s theme is on ‘Propelling Advanced Manufacturing towards Sustainable Industry 5.0 in Quantum Horizon’, where we brought together industry leaders, innovators, government stakeholders, investors and global companies to exchange ideas and define the next frontier for the advanced manufacturing sector.
Co-located under the Deep Tech Innovation Asia Summit, the AIMxchange Arena, a dedicated stage for forward-thinking talks and panel sessions, stood out as a focal point where conversations around digital transformation, sustainability, and human-AI collaboration took centre stage. Over two days, attendees gained not just insight into current challenges but also a vision of what the advanced manufacturing world of tomorrow could look like.
Day 1: Future Manufacturing Tech Day
Day 1 opened with an emphasis on technology adoption, trusted data, and how smart systems are transforming traditional industries into dynamic, resilient ecosystems. The presentations highlighted the interplay between sustainability, digital infrastructure, and artificial intelligence, setting a tone of urgency and opportunity.
The first session was led by Kennard Lin, Vice President of TRST01, who spoke on ‘Sustainability Unleashed: Trusted Data, Measurable Impact’. His session underscored the importance of verifiable, transparent data in driving meaningful sustainability metrics. In an era where accountability is paramount, Kennard reminded attendees that sustainability goals cannot exist without a strong foundation of trusted information.
Following this, Weng Yew Wong, Managing Director of Open DC, addressed the infrastructure backbone of modern manufacturing in his talk ‘From Silicon to Signal: How Penang’s Datacenter and Interconnect Ecosystem Fuels the Semiconductor & AI Manufacturing Future’. Weng Yew presented Penang’s growing role as a digital hub, illustrating how datacenter ecosystems are crucial for managing the rising demand for semiconductor production and AI workloads.
Later, Viknesh Nadaraja, CEO of Documenter.AI, presented on ‘From Siloed Data to Smarter Decisions: Agentic AI for Manufacturing Compliance and Project Management’. His session showed how AI can transform compliance and management practices by removing bottlenecks and reducing inefficiencies tied to traditional, siloed approaches.
Our fourth speaker for the day, Chong Seng Lim, Director of Ecosystem Development at Digital Penang, took the spotlight with corporate innovation and discussed on ‘Navigating Corporate Venture for the Manufacturing Industry: Avenue for Growth and Technology Collaboration’. His insights into corporate venturing strategies emphasised the role of partnerships and investments in unlocking growth opportunities for advanced manufacturers.
Next, the momentum continued with Samat Saimaiti, Smart Manufacturing Data Science Manager at Micron Memory Malaysia, who delivered ‘Micron’s Lighthouse Journey’. His case studies outlined how Micron has become a benchmark for sustainable and digitally advanced manufacturing, offering a tangible example of what Industry 5.0 looks like in practice.
The afternoon concluded with Dennis Lai, Solutions Director at IVC Solution, who introduced ‘Powering Smarter Manufacturing – Harnessing AI-Driven ERP for Sustainable Growth and Seamless Transformation’. Dennis explained how AI-enabled ERP systems can streamline operations, accelerate the adoption of smart manufacturing, and drive measurable sustainability outcomes.
Collaboration in Focus
The highlight of Day 1 was the Ecosystem Partnership Panel, moderated by Shaun Yeoh, General Manager, Entrepreneur Growth Hub, together with his panellists, Stephen Lai, Chairman of Malaysia-China (Greater Bay Area) Science-Tech Innovation Alliance, Nicole Lyu, Deputy General Manager of TusStar Malaysia, and Mark Li, Project Manager, International Business Department of Saichuang Weilai Southeastasia Innotech. Their collective message was clear: ecosystems, not isolated innovations, are what drive true transformation. Public-private collaboration, cross-border partnerships, and industry-wide frameworks are necessary to tackle challenges on a regional scale.
Day 2: Sustainable Manufacturing Day
Day 2 of AIMxchange Arena shifted its lens toward environmental responsibility, workforce development, and long-term sustainability strategies. It became clear that Industry 5.0 is not simply about advanced technologies but also about aligning people, processes, and policies with sustainable outcomes.
The morning opened with Wee Meng Ler, CEO of Securevision, who explored ‘From Security to Smart Compliance: Using Video Analytics to Safeguard People, Processes and Proof’. His talk highlighted how video analytics extends beyond just surveillance, offering manufacturers real-time insights into compliance, safety, and efficiency.
This was then followed by Sue Lynn Teh, Former Manufacturing Segment Marketing Manager at Intel, on ‘AI in Advanced Manufacturing: Unlocking Innovation & Efficiency’. Sue Lynn pointed out common challenges in implementing AI, from cost and integration hurdles to workforce readiness, while offering strategies to bridge these gaps.
Talent was a recurring theme for our third speaker for the day, R Nathan Raman, E&E Sector FSTC Chairman of the Future Skills Talent Council (FSTC), who delivered his presentation on ‘The Secret Workforce: Strategies to Find What Others Miss’. R Nathan urged companies to rethink how they approach talent acquisition, focusing on overlooked pools of skills and untapped potential.
The government perspective was shared by Azura Ahmad, Assistant Vice President of TalentCorp Northern Region, who outlined the introduction of the list of initiatives and services of TalentCorp Malaysia. Her talk revealed the many national strategies introduced by TalentCorp to strengthen Malaysia’s manufacturing workforce pipeline, ensuring the country remains competitive in the era of Industry 5.0.
Complementing her on the next presentation was Vikneswaran Muthurajoo, Manager, New Investment Industry & Ecosystem Division at Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), who spoke on ‘Malaysia Digital Initiative: Digital Investment Landscape & Opportunities in Malaysia’. His session framed Malaysia as a growing hub for digital investment, with opportunities across advanced manufacturing and digital services.
After the Networking and a quick lucky draw session, the next presenter for the day was Siddarth Rajani, Chief Marketing Officer of Evvolabs, who shared a brief introduction about their company and its list of services for the industry. Siddarth positioned Evvolabs as a holistic partner capable of enabling manufacturers to thrive in Industry 5.0, not just through isolated tools but through end-to-end integration. His session resonated with SMEs and enterprises alike, offering practical insights into how digital transformation providers can catalyse growth and resilience.
The afternoon continued with William Zhong, Founder and CEO of Irista.AI, who explored on the topic ‘Beyond Pixels: AI Vision for Safer, Smarter Manufacturing’. William showcased how computer vision is shaping safer workplaces and smarter manufacturing floors.
Sustainability in infrastructure was then tackled by Shri Shailesh, Co-Founder of Zealcorps, in his session ‘Sustainable Smart Buildings Powered by AI and IoT’. He highlighted how energy-efficient and IoT-enabled buildings can lower carbon footprints while improving manufacturing environments.
The last session for the day featured Dr James Ong, Founder of the Artificial Intelligence International Institute (AIII), with his forward-looking keynote ‘Future of Manufacturing in 2035: Symbiosis of Humans, AI & Robotics’. Dr James envisioned a horizon where human creativity and ethical oversight merge with the precision of AI and robotics to form a sustainable, balanced future for advanced manufacturing.
Reflections & Takeaways
Industry 5.0 as a Human-Centric Future
Across both days, one theme stood out: Industry 5.0 is about more than machines and algorithms. It is about humans and technology working symbiotically. From workforce development to ethical AI, the human element remained central in shaping a sustainable and competitive future.
The Ecosystem Mindset
All AIMxchange Arena speakers repeatedly emphasised that transformation requires ecosystems. Whether through corporate venturing, digital hubs, or public-private collaborations, the future of manufacturing will be written by collective action, not isolated players.
Sustainability Beyond Buzzwords
Sustainability was not treated as a compliance checkbox but as a value driver. From trusted data frameworks to energy-efficient smart buildings, sustainability is evolving into a strategic advantage that enhances competitiveness and resilience.
Quantum Horizon as a Guiding Vision
While quantum technologies were not the primary focus of every talk, the theme Quantum Horizon symbolised the bold push beyond today’s limitations. It signalled a willingness to embrace the unknown, innovate at the edge, and prepare manufacturing systems for an entirely new computational era.
Conclusion
The AIMxchange Arena at the 2nd Annual Advanced Innovation & Manufacturing Asia Week 2025 succeeded in living up to its theme: Propelling Advanced Manufacturing towards Sustainable Industry 5.0 in Quantum Horizon. Across two days, the speakers brought together diverse perspectives, from data integrity and AI adoption to sustainable infrastructure and human-robot collaboration.
Ultimately, the event underscored that the future of advanced manufacturing lies in sustainable, collaborative, and human-centric innovation. Those who embrace this trajectory now will not only secure their place in the global supply chain but will also help shape a manufacturing landscape that is smarter, greener, and more resilient than ever before.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce that next year’s convention will take place on 23-24 September 2026. We encourage you to mark your calendars and be part of what promises to be another landmark event.
The objective of convening top advanced manufacturing leaders, industry experts, government, and investors at AIM Asia is to help businesses accelerate their business growth. HASHTAQS helps business scale, venture build and internationalise.
If you would like to explore synergies in business scale up or to showcase thought leadership, solution through brand transformation, ecosystem development and omni-channel marketing (online-offline), feel free to contact us at [email protected] or Whatsapp/Call us at +65 8868 1418 to arrange for a non-obligatory consultation.
Follow us on our AIM Asia social media channels for the latest updates:
We look forward to seeing you next year!