JOHOR BAHRU, 16 May 2025 — Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) proudly celebrates the success of its alumni, Eswaran Mohan from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Renuga Nair from the Faculty of Science, who have been named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 list under the Social Media, Marketing & Advertising category.
The duo, co-founders of Exar Technologies, began their entrepreneurial journey while still students at UTM. Since 2018, their Selangor-based company has grown into a regional leader in augmented reality (AR) and immersive digital content, serving over 50 multinational brands including Nestlé, Fujitsu, Honda, and FoodPanda. Exar helps brands enhance customer engagement through cutting-edge AI, AR, and VR technologies. Notably, the company was also selected by Snapchat as the first in Asia among its global creators to become an official lens partner.
Their success follows in the footsteps of fellow UTM alumnus Arif Thukiman, founder of RunCloud, who was listed in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2020 for his contributions to cloud technology. This growing presence of UTM alumni on the Forbes list underscores the university’s evolving role as a breeding ground for world-class tech innovators.
UTM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim, commended the duo’s achievement:
“This is a proud moment for UTM. The success of Eswaran and Renuga reflects the strength of our academic and innovation ecosystem in shaping graduates who are not only highly skilled but also entrepreneurial and globally competitive. At UTM, we continue to champion a learning culture that empowers students to create sustainable, high-impact, and humanity-centric solutions for the future.”
Behind these achievements is UTM’s supportive innovation ecosystem, led by the School of Undergraduate Studies (UGS) and the UTM Centre for Student Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship (UTM XCITE). Complemented by a dynamic educational environment across both Johor Bahru, Pagoh and Kuala Lumpur campuses, these efforts reflect UTM’s strong commitment to advancing entrepreneurship, digital readiness, and global relevance. This global recognition shows how UTM is shaping the next generation of tech leaders who are ready to take on the world.
Congratulations, Eswaran and Renuga. Your success is our pride, and your journey continues to inspire.