KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 – The Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Library Kuala Lumpur successfully hosted the inaugural session of the CEO Talk Series 2025, themed “Thriving in the AI Era: What It Takes to Lead and Build a Tech Startup.” This event took place at the Event Space on Level 2 of the UTM Library Kuala Lumpur, attracting an enthusiastic audience of students, staff, and alumni. The session was moderated by Dr. Azizul Azizan, a Senior Lecturer from the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence (FAI) at UTM. The highlight of the event was a talk by Muhammad Arif Tukiman, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder of RunCloud.
Arif, a proud alumnus of UTM, shared his inspiring journey from university to global success. His company, RunCloud, currently manages over 220,000 web applications across more than 100 countries. Recognized for his entrepreneurial achievements, Arif was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2020 for Enterprise Technology. He has received numerous accolades, including the ASEAN Rice Bowl Award, the Malaysia APICTA Award, and the title of Startup World Cup Regional Winner.
The 90-minute session began with a personal and heartfelt recounting of Arif’s background. Coming from a humble entrepreneurial family, where his father sold cakoi (fried dough), Arif shared how his business journey started at UTM by selling custom t-shirts and self-teaching graphic design. His interests quickly expanded, leading him to become a part-time trainer and later venture into game development through tech bootcamps.
This experience laid the foundation for the establishment of Cool Code Sdn. Bhd. in 2014, a software company focused on developing educational apps and games. Under his leadership, Cool Code achieved over 3 million downloads, marking a significant milestone in Malaysia’s digital creative sector. He emphasized the importance of continuous innovation to remain sustainable and competitive in the rapidly evolving tech industry.
Throughout his talk, Arif provided practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. He encouraged participants to start small, even without capital, by using models like pre-orders to fund production. He outlined various funding pathways, beginning with bootstrapping, then exploring government grants such as Cradle Fund and Meranti, and finally discussing scaling through venture capital. For instance, RunCloud successfully secured venture capital investment from the United States while maintaining its core operations in Malaysia.
In response to a question about choosing co-founders, Arif advised against selecting family members or close friends, emphasizing that neutrality and professionalism are essential. Instead, he encouraged attendees to build relationships through networking, engage with communities, and participate in industry events. According to him, the ability to lead and inspire others to believe in your vision is at the heart of effective leadership.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was a key topic of discussion. Arif advised students not to rely solely on tools like ChatGPT to complete assignments, but to use AI to acquire new skills, enhance their learning, and improve personal productivity.
In conclusion, he highlighted three essential traits of a successful tech leader: the willingness to make sacrifices, a desire for continuous learning, and a commitment to health and well-being.
The event was live-streamed on Facebook from the UTM Library in Kuala Lumpur, attracting significant engagement both online and offline. The first 20 in-person attendees received He & She Coffee vouchers and exclusive UTM Library merchandise. All participants were eligible to earn ACAD and CPD (core) recognition.
This session marked the inaugural event of the CEO Talk Series, an initiative by the UTM Library Kuala Lumpur, designed to highlight real-world entrepreneurial journeys. The series will feature future sessions with invited CEOs from various industries, aiming to inspire and empower the university community.