JOHOR BAHRU, Sept 4 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) hosted an engaging sharing session with renowned entrepreneur, author, and startup mentor, Scott Fox at the Dewan Senat Ainuddin Wahid, UTM Johor Bahru. Themed “Click Millionaires Mindset: Building Sustainable Online Ventures for Global Impact”, the event attracted academics, innovators, students, and industry partners eager to learn practical strategies for building successful ventures in today’s digital economy.
Jointly organised by the UTM Innovation and Commercialisation Centre (UTM ICC), Faculty of Management UTM, Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB), and the United States (US) Embassy in Malaysia, the program was designed to expose participants to world-class entrepreneurial insights while strengthening UTM’s innovation and startup ecosystem.
Sharing Global Insights on Entrepreneurship
Scott Fox, founder of StartupCouncil.org and author of best-selling books including Click Millionaires, shared his journey as a serial entrepreneur and angel investor. He emphasised that success in entrepreneurship is not only about big money or complex technology, but about solving problems that matter, talking to customers, and building ventures step by step.
“Starting is easy, but consistency and the right mindset are what create lasting businesses,” he told participants. He also highlighted the importance of sustainability, reminding innovators that “Success is not only measured by financial returns, but also by the positive impact your innovation brings to society.”
The interactive session, moderated by Ainsya Mydiana Ahmad Madzlan from IIB, featured questions on key entrepreneurship challenges such as future trends, commercialization beyond profit, balancing intellectual property protection with industry collaboration, and strategies for universities to cultivate an entrepreneurial culture among students and researchers.
One particularly memorable moment came when a participant asked, “When should I start a business?” The speaker responded, “When you can’t stand not doing it anymore; when the idea keeps you awake at night and you feel restless because you must make it happen.” This powerful answer resonated strongly with the audience, capturing the passion and determination that drive true entrepreneurship.
Another insightful exchange occurred when someone shared, “I have lots of ideas, but I don’t know what to do.” Fox replied with a simple yet striking analogy: “It’s like surfing. You wait for the right wave, and when it comes, you ride it with everything you’ve got.” This metaphor highlighted the importance of timing, focus, and seizing the right opportunity amidst a sea of possibilities.
Strengthening UTM’s Startup Ecosystem
In her welcoming remarks, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Noor Azurati Ahmad@Salleh, Director of UTM ICC, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to nurturing young entrepreneurs. She introduced the ICCubeX Apprentice Program, an initiative that trains students to become future startup founders through bootcamps, mentoring, and hands-on experience.
“This session with Mr. Scott Fox is part of UTM’s broader strategy to strengthen the startup ecosystem,” she said. “By connecting our students and researchers with global experts, we hope to inspire them to innovate, commercialise, and build ventures that are sustainable and impactful.”
Delivering his remarks on behalf of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation), Prof. Ts. Dr. Kamalrulnizam Abu Bakar, Chair of Research Alliances (Smart Digital Community), highlighted UTM’s vision to expand its role as a hub for impactful innovation.
“UTM is committed to not only advancing research but also ensuring that our discoveries create real value for society. Through strategic collaborations and exposure to global experts like Mr. Scott Fox, we aim to inspire our students and researchers to embrace an entrepreneurial mindset,” he said.
He added that UTM’s tagline, “Innovating Solutions for Sustainable Future”, is a guiding principle that aligns research and commercialization efforts with long-term societal benefit. “Our goal is to ensure that innovation at UTM is driven not just by profit, but also by purpose and sustainability, in line with our motto, ‘In the Name of God for Mankind’.”
Engaging and Inspiring Participants
The audience, comprising UTM students, academics, and industry representatives, responded enthusiastically to Fox’s practical advice and candid stories from his entrepreneurial journey. Many appreciated his approachable style and the opportunity to ask direct questions about challenges they face in their own innovation and business efforts.
This sharing session marks another milestone in UTM ICC’s ongoing efforts to bridge academia with the global entrepreneurship community, reinforcing its mission to create innovation that truly serves humanity.
Authors: Ts. Dr. Norhayati Mohamed Noor, AMIChemE (UTM ICC Strategic Officer & Head of Taskforce) & Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ramesh K S @ Mohd Zaidi Abd Rozan (UTM ICC’s Deputy Director)