UTM Alumni Secure RM8.2 Million in VC Funding for DF Automation

Dr. Yeong Che Fai

UTM alumni’s robotic startup, DF Automation & Robotics Sdn. Bhd. (DF), has successfully raised USD 1.85 million (RM 8.2 million). The funding round was led by Malaysia-based Vynn Capital through its mobility and supply chain fund, which is backed by the Retirement Fund (Incorporated) (KWAP), Sime Darby Berhad, Malaysia Venture Capital Management Bhd. (MAVCAP), and other strategic limited partners.

This investment round also saw participation from the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) as a returning investor, as well as new investor Leave a Nest Capital from Japan, and individual investors through equity crowdfunding on pitchIN. The funds will primarily be used to support the company’s expansion plans.

DF specializes in producing autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), which are capable of navigating independently to automate internal logistics within factories, in line with the Industry 4.0 digital transformation. The company’s core technologies include its proprietary robot software, NavWiz, which functions as the ‘brain’ of the robot, and DFleet, which manages the fleet of robots operating within a facility.

DF offers a variety of AMR models tailored for different applications, including Zalpa, Zetha, Zamma, Titan, and the recently launched Zoei. The company has also successfully exported its robots to various countries, such as Singapore, Thailand, India, Ireland, and Mexico.

Family scaled — AMR models from DF Automation & Robotics Sdn. Bhd. (*www.dfautomation.com*)

DF was founded in 2012 by Associate Professor Dr. Yeong Che Fai, Ricky Yap Wee Yang, and Tan Ping Hua, who are all alumni of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). The three founders earned their Bachelor of Engineering degrees in Electrical-Mechatronics from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FKE) at UTM. They first met in 2005 when Dr. Yeong served as the instructor for the UTM Robocon Team, while Ricky and Tan were team members representing Malaysia in the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Robocon competition in China. Dr. Yeong currently holds the position of chief executive officer (CEO) of the company; Ricky serves as the chief operating officer (COO); and Tan Ping Hua is the chief information officer (CIO).

WhatsApp Image at AM — DF’s Co-founders: from left, Ricky Yap, Dr. Yeong Che Fai, Tan Ping Hua

The company now employs more than 70 staff members, with several top management personnel also being UTM alumni. DF has three general managers, all UTM alumni: Tey Wei Kang, General Manager of PRS, focusing on semiconductors and related manufacturing automation; Nik Ahmad Faisal Mohd Kamarolzaman, General Manager of DF Robotics, a subsidiary under DFA for R&D and manufacturing; and Abdul Aziz Abdul Satar, General Manager of DFW, a subsidiary under DFA focused on the warehouse market.

One significant collaborative project between DF and UTM was the development and deployment of MCK19, also known as Makcik Kiah 19. This was the first Malaysian-made delivery robot designed to assist healthcare frontliners in delivering care to COVID-19 patients during the peak of the pandemic in 2020.