đź“ť Summary
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) organized a program called SME Success Formula 2026 to empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through practical strategies on artificial intelligence, digital branding, and employee empowerment. The program brought together 27 SME entrepreneurs and industry practitioners to share insights and best practices, providing a networking platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing. The event aimed to support entrepreneurship and sustainable growth among SMEs through academic expertise and industry engagement.
JOHOR BAHRU, Sep 2 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), through FM PRIME, Faculty of Management, organised SME Success Formula 2026: Empowering SMEs for Growth and Success, bringing together 27 small and medium enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs, business owners and industry practitioners to explore practical strategies for business growth.
Held under the theme “Smart Strategies. Stronger Teams. Sustainable Growth”, the programme focused on three areas important to SMEs: artificial intelligence (AI), digital branding and employee empowerment.
Managing Director of Kewdoo, James Koo Jian Wei, shared insights on “AI for SMEs: Work Smarter, Scale Faster”, demonstrating how AI can improve efficiency and support decision-making. Founder of NTC Connect Sdn. Bhd., Grace Khoo Woon Hui, presented “TikTok Branding Essentials for SMEs”, highlighting ways to strengthen digital presence, create engaging content and reach target customers. Meanwhile, Managing Director of Ranu PDS ASIA, Dev Ranu, discussed “Empowerment and Delegation”, emphasising the importance of delegation, employee empowerment and trust in building stronger teams.
Training Director of FM PRIME, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahadi Bahari, who is also Deputy Dean of Research, Innovation and Development, Faculty of Management, said SMEs needed practical strategies that could be translated into action to remain competitive.
“SMEs are operating in an increasingly dynamic environment. Through programmes such as SME Success Formula, we want to bring practical knowledge closer to entrepreneurs and help them turn new ideas, technologies and management practices into real business growth,” he said.
A representative from Top Mix Concrete (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. highlighted how AI could support daily operations, saying, “The AI session gave us a different perspective on how technology can support our daily work. It showed that AI is not only for technology companies; traditional businesses can also use it to work more efficiently and make better decisions.”
Founder and CEO of SilverGenz, Stacey Lim, also highlighted the potential of digital marketing for specialised services.
“One of our challenges is how to market our services more effectively. The session helped us look at digital platforms differently and think about how we can make our content more relevant and engaging to our customers,” she said.
The session was moderated by the CEO of OPTIMUM Professional Training Academy, Dr. Jayakumar Raj, who facilitated discussions between speakers and participants on business challenges.
Beyond knowledge sharing, the programme provided a networking platform for entrepreneurs and industry practitioners to exchange ideas and explore future collaboration. Participants gained practical insights into using AI to improve daily operations, applying digital platforms such as TikTok to strengthen brand visibility, and empowering employees to support sustainable business growth.
Through SME Success Formula 2026, UTM and the Faculty of Management continue to strengthen university–industry engagement by connecting academic expertise with the practical needs of SMEs and supporting entrepreneurship through knowledge sharing, networking and strategies for sustainable growth.
