Mr Yeoh Chen Chow inspires UTAR students to think like founders

UTAR recently hosted a compelling series of engagements with a seasoned start-up mentor and investor, Mr Yeoh Chen Chow, founder of 1% Advisory & Coaching and co-founder of the Fave Group. Held over two consecutive days on 9 and 10 July 2025, the sharing sessions were organised by the UTAR Unovate Centre in collaboration with the Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM) at the Sungai Long Campus and the Teh Hong Piow Faculty of Business and Finance (THP FBF) at the Kampar Campus.

The first session, held on 9 July 2025 at the Sungai Long Campus, featured a talk titled Tips on Effective Elevator Pitching and Raising Early-Stage Investment for Digital Businesses. The event drew students, academic staff and walk-in participants. Mr Yeoh captivated the audience with engaging storytelling and practical strategies drawn from his personal journey as a start-up founder and investor. He explained that elevator pitching involves presenting a compelling business vision within a very short timeframe, reflecting the brevity of attention spans in today’s digital era.

During his talk, Mr Yeoh emphasised the importance of authenticity and purpose in entrepreneurship. He encouraged students to identify real-world problems and build meaningful solutions, rather than simply chasing trends or ideas. To illustrate the importance of resilience, he shared how his start-up, Fave, faced 61 rejections before eventually securing investment from a major regional company, highlighting persistence as a key determinant of success. He also recounted an early lecture encounter with Elon Musk, and spoke of KL Foodie, a modest social media venture from Penang that is now preparing for listing on Bursa Malaysia.

Continuing his engagement with UTAR students, Mr Yeoh delivered another impactful session the following day, on 10 July 2025, at the Kampar Campus. The talk, titled Platform-Based Business: Feature of the Digital Economy, attracted students from various disciplines, including Accounting, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Logistics and Supply Chain, and Tourism.

Mr Yeoh’s presentation explored the transformative role of platform-based business models in today’s economy. Through interactive segments, he explained how digital platforms enable connectivity, scalability, and value creation across industries. He also highlighted the critical need for adaptability, urging students to view the evolving digital landscape as a space of opportunity rather than disruption.

Together, these sessions exemplified UTAR’s commitment to delivering education that is both academically rigorous and industry relevant. They offered students direct exposure to the realities of entrepreneurship and provided practical strategies for navigating an increasingly digital and competitive marketplace.

By linking theory with practice and fostering dialogue between students and industry leaders, these initiatives significantly support UTAR’s mission to nurture innovation and professional excellence.