On 10 November 2025, the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) took another strategic step towards strengthening its technology-driven education ecosystem by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Axe Innovation Sdn. Bhd., the innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) arm of Axe Holdings Sdn. Bhd.

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The partnership was formalised at APU’s flagship campus in Technology Park Malaysia (TPM), Bukit Jalil, by Mr Mohamed Faris Che Lodin, Group Chief Executive Officer of AxeHoldings, and Professor Ir EUR ING Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam, Chief Innovation & Enterprise Officer at APU.

AxeHoldings is a privately held investment and operating group, structured to integrate strategic investment, advisory capabilities, and operational execution through its portfolio of technology-focused companies. Its innovation division, AxeInnovation, specialises in software development, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, cybersecurity, and enterprise solutions. As the innovation engine of AxeHoldings, it converts capital, strategy, and technical expertise into measurable outcomes across national priorities and enterprise transformation.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in APU’s ongoing commitment to expanding industry partnerships to strengthen tech-capacity building. By directly involving industry experts in research and development initiatives, APU ensures that students and researchers gain access to real-world applications, specialised knowledge and market-ready innovation. 

This approach reinforces APU’s drive to develop future-ready professionals equipped with practical expertise, making them highly attractive to the job market.

Over the next three years, APU and AxeInnovation will jointly conduct research in AI and other areas, including cybersecurity. The project will be hosted under the APU Centre for Analytics (APCA) and co-led by Assistant Professor Dr Preethi Subramaniam from the School of Computing (SoC) and Dr Maisarah Sulaiman, AI Engineer from AxeInnovation. 

Year One will focus on concept formulation, prototype creation and lab validation, followed by model optimisation, pilot deployment and real-world performance evaluation in Year Two. The initiative aims not only to advance AI technologies but also to strengthen institutional collaboration and talent development across these emerging fields.

Prof Vinesh, who facilitated the partnership, emphasised that APU’s strength in AI research and consultancy served as a strong foundation for this strategic collaboration and that it will further enhance opportunities across APU’s startup ecosystem and Enterprise@APU programmes via AxeHoldings. 

He remarked, “This collaboration is more than a research milestone – it embodies our belief that real innovation happens when academia and industry co-create solutions with impact. By harnessing our expertise alongside AxeInnovation’s capabilities, we are empowering our talents to become innovators who not only meet market needs but help define the future.”