On 7 August 2026, an Industry Knowledge Sharing session titled “From Concept to Market: The Journey of Smart Product Development” was conducted online by Mr. Lawrence Liou, Managing Director of Aenon Solutions Sdn Bhd, a Penang-based company specialising in automation, RFID, barcode, IoT and smart manufacturing solutions. The session brought together academic members, students and technology enthusiasts to gain insights into the real-world process of transforming innovative ideas into commercially viable smart products. Participants were introduced to the various stages of product development, from conceptualisation and design to testing, refinement and market introduction.
Drawing from his entrepreneurial journey and Aenon Solutions’ experience in developing RFID-enabled tracking systems, smart cabinets, IoT solutions and industrial automation technologies, Mr. Lawrence shared practical insights into the challenges and considerations involved in bringing smart products to market. He highlighted the importance of understanding customer needs, validating ideas, managing product development risks and continuously innovating to stay competitive. He also emphasised the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, technology integration and market readiness in driving successful product commercialisation. Through industry-based case studies and professional experiences, participants gained a deeper understanding of technology entrepreneurship and the growing opportunities within the IoT and smart manufacturing ecosystem.
Organised by the Faculty of Information Science & Technology, the session was conducted in an interactive and insightful manner, providing participants with first-hand perspectives from an experienced industry practitioner. The sharing of practical lessons, challenges and success stories helped participants better appreciate the realities of developing and commercialising smart technologies. The session concluded by reinforcing MMU’s commitment to strengthening industry-academia collaboration, promoting experiential learning and equipping students with relevant knowledge and skills to thrive in the rapidly evolving digital economy.
