This will be one of the follow-up articles regarding IR 4.0 individuals as published in the list of Malaysian-based IR 4.0 so-called “Silent Heroes”.
In this article, we will feature Muhammad Didi Hendra, the CEO, and Founder of IoT SATA Sdn Bhd.
Tell us about your background (family and education)
I am the second of 7 siblings. Most of my family members are from Singapore and Johor either from mom or dad. My dad used to work as a naval officer. My mom is a full-time housewife. Throughout my school I attended 7 schools in 6 different states. My constantly migrating life has given me a broad view of humanity and different ways of living. My open personality was born here. Then I continued my studies at the International Islamic University of Malaysia with students from over 90 countries. I studied in Mechatronics engineering. There I gained not only knowledge but also extensive experience after interacting with students from different countries and backgrounds. This is where I started to aspire to be a successful entrepreneur because seeing entrepreneurship is a very special thing compared to working for a wage earner.
Can you share the background of how you start your Company?
My fast-paced nature of focusing only on one job led me to venture into a business that was a very broad field for me. I need to learn and master many things in business such as business management and administration, human management, financial management, operations, sales and marketing, public relation and many more. I am free to decide the direction of my life. I’m free to decide my time. That’s a very comforting thing. At the beginning of the business, I focused on machine / jig maintenance and manufacturing for use in university laboratories and industrial factories. In 2012 my partner and I brought the first Robo-builder from Korea to Malaysia to supply it to schools and universities across Malaysia. At that time we were the only distributor of the 1 meter high Humanoid robot in Malaysia. With this development, the Industry 4.0 revolution started to speak in Malaysia by the end of 2017. It was then that I began planning to form a strong team in Industry 4.0. Thankfully in August 2018 I managed to gather and form a team of experts in Industry 4.0 especially in the Industrial IoT field. The company was then named IoT SATA SDN. BHD.
Can you share with us the uniqueness of your Company?
What’s interesting about IoT SATA SDN. BHD. among them is our team of experts from several countries. All of them are undergraduates from Universities in Malaysia. We do plan to compete internationally. We want Malaysia to lead this field of IR4.0 especially at ASIA level. In addition, we have created a simulator tool for learning and understanding of the ‘Smart Manufacturing System’ and we have been named the winner of the 2019 Superb Tournament grant along with the other winners. Not only that, IoT SATA SDN BHD is also the company providing TOTAL SOLUTION for Industrial IoT both at education and industry levels. We also have the support of Siemens Malaysia to carry out basic and advanced training in Industrial IoT.
What are your views regarding the Industrial Revolution 4.0 in Malaysia? What is the potential that you see in this industry?
My view on IR 4.0 in Malaysia is that Malaysia is fortunate to be among the earliest countries in ASEAN especially in launching its policy and efforts towards championing IR 4.0. in this region. But the effort seems to be too slow and has not had a real impact on the general public. Even initial work such as awareness programs has not been fully realized yet. At the educational level, IR4.0 laboratories have not yet been fully developed. At the industry level, average industry players still don’t understand why they need to change to IR4.0. At the government level, the budget for developing the field of IR4.0 has not yet been fully prepared. However, what looks good on the side of being a pioneer company in the field of IR4.0 in Malaysia is that it provides a lot of space and time for us and many IR4.0 players make great preparation before the end of IR4.0 really takes a place in education and industry in Malaysia.
How did you manage to get the first 10 or 100 customers?
In the early stages of setting up our company, we met a lot of friends and made presentations about our products and expertise. We also visit and present at universities, companies, and government agencies on the importance and benefits of IR4.0. From there, we got the opportunity to train teachers, lecturers, technical staff, managers in IR4.0 and retrofitting their existing laboratory equipment to IR4.0 standards
What are the biggest challenges in doing this business?
The biggest challenge for me in running a business is getting a job or project. After that, it is financial assistance to complete one project.
Who inspires you to become what you are today?
Life’s a real catalyst for my success today. Also, a strong desire to change the fate of the nation and share the success and happiness with many people encouraged me to work harder.
What’re your future plans in expanding the business especially in the year 2020?
By 2020, my team and I want to get and complete a lot of IR4.0 related jobs and projects locally and abroad. We want to be a consultant to the government in ensuring all planned mission and vision is fully realized. We also want to establish a strong IR4.0 ecosystem with other players as well as establish a global association in Industrial IoT.
If you had one piece of advice to youngsters just starting out or just step into working life, what would it be?
For Muslims, obey the commands of Allah SWT and maintain the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH). For everyone, work hard. Honest and persistent. No fatigue and despair. Don’t stop learning. Create more friends. Always give the best for others.
