I remember one time, a lecturer from a rural university sent me a short message:
“Dr., we don’t even have equipment in our lab. But the students really want to learn IoT. How do we even begin?”
I sat in silence.
In a world increasingly driven by technology, how can we still allow our students — passionate and eager — to learn about the Internet of Things (IoT) through only PowerPoint slides and theories on paper?
While major corporations talk about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Industry 4.0, Artificial Intelligence, and digital transformation — our students are still struggling with the basics. They want to learn. They want to succeed. But who will help them?
Why I Chose This Path
I didn’t come from a wealthy family. I, too, experienced how difficult it is to learn technology without access to proper tools. But I was fortunate — I had the opportunity to experience the world of academia, the corporate world, a government agency, and now the startup world.
“Mazlan, wouldn’t it be easier to just focus on corporate sales? That’s more profitable.”
I hear this often. But my heart is heavy.
Because I believe if we don’t equip our educators and students with real-world knowledge and skills, we’ll continue producing graduates who only know theory, but lack hands-on experience.
I want to change that.
I want to democratize IoT education.
What Does ‘Democratize’ Mean to Me?
To me, the meaning is clear:
✅ Every educational institution, regardless of location or ranking, must have access to a fully equipped IoT lab.
✅ Every lecturer and technical instructor must be properly trained to teach IoT confidently and effectively.
✅ Every student, whether in polytechnics, community colleges, or top-tier universities, must experience building real-world IoT projects.
This is the mission I carry with my team at FAVORIOT.
FAVORIOT – The People’s Platform for IoT Education
We built a homegrown IoT platform that is not only user-friendly and secure, but also purposefully designed for education.
We don’t just sell technology.
We go to the ground.
We train lecturers, provide them with IoT certification courses, and supply complete modules that they can immediately use in their syllabus.
We help students with their final year projects — whether in engineering, smart agriculture, smart logistics, or environmental monitoring.
We collaborate with researchers who need real-time data for their R&D, whether for Master’s or PhD theses.
And we do all this with a spirit of sharing knowledge, not just pushing products.
Silently Cried When I Received This Photo…
One day, I received a photo from a polytechnic in Sabah.
It showed students sitting in front of computers. On their screens, the FAVORIOT dashboard displayed temperature data from an IoT project they had built themselves using low-cost sensors and WiFi.
But that wasn’t what made me emotional.
The lecturer told me — previously, students only learned theory. They had never even touched a sensor. But now, not only did they build a functioning system, they also confidently presented their results to an industry panel.
That — to me — is more valuable than any revenue.
The Challenges Are Real… But the Mission Is Bigger
Sometimes I ask myself:
“Is this effort big enough to change the educational landscape of our country?”
“Do people really see how important it is to build IoT foundations at the student level?”
Many are more fascinated by AI, blockchain, or other advanced tech. But I know — without IoT, where would AI get real-world data? Without understanding sensors and connectivity, how would we build smart solutions?
IoT is the root system of digital transformation. And education is the fertile soil in which we must plant that seed.
My Dream: Every Institution with Its Own IoT Lab
Imagine one day…
🔧 Every polytechnic and community college has a fully operational IoT lab, complete with real-time dashboards and training modules.
🎓 Every engineering or ICT student graduates with a fully built and presented IoT project.
👨🏫 Every lecturer receives official certification as an IoT trainer and can confidently teach the subject.
📊 Every university integrates industry-ready IoT content into their syllabus, using a locally developed platform – FAVORIOT.
And finally… 🇲🇾 Malaysia becomes a regional hub for IoT talent, respected for nurturing the next generation with real-world skills, not just theory.
Final Words – I Will Not Stop
I know this isn’t a one-day mission.
I know it will take time, effort, and patience.
But I also know — if we don’t start now, we’ll keep falling behind.
To all educators, lecturers, students, and researchers out there…
I extend my hand.
Let us build an IoT education ecosystem together.
For our youth.
For our nation’s future.
And for a smarter, fairer world.
“Mazlan, why keep going even when not many notice your efforts?”
Because I was once a student who could only dream of learning real technology.
And I don’t want the next generation to only dream — I want them to build their dreams into reality.
Dr. Mazlan Abbas 