ViTrox co-founder and chief executive officer Chu Jenn Weng has returned to Forbes Malaysia’s Richest 2026 list after a one-year absence, with an estimated net worth of US$565 million (approximately RM2.4 billion).
The 56-year-old entrepreneur ranked No. 47 on this year’s list after shares of ViTrox Corporation Bhd surged 84%, making him one of the biggest comeback stories on the rich list.
His return comes at a time when the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), data centres and advanced computing is driving strong demand for semiconductors and the sophisticated inspection technologies that power the industry.
But long before he became one of Malaysia’s richest entrepreneurs and built a company worth more than RM10 billion, Chu’s journey started with a simple gift from his mother.
The Second-Hand Camera That Changed Everything
Growing up in an underprivileged family, Chu did not have access to expensive gadgets or the latest technology. However, his mother noticed his fascination with photography and his curiosity about how cameras worked.
Despite the family’s modest financial circumstances, she bought him a second-hand analogue camera.
What seemed like an ordinary gift became a life-changing moment.
The camera sparked a deep interest in images, lenses and visual technology. Chu spent countless hours exploring photography, learning how cameras captured images and becoming increasingly fascinated by the science behind vision.
That childhood curiosity would later shape the direction of his entire career.
Years later, during an internship at HP Malaysia, Chu witnessed a camera connected to a machine that could guide a robot to pick up and move tiny objects with incredible speed and precision.
He was mesmerised.
The technology was known as machine vision, and for the first time, Chu saw a future where his love for cameras and his passion for engineering could come together.
Upon completing his internship, he was recruited by HP as a permanent employee and later received an opportunity to undergo training in Silicon Valley, California.
During the trip, he visited the legendary HP Garage, where two engineering graduates had started a company that would eventually become one of the world’s biggest technology giants.
The visit had a profound impact on him.
Standing in that small garage, Chu realised that groundbreaking technology companies were not built by giant corporations alone. They could also be built by a small group of passionate engineers with a bold vision.
He became convinced that Malaysian engineering graduates could build a world-class technology company of their own.
That dream would eventually become ViTrox.
Building ViTrox From Vision And Determination
Although Chu possessed the technical expertise to develop machine vision systems, he knew he needed a partner who could complement his strengths if he wanted to build a successful company.
He then invited fellow engineer Steven Siaw to join him.
According to Chu, Steven shared the same passion for technological innovation while also understanding the needs of customers and the business world.
Together, they decided to take the entrepreneurial leap.
In 2000, the duo founded ViTrox Technology Sdn Bhd to develop and supply machine vision solutions.
The name “ViTrox” itself reflects their ambitions from the very beginning. It was derived from the words “Vision” and “Electronics”, representing the founders’ belief in combining imaging technology with advanced electronics to create innovative industrial solutions.
Over the years, that vision expanded far beyond its original idea. Today, ViTrox offers a broad spectrum of solutions spanning machine vision, embedded electronics, semiconductor inspection systems and automated test equipment, serving customers around the world.
The founders were later joined by Yeoh Shih Hoong, a first-class honours graduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), who turned down offers from major corporations to join the young company.
“He took the risk to join us at the time when we had nothing to show, but only our vision and our determination,” Chu once said.
Yeoh became the company’s first employee and eventually one of its executive directors.
ViTrox: From A Small Start-Up To A Global Technology Leader
What began as a small start-up in Penang has since become one of Malaysia’s most successful technology companies.
The parent company was listed on Bursa Malaysia’s Mesdaq market in 2005 before moving to the Main Market in 2009.
Today, ViTrox operates in more than 600 sites across 46 countries, with a growing presence in China, other parts of Asia, Europe, Mexico and the United States.
Under Chu’s leadership, the company launched its first 3D vision inspection system for semiconductor components in 2004 and has since become a global leader in machine vision technology.
The company has also received the prestigious Global Technology Award for advanced X-ray and optical inspection technologies for 10 consecutive years, alongside numerous other awards recognising its innovation, products and human capital development.
How ViTrox Is Riding The AI Wave
The rise of artificial intelligence is now opening another chapter in ViTrox’s growth story.
According to Chu, the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure is increasing demand for advanced semiconductors and creating a greater need for more sophisticated inspection systems.
“The need for more precise, higher-throughput and higher-reliability inspection solutions is growing,” he said.
Research houses including CIMB Securities, Hong Leong Investment Bank, and Apex Securities expect the company to continue benefiting from rising demand from AI, data centres and electric vehicles.
CIMB Securities also expects new product refresh cycles targeting AI servers, telecommunications and automotive applications to drive future growth.
In 2025, ViTrox delivered one of its strongest performances in recent years.
The company reported a 48% increase in net profit to RM133 million, while revenue climbed 53% to RM843 million.
Analysts project that revenue could grow another 15% to RM968 million in 2026, with net profit potentially surging 43% to RM190 million.
Since the beginning of the year, the company’s market capitalisation has risen sharply to more than RM10 billion, making it one of the most valuable technology companies on Bursa Malaysia.
A Mother’s Gift That Built A Billion-Ringgit Company
Few could have imagined that a second-hand camera bought by a loving mother for her curious young son would one day inspire the creation of a global technology company serving customers in nearly 50 countries.
Yet that simple act of encouragement planted the seed for a dream that transformed not only Chu’s life but also Malaysia’s technology landscape.
“I didn’t know the photography skills that I learnt would benefit me when I ventured into machine vision technology. So, I always tell others that it was because of the selfless love and giving from a mother to her son that led to the creation of ViTrox. Without that unconditional love, ViTrox may not have even existed,” he said.
From a boy fascinated by photography to one of the country’s richest entrepreneurs, Chu Jenn Weng’s story is proof that sometimes the smallest gifts can inspire the biggest dreams.
Sources: 1| 2| 3| 4
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