From tadpole to froglet to full-grown frog, From education technology to sovereign AI — FrogAsia is evolving into YTL AI Labs. Our why stays the same: build the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason. Our how evolves: from education technology to sovereign AI — built in Malaysia for Malaysians. Our what will keep changing: the products and solutions we create will serve real people, solve real problems, and help Malaysia move forward.
13 and a half years ago, FrogAsia was born from a big opportunity and an even bigger dream: to give every child in Malaysia access to quality education, regardless of geographical location or background.
We started in 2012 by being the first in the world to connect over 10 million students, teachers, and parents on a single cloud-based learning platform, while bringing high-speed Internet to classrooms for the very first time, under the 1BestariNet project. This meant we could give every child in Malaysia access to world-class education and create opportunities for children to become gamechangers for their families, communities, and eventually, their nation.
So we began our journey fully aware that the task ahead was huge. But when you believe in a better tomorrow, you find the courage to take the first step. And then the next.
Over the years, we’ve kept asking: What if?
What if learning didn’t have to be boring? So we ran online world championships that connected students in cities across different countries with students from rural fishing villages and rubber estates — levelling the playing field. And guess what? The students in the most remote areas topped the league - and for many of them, winning opened doors that changed their lives forever.
What if classrooms could be more inspiring? So we redesigned classrooms with doodle tables and punching bags — turning what may have been seen as vandalism into art, and what may have been anger into safe release, creating spaces for better collaboration and learning. These classrooms helped teachers teach more creatively and shifted their role from sole transmitter to facilitator, while students became more independent and comfortable learning together.
What if learning didn’t need to stop, even during a lockdown? So we worked day and night throughout the pandemic to build the entire syllabus week by week, giving students and parents access to free online learning when schools were shut. We distributed over 800,000 free phones and SIM cards to make sure families had what they needed to keep learning.
And what if education didn’t have to feel so serious? So we made conferences playful - turning them into immersive, interactive experiences. No dry lectures- tough subjects came alive through hands-on activities, life-sized board games, and spaces where people connected, shared ideas, and heard from speakers who captured the spirit of the times.
Just as a frog transforms- from tadpole to froglet to a full-grown frog- thriving in water and on land, we’ve learned to adapt, grow, and extend our impact far beyond our pond.
When it was time to evolve again, we embraced AI from scratch, because the future belongs to those who dare to dream and reimagine what life could be.
Through every step, we’ve stayed anchored to and in our HEART:
H - Here to Make a Difference, guided by Moral Responsibility
E - Enjoy What You Do and Who You Do It With, grounded in Togetherness
A - Act with Integrity, upheld by Honesty
R - Reach for Perfection, fuelled by Hard Work
T - Think Ahead and Out of the Box, energised by Vitality
These values have shaped every leap we’ve taken, reminding us that technology is just a tool. What matters is what we do with it, and who we do it for.
At our core, we’ve always been builders.
70 years ago, YTL started with bricks and mortar - but we’ve never just built things; we’ve always built the right things.
When Malaysia needed power, we built the country’s first independent power plant.
When Malaysia needed faster Internet, we built the first 4G network, then subsequently, the first 5G network.
When Malaysia needed equal access to learning, we brought high-speed Internet and a cloud learning platform to all 10,000 schools.
And now, we take our next leap: FrogAsia becomes YTL AI Labs.
Our why stays the same: build the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.
Our how evolves: from education technology to sovereign AI — built in Malaysia for Malaysians.
Our what will keep changing: the products and solutions we create will serve real people, solve real problems, and help Malaysia move forward.
Our world is changing fast — AI isn’t just speeding things up; it’s reshaping how we live, work, and learn. But we still believe, like Edison, the Wright brothers, and Jobs, that when you dare to reimagine, you can continue to make a difference.
Here’s to the next leap — as we continue on our journey to build the right thing.
#YTLBeyond70 #BuildingTheRightThing #FrogAsia #YTLAILabs #YTLGroup #YTLCommunity
