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For our ongoing series of showcasing our Alumni startups, we would like to introduce one of our DBA alumnus, Dr. Khanh Nguyen, who was instrumental in the development of 2 leading AI companies in Vietnam. Intrigued, we asked him a few questions.
1) Please give us a brief introduction about yourself.
I am Khanh Nguyen, an alumnus of DBA04 at AIT’s Vietnam campus. Holding a Doctorate in Digital Transformation and Leadership and bringing over a decade of executive experience as CEO of Festo and Wurth, and founder of Neax AI and HiliosAI. I have had the privilege of leading organizations at the crossroads of technology, manufacturing, and innovation.
Grounded in an academic foundation in mechanical engineering and strengthened by advanced studies in business management, technology and innovation management, I have cultivated a professional profile that unites technical expertise with strategic leadership. My Doctorate in Digital Transformation and Leadership at AIT SOM complements extensive executive experience, including over a decade in chief executive roles, where I successfully guided organizations through complex technological change.
2) Why did you choose to study DBA at AIT SOM?
I chose to study the DBA at AIT School of Management because it offered a program uniquely aligned with my professional focus on digital transformation and executive leadership. At that stage in my career, I had already accumulated extensive experience leading multinational organizations, but I recognized the need for a structured academic framework to analyze, systematize, and scale technology adoption across industries.
The COVID-19 period further reinforced this decision. While many organizations struggled with disruption, I viewed it as a critical inflection point leaders needed to accelerate where innovation, strengthen organizational resilience, and reinvent business models. AIT SOM’s global perspective, academic rigor, and applied approach made it the ideal platform to refine my leadership philosophy and develop actionable strategies for sustainable transformation in a rapidly changing world.
3) Tell us more about your companies, neax.ai and hilios.ai.
How and why did you start it? What are you trying to change or achieve?
I presently serve as Founder of NeaxAI and as Co-Founder of HiliosAI, where I work with two fellow co-founders to steward company strategy and operations.
NEAX (stands for Navigating Enterprise AI eXperience), established in 2012, is a trusted partner of end-to-end digital transformation solutions. We specialize in integrating engineering software (CAD/CAM/CAE), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help enterprises achieve operational excellence and long-term competitiveness with their digital transformation’s initiatives.
Guided by a vision to be a leading global partner in digital transformation, NEAX combines academic expertise, international experience, and practical business insight. We believe digital transformation must create tangible, measurable value. We focus on:
Optimizing product development and manufacturing processes.
Enabling data-driven decision-making through AI and SCM integration.
Delivering scalable, cost-effective solutions that enhance productivity and reduce risks.
And, HiliosAI is an enterprise-grade AI platform purpose-built to redefine how organizations engage with internal and external customers and manage operations. By combining AI-powered automation, omni-channel communication, and real-time analytics, HiliosAI enables companies to deliver seamless customer experiences while significantly improving efficiency.
Our platform goes beyond simple automation with a comprehensive suite of capabilities:
Intelligent Knowledge Management — continuously learns from enterprise data, FAQs, and documentation to provide accurate, context-aware responses while identifying knowledge gaps to retain organizational learning.
Unified Communication Hub — consolidates interactions from email, chat, social, and voice into a single workspace, ensuring speed, consistency, and visibility across teams.
Advanced Workflow Automation — automates repetitive tasks, prioritizes workloads, and integrates with CRM, ERP, and PLM systems to streamline end-to-end processes.
Security & Compliance — ensures enterprise-grade data protection with role-based access, audit trails, and compliance with international standards (GDPR, ISO, etc.).
Our vision is to make advanced technologies a catalyst for human and business potential.
We believe AI and digital transformation should not only drive efficiency, but also empower people, spark creativity, and accelerate organizational learning. By embedding AI-powered intelligence into enterprise operations, we enable organizations to:
Embrace innovation with confidence and clarity.
Build workplaces where repetition is automated, stress is reduced, and creativity thrives.
Transform data into collective intelligence that drives continuous learning and sustainable growth.
Bridge global best practices with human-centered strategies tailored to local contexts.
At NEAX and HiliosAI, we are not just enabling technology adoption — we are shaping a future where enterprises thrive, people are empowered, and innovation is limitless. AI will not replace humans, but humans who use AI will replace those who don’t.
4) Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years?
In the next 5–10 years, I see myself continuing to lead at the forefront of AI adoption and digital transformation, building organizations that not only deliver advanced technological solutions but also create meaningful impact for businesses and society. My goal is to expand NEAX and HiliosAI into globally recognized leaders in AI-driven enterprise solutions, helping SMEs harness artificial intelligence to enhance productivity, creativity, and organizational learning. At the same time, I aim to contribute to the academic and policy dialogue around responsible technology adoption, ensuring that innovation remains inclusive, sustainable, and human-centric. Ultimately, I aspire to bridge the gap between research, business leadership, and societal needs—developing platforms and ecosystems that empower enterprises to thrive in the digital era.
5) Do you have any words of advice for any of our students who are thinking about starting their own company? What kind of difficulties did you face and how did you overcome them?
For students considering entrepreneurship, my advice is to approach it with both vision and resilience. Starting a company is never a straight path—there will be uncertainties in product development, funding, building the right team, and convincing the market of your value. In my own journey with NEAX and HiliosAI, one of the greatest challenges was navigating the balance between innovation and execution—turning ambitious ideas into practical solutions that businesses could adopt. I overcame these difficulties by focusing on three principles: building strong partnerships, maintaining financial discipline, and keeping the customer’s real needs at the center of every decision.
Today, however, students have an unprecedented opportunity: AI adoption and digital transformation are reshaping every industry, opening the door for bold entrepreneurs to create solutions that were unimaginable a decade ago. My advice is to embrace these technologies not as buzzwords but as tools for real impact—to solve meaningful problems, eliminate inefficiencies, and empower people. If you stay committed to your mission, remain adaptable, and surround yourself with people who share your values, you can not only build a successful company but also contribute to shaping the future.
Thank you Dr. Khanh Nguyen for sharing your experiences with us and especially for your words of advice for our students. We wish you the best and you have our full support in your future endeavors.