Sustainability is often discussed in policy papers and corporate reports, but behind every meaningful initiative is a personal story.

Singapore Expat Advisory is pleased to share the journey of the founder of kWatt Energy — an entrepreneur whose path spans cross-border leadership, resilience, fatherhood, and a practical commitment to climate solutions. From early days in door-to-door sales to building AI-driven energy optimisation projects across Southeast Asia, this story reflects how purpose and pragmatism can coexist.

Below is his story, in his own words.

AI, HVAC and a Dad on a Mission

After seven years at university in Sweden and the United States, I arrived in Malaysia in July 2014 as a management trainee for a water filtration company that had once been part of Electrolux Malaysia.

It was an old-school organisation in the best and hardest sense of the word. Their training philosophy hadn’t changed much from how Electrolux once trained door-to-door vacuum salespeople. My days were spent walking through neighbourhoods, shop lots, and office towers, knocking on doors and trying to sell water filters.

It was humbling work and probably one of the most valuable learning experiences of my life.

That period taught me the fundamentals of sales, yes, but more importantly, it taught me resilience, communication, patience, and how to handle rejection without losing heart. Six months in, I performed well enough to be given responsibility for my first branch. We grew sales by over 100% in the first year, and another 65% the year after. Eventually, I became a regional manager overseeing several branches across western Malaysia.

After four years, I moved into a completely different industry, joining a software developer specialising in structural and civil engineering solutions, the kind used to model everything from small buildings to mega-infrastructure projects. That role took me across Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, broadening my perspective not just professionally but also culturally.

Around that same time, Malaysia became home in a much deeper way.

Just a few months after arriving, I met a woman who would become the woman in my life, a strong, intelligent, funny Penangite who initially had absolutely no interest in me whatsoever. It took months, persistence, and what can only be described as a very 90s “You’ve Got Mail”-style courtship before she finally agreed to go out for one beer.

Little did she know, I had been trained by a company exceptionally good at developing salespeople. That night, I probably delivered the best “pitch” of my life.

We’ve spent almost every day together since. We married in 2018, and today we share our lives with an incredibly funny, determined four-year-old daughter who brings immense joy and, as any parent understands, a deep concern for the future she will inherit.

Building a Purpose-Driven Path

In January 2020, I left my corporate role to pursue a long-held dream: starting my own company.

At the time, I had been working on a rural development initiative aimed at bringing solar power, long-lasting batteries, sanitation systems that convert waste into fertiliser, communications infrastructure, and training programs to underserved communities in Malaysia. We were close to securing funding.

Then 2020 happened.

A government shift was followed almost immediately by a global pandemic, and the project stalled before it could begin. Like many entrepreneurs, I found myself navigating uncertainty as I tried to adapt quickly.

By May 2020, I formally launched kWatt Energy Sdn Bhd. Even though the rural solar project didn’t materialise, my commitment to sustainability remained unwavering. I initially positioned myself as a connector linking commercial clients with reliable solar providers while continuing to search for long-term, scalable solutions.

Being an immigrant entrepreneur added another layer of complexity. You are always, to some extent, navigating from the outside, building trust, networks, and understanding within a system that is not originally yours. It’s challenging, but it’s also deeply enriching.

Over time, I discovered an AI-driven technology that optimises HVAC systems in large commercial buildings, significantly reducing energy consumption and emissions. I began working closely with a European company operating in Singapore, and momentum started to build.

Then life shifted again, in the most beautiful way possible.

Choosing Fatherhood

In 2021, our daughter was born. At the same time, my wife received an incredible career opportunity that brought greater responsibility and global leadership.

Suddenly, we were both working 12–16-hour days with a six-month-old baby.

We faced a decision that was both obvious and incredibly difficult: one of us needed to step back.

So I did.

For nearly four years, I became a full-time stay-at-home father, learning to braid hair, attending preschool performances, and witnessing every milestone firsthand. It was one of the most transformative periods of my life. It reshaped not only how I see success, but also how I understand responsibility — to family, to society, and to the planet.

Meanwhile, kWatt Energy remained largely dormant, aside from maintaining key partnerships and distribution agreements.

Returning With Clarity and Purpose

In 2025, I secured a major agreement with a Scandinavian client covering five large properties, including hotels, office buildings, and an exhibition centre, totalling nearly 175,000 square metres. The project marked a turning point, allowing me to return to active business leadership.

This time, I returned with a different mindset.

Instead of relying solely on direct sales, I am building the company through strategic partnerships, collaboration networks, and long-term value creation. I understand the market better, the challenges of operating as an outsider, and most importantly, the urgency of the work itself.

Because climate change is no longer an abstract future risk.

As a father, it feels immediate and personal. It’s about the world my daughter will grow up in.

Technology as a Practical Climate Solution

Today, kWatt Energy holds global distribution rights for a Swedish AI solution that can reduce HVAC energy consumption, carbon emissions, and operational costs by an average of 20% without requiring equipment replacement or capital investment. It simply adds an intelligent optimisation layer on top of existing building management systems.

Given that the built environment accounts for roughly 40% of global carbon emissions, with HVAC systems responsible for up to 60% of a building’s energy use, the impact potential is enormous.

We are also introducing a Swedish heat recovery technology that captures wasted heat from industrial processes and repurposes it, creating substantial efficiency gains across industries such as food processing, hospitality, and manufacturing.

A Pragmatic Vision for Sustainability

My goal is simple: to build a company that helps organisations become part of the solution.

Sustainability no longer needs to be driven purely by idealism. Today, the economic incentives are clear. Governments worldwide are offering financial support, tax incentives, and regulatory advantages for companies that reduce emissions and improve efficiency.

You don’t have to be an environmentalist to participate.

Sometimes, all it takes is good business sense to adopt solutions that simultaneously lower costs, improve performance, and reduce environmental impact.

If we can help clients achieve that either directly or by connecting them with the right partners, then we are fulfilling our purpose.

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about technology or business.

It’s about building a future where our children have a world worth inheriting.

If you would like to reach out to kWatt Energy directly for more information:
Email: blenner@kwattenergy.net
Tel/Whatsapp +60193497956
www.kwattenergy.net

Scan to connect directly with kWatt Energy.

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Singapore Expat Advisory is an agency for Promiseland Financial Advisory Pte. Ltd and are authorised and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

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