Malaysian Agritech Startup Qarbotech Expands Global Footprint
KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysian agritech startup Qarbotech is expanding its global footprint, with its technology, QarboGrow, a carbon quantum dot-based photosynthesis enhancer, now being used by nearly 7,500 farmers worldwide.
Qarbotech commercialises QarboGrow, its flagship product, which was developed through research in Malaysia and is designed to improve plants' ability to utilise sunlight more efficiently.
Qarbotech co-founder and chief executive officer Chor Chee Hoe said QarboGrow recorded nearly RM3 million in sales last year, with a large share generated from overseas markets.
Chor said the company is conducting pilot trials in Japan, with prospective customers considering purchases if the trials are successful.
“We already have the large-scale manufacturing facility here in Malaysia, so we are looking to work with more distributors and enter different markets,” he told Bernama at a recognition ceremony hosted by the Japanese Embassy here recently.
The ceremony was held to celebrate Qarbotech’s victory at the SusHi Tech Challenge 2026 Global Startup Pitch Competition in Tokyo.
Founded in 2018, Qarbotech won the Grand Prize after emerging as the top entry from more than 800 applicants representing over 60 countries.
The company received 10 million Japanese yen (about US$61,000) in prize money.
According to Chor, the company is also seeking distributors in India and exploring opportunities in other markets.
“QarboGrow is currently sold in Malaysia, Thailand and China. Our biggest market right now, in terms of the number of farmers using our technology, is China,” said Chor.
Chor said adoption in Malaysia remained relatively slow because the company mainly reaches smallholders and has yet to secure a strong anchor distributor capable of serving medium-sized and larger plantations.
“In Malaysia, adoption is quite slow because organically, we have successfully penetrated smallholder farming communities,” he said.
“For medium-sized and bigger plantations, we don’t have significant access because we have yet to secure strong anchor distributors in Malaysia,” he said.
To widen domestic adoption, Qarbotech has worked with government agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture in Penang, Terengganu and Kelantan.
Chor said the collaboration enabled the company to introduce its technology to nearly 1,200 rice farmers.
He said such initiatives could help accelerate adoption, as QarboGrow remained a relatively new product and most farmers were more familiar with conventional agricultural inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides.
Qarbotech hopes to collaborate more closely with the Department of Agriculture and participate in its nationwide roadshows to educate farmers about photosynthesis-enhancing technology and its potential applications.
“We hope that we can join forces with them to educate farmers about the technology behind QarboGrow and show them what is possible,” Chor said.
-- BERNAMA
