Key Takeaways

• Qarbotech’s QarboGrow, a photosynthesis enhancer, is utilized by nearly 7,500 farmers globally.
• The company achieved nearly RM3 million in sales last year, with strong international demand.
• Qarbotech is piloting trials in Japan and seeking distributors in various countries, including India.

Expansion of Agritech Solutions

Kuala Lumpur-based agritech startup Qarbotech is gaining international traction with its flagship product, QarboGrow, a carbon quantum dot-based photosynthesis enhancer. This innovative technology aims to enhance plants’ efficiency in utilizing sunlight, benefiting nearly 7,500 farmers across the globe.

In a recent statement, Qarbotech co-founder and CEO Chor Chee Hoe revealed that the company generated close to RM3 million in sales last year, primarily from exports. The product is currently available in Malaysia, Thailand, and China, with China being the largest market in terms of farmer adoption.

Qarbotech is actively pursuing expansion efforts, including pilot trials in Japan. Successful outcomes could lead to new clientele. “We already have a large-scale manufacturing facility here in Malaysia, so we’re looking to partner with more distributors and access different markets,” Chor mentioned during a recognition event facilitated by the Japanese Embassy, which celebrated Qarbotech’s success at the SusHi Tech Challenge 2026 Global Startup Pitch Competition in Tokyo. The company won the Grand Prize out of over 800 competitors and received 10 million Japanese yen (approximately US$61,000).

Despite the growing demand for its technology internationally, domestic adoption in Malaysia has been slower. Chor explained that the company predominantly engages smallholder farmers, yet hasn’t secured robust distributors for medium-sized or larger plantations. “In Malaysia, adoption is quite slow because we have successfully engaged smallholder farming communities,” he noted.

To enhance local acceptance of QarboGrow, Qarbotech has partnered with government agencies in states like Penang, Terengganu, and Kelantan. These collaborations have introduced the technology to nearly 1,200 rice farmers, supporting educational initiatives to inform farmers about advantages over traditional agricultural inputs like fertilizers and pesticides.

Chor emphasized the importance of these partnerships, expressing hope for further collaboration with the Department of Agriculture to help educate farmers about the benefits of photosynthesis-enhancing technologies. “We hope that we can join forces with them to educate farmers about the technology behind QarboGrow and show them what is possible,” he concluded.

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