Grow big or go home

• 500-backed Qarbotech’s agritech solution began with a chicken-and-egg situation. They wanted to get plantations and farms on board to try their photosynthesis enhancer, Qarbogrow, but farmers expected more validation data.
• What tipped the scales in their favor was winning the Tech Planter Asia Finals 2021 by Leave a Nest, a science venture company. The grand prize included a pre-seed investment.
• “That gave us the resources to kick-start more trials to collect more data,” shared Co-founder & CEO Chee Hoe Chor.
• Today, the team knows that Qarbogrow boosts crop yields by up to 60%. If all paddy farms in Malaysia use the product, Chee Hoe believes the country will be self-sufficient and not rely on imports anymore.
• It’s also a gamechanging solution to combat climate change, which affects crop cycles. He found that production dropped to around 40%, especially during the overcast weather or rainy season. However, the enhancer solution has helped farmers maintain the consistent yield through the monsoon season and even the dry season.
• “We are also able to help in removing more carbon dioxide, ranging from 20% to 80%, as photosynthesis absorbs carbon dioxide and releases more oxygen. So, we also see that in the future, if a lot more farms or even more organizations are using our product, we can help them with carbon offsetting,” Chee Hoe added.
• The team eventually connected with 500 Global, who invested in 2023. “500 Global has a very close network with other government agencies and individuals that are related in the agriculture space, a few of whom we have collaborated with. We also get access to the founder hub that consists of coaches and mentors from overseas who are in the nanotech, agritech and even biotech space,” he shared.
• Co-founder & Chief Science Officer Dr. Suraya Abdul Rashid added that they have also benefited from the support they get from 500 Social House, a co-working space for founders under 500 Global, to conduct meetings.
• Read the full story on The Edge.