Malaysian agritech company Qarbotech has been named the Grand Prix winner of the SusHi Tech Challenge at SusHi Tech 2026, Asia’s largest global innovation conference, held at Tokyo Big Sight from April 27 to 29.

The startup beat out 17 other semifinalists to claim the top prize of JPY10 million (US$62,000), emerging from a field of 820 applicants representing 60 countries and regions, with 383 companies coming from Japan and 437 from international markets.

Qarbotech has developed a photosynthesis-promoting agent using nanocarbon technology designed to increase crop yields without forcing plants to overexert themselves.

“We are not making the plant work extra hard,” said Chor Chee Hoe, CEO and Co-Founder of Qarbotech. “We are just increasing their light energy usage. During overcast weather or the rainy season in our region, sunlight is insufficient, and farmers face a drop in productivity of up to 40 per cent. During sunny days, productivity is at its optimum level … we are bridging that gap, bringing those unproductive periods up to the same level as productive ones.”

When asked about the particular challenges the startup faced in promoting its solutions, the CEO spoke about the ageing farming population, which is often cautious about adopting new methods. To navigate this, Qarbotech works through established distribution partners rather than approaching farmers directly.

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“We work with partners like seed manufacturers, organic bio producers, direct contract farming companies, and chemical companies—leveraging their distribution channels and their credibility in the field,” he said.

The company also positions itself as resilient against commodity price swings. “We use agricultural-based materials, so our sustainable source will be long-term and will not be subject to cost volatility,” Chor noted.

On the exit front, the company is keeping its options open: “Plan A could be an IPO; Plan B could be an acquisition by a larger conglomerate in chemical or biotech.”

The startup announced a US$1.5 million funding round in 2024.

Malaysian startups taking on the global stage

Qarbotech’s win at SusHi Tech 2026 marks a notable moment for Southeast Asian agritech on the international stage—and a signal that solutions born in the tropics, where weather volatility directly threatens food security, are resonating with a global audience. However, Qarbotech was not the only Southeast Asian company to reach the semifinals of the SusHi Tech Challenge.

Midwest Composites, also from Malaysia, competed in the materials and bio category with a solution that processes agricultural waste into high-performance bio-composites, positioning them as alternatives to plastic and fibreglass.

While Midwest Composites did not take the Grand Prix, its inclusion alongside Qarbotech underscored Malaysia’s growing presence in the global sustainable technology space.

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Now in its fourth year, SusHi Tech—short for Sustainable High City Tech—has grown into the largest innovation conference of its kind in Asia. The 2026 edition ran across two business days on April 27 and 28, followed by a public day on April 29, a national holiday in Japan, at Tokyo Big Sight’s West Halls 1 through 4 in the Ariake district.

The event brings together startups, investors, large corporations, and universities under a shared mandate: using advanced technology to build more sustainable cities. The SusHi Tech Challenge, its flagship pitch competition, drew entries from across the globe, with the 18 semifinalists selected from that pool of 820 companies. In addition to the Grand Prix, 15 corporate partner awards were presented to other competing startups.

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This coverage was produced as part of our media partnership with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026.

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