Sarawak trailblazers triumph at Shell LiveWire 2025

KUCHING (Feb 13): The future shines bright for three Sarawakian champions at the national level of Shell LiveWire Malaysia 2025.

Rising from a pool of 15 outstanding finalists from Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia, these entrepreneurs first proved their strength by securing state-level victories last year. This year, they have taken their success even further.

Claiming their place as the 2025 Shell LiveWire Malaysia national winners are Earthlings Coffee Workshop Sdn Bhd, Lariss Quna Enterprise, and Lettuboost Enterprise from Sarawak; Rebooz Technology Sdn Bhd from Peninsular Malaysia; and WAIG Consultancy Sdn Bhd from Sabah.

These five enterprises distinguished themselves from a nationwide cohort of 180 ambitious entrepreneurs.

Their victory follows a rigorous development journey that included a week-long incubator workshop held across three locations, followed by an intensive three-month national accelerator programme. The journey culminated in a high-stakes final pitching challenge.

Each enterprise was evaluated on the strength of its business model, the capability and passion of its team, and its market traction — reflecting their dedication to scaling innovative, impactful, and sustainable solutions for the future.

“At Shell, we believe entrepreneurship has the power to drive meaningful progress. Shell LiveWire serves as a launchpad for positive change, as it accelerates local business growth, supports job creation, and unlocks innovative responses to social and economic challenges.

“Globally, we empower thousands of entrepreneurs each year to transform promising ideas into sustainable enterprises. I am deeply encouraged to see our local entrepreneurs stepping forward, expanding their businesses, creating jobs, and uplifting the communities they serve,” shared Siti Sulaiman, country chair of Shell Malaysia and senior vice president of Upstream Malaysia.

Each of the five national winners of Shell LiveWire Malaysia 2025 received RM30,000 in start-up funding along with access to the global LiveWire network, opening doors to international collaboration, mentorship, and knowledge exchange. They also stand a chance to compete in the prestigious Shell Global Top Ten Innovators Awards, elevating their ventures onto a global stage.

To further encourage and strengthen Sarawak’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (TEGAS) awarded an additional RM20,000 cash grant to the three Sarawakian winners — Earthlings Coffee Workshop Sdn Bhd, Lariss Quna Enterprise, and Lettuboost Enterprise.

As Shell’s premier enterprise development initiative, Shell LiveWire plays a pivotal role in driving inclusive economic growth by nurturing entrepreneurs across communities worldwide.

Since its introduction in Sabah in 2015 and Sarawak in 2016, the programme has empowered young entrepreneurs to develop innovative and sustainable solutions that address real socio-economic challenges. Today, it continues to fuel a new generation of changemakers committed to building a brighter, more resilient future.

Cultivating Sarawak’s coffee sector

The journey of Earthlings Coffee Workshop Sdn Bhd (Earthlings Coffee) began with the founders’ shared passion for coffee. Having travelled extensively to learn about coffee from different parts of the world, the founders, Kenny Lee Wee Ting, Rave Sun Kwok and Ronnie Kueh Huang Soon eventually decided to bring the specialty coffee concept and system back to Sarawak.

“Later, we realised that Sarawak has its own local coffee species, Liberica, which had long been underappreciated by the market,” explained Lee.

“We decided to take on the difficult task of refining Liberica production using specialty coffee standards, reintroducing it through international coffee forums, and most importantly, increasing its value so that farmers can earn a fair and sustainable income. This was something no one had done before, and it remains a very demanding challenge.”

Lee said the brunt of their work is largely pioneering.

“It has been challenging, but this challenge is also where our passion lies. We introduced specialty coffee concepts into a developing market, established coffee education programmes, and organised academic-style coffee forums.”

The greatest challenge, Lee said, has always been uncertainty, including the lack of successful local case studies for coffee cultivation, agricultural risks, and the responsibility of ensuring that farmers who trusted us would receive fair returns.

This long-term responsibility comes with significant pressure, he noted, compounded by market misunderstanding and financial constraints.

“Fortunately, with support from organisations such as Shell LiveWire, we were able to overcome most of these challenges,” he enthused. “Over the years, we have built a system that ensures consistent quality, fair pricing, farmer trust, and secured market demand.

“The Shell LiveWire programme provided us with extremely valuable networks and training, allowing us to think more systematically about our work and continuously optimise our operations. The financial support has also helped significantly with operational costs.”

In addition, he noted that the publicity from Shell LiveWire gave their efforts wider visibility, establishing it as a valuable marketing platform and an important milestone for their company portfolio.

“Since winning the state finals, our story has reached a much wider audience. This visibility has opened up new collaboration opportunities, strengthened partnerships with stakeholders, and accelerated discussions with both local and international collaborators interested in Sarawak Liberica coffee.

“We believe that results and data are the most convincing elements. In preparation, we focused on collecting stronger performance data from more farmers, while refining the narrative and strengthening the logical foundation of our story. This made our pitching more credible and evidence-based.”

Earthlings Coffee’s next step is to expand Sarawak coffee into Peninsular Malaysia and international markets, while actively participating in international coffee quality competitions.

This ensures alignment between quality and market expectations and ultimately protects farmers by ensuring their efforts receive fair and sustainable returns.

“Over the next decade, we aim to bring our mature, well-prepared products—embedded with Sarawak’s cultural identity and values—to the global stage, expanding into larger international markets.

“No matter the industry, progress has no end. The strongest way to face uncertainty is to truly master your field—deeply and comprehensively. Being open-minded and committed to continuous learning are the foundations of long-term success.”

Instant linut continues Sarawakian heritage

Winning the national Shell LiveWire 2025 was testament to Instant Linut founder Dr Siti Mardinah Abdul Hamid’s hard work and perseverance in preserving a cultural heritage of Sarawakian lineage.

“I asked myself a simple question: What if we could preserve heritage, but make it practical for today’s lifestyle? That question became the seed of Instant Linut, and I decided to take the leap myself,” she said.

“It was very tough. There were moments when I questioned myself; when resources were limited, and when progress felt painful because we started everything manually, from weighing the sago flour to sealing to packing.

“Every challenge shaped me. I learned resilience, patience, and the importance of staying rooted in purpose. This journey was never about overnight success; it was about persistence.”

Siti was thankful for the Shell LiveWire programme in helping her to break through business barriers.

“Shell LiveWire was a game-changer. It sharpened my thinking, strengthened my business fundamentals, and pushed me to look beyond survival, towards scalability and sustainability,” she explained.

“Their mentorship and credibility, and its platform to turn local ideas into national impacts. Their structured guidance helped me turn my idea into a stronger & more confident in my business.

“Since winning at the state level, I’ve improved product positioning, strengthened branding, expanded market reach, and refined my long-term strategy.”

Siti noted that Instant Linut started off with 2 flavours, and after winning the Sarawak state level competition, the company came up with two more flavours; Kimchi and Gula Apong.

“For Kimchi we are targeting younger generations and for Gula Apong we are targeting older generations who are more health conscious and eating spicy food anymore,” she said.

“More importantly, it gave me confidence that my idea has value and that it deserves to grow.”

Competing in the national finals against winners from across the country pushed Siti to refine and elevate her craftsmanship.

“I focused on clarity and authenticity. I didn’t try to be the loudest, but I focused on being the most honest. I refined my story, strengthened my data, practiced relentlessly, and reminded myself that my journey is unique. I wasn’t competing to impress, instead I was there to inspire and to represent my roots proudly.

“This is just the beginning. The next step is scaling responsibly, expanding distribution, strengthening operations, and creating more impact while staying true to our heritage values.

I also want to empower more youth, especially those without formal education, to be part of this journey.

“In 10 years, I see my business as a regional heritage food brand, preserving traditional food through innovation not just in Malaysia, but beyond. I want it to be a model where tradition, technology, and social impact can coexist.”

From Sarawak’s waterways to sustainable solutions

In the waterways of Malaysia, an invasive green blanket of water lettuce often spells disaster for fragile ecosystems. Yet for Mohammad Zulhilmi Abang Mohammad Reduan, Pavithran Julieus Sudhave and Neil Erickson Anak Nelyson at Lettuboost Enterprise, this environmental menace has become the spark for a sustainable breakthrough in aquaculture.

Lettuboost, a Sarawak-grown agritech innovator, transforms invasive water lettuce into selenium-enriched fish feed. By converting biological waste into high-value nutrition, the startup is tackling two pressing challenges at once: the ecological degradation of waterways and the rising cost of commercial fish feed that burdens small-scale farmers.

Their journey began not in a boardroom, but through a blend of academic research, sharp environmental observation, and a deep commitment to protecting Sarawak’s natural resources.

“Lettuboost started because we saw how invasive water lettuce was polluting waterways while fish farmers struggled with rising feed costs,” Zulhilmi told The Borneo Post.

“The idea grew from research discussions and field exposure. We realised this environmental problem could be turned into a solution.”

Transitioning from a research-backed concept to a commercial product was no easy feat. The team had to balance their studies with the gruelling demands of a startup, navigating a path paved with trial and error.

Zulhilmi emphasises that the breakthrough was a “collective effort driven by curiosity, experimentation, and a desire to solve a real problem sustainably.”

One of the most significant hurdles for the enterprise was technical validation — ensuring the feed actually worked while remaining cost-effective. To bridge this gap, the team engaged in direct field trials with the very people they aimed to serve: the farmers.

The startup’s trajectory shifted upward significantly after joining the Shell LiveWire programme, whereby Zulhilmi credits the programme with providing more than just capital.

“Shell LiveWire has been transformative for us. Beyond funding, it provided structured mentorship and business training. It helped us refine our value proposition and think more strategically about scaling.

“Most importantly, it gave us confidence, knowing that experienced professionals believed in our vision.”

Since clinching a win at the state level, Lettuboost has accelerated its momentum. The team has not only refined their product formulation but has also expanded their social and political footprint.

Through their project, Harvest To Heal, they engage local communities in biodiversity appreciation, and they have even proposed the Sarawak Bioeconomy Blueprint (SCBB) to influence regional policy.

The enterprise is also becoming a magnet for capital. Currently, Lettuboost is in the process of integrating local investors into their equity shares, a move that Zulhilmi believes is vital for future fundraising rounds.

“Getting the trust of local investors will help us a lot in our future fund-raising rounds,” he explained.

The road ahead for Lettuboost is paved with ambitious milestones, including scaling production and seeking wider market adoption across the aquaculture industry.

“In 10 years, we see Lettuboost as a leading sustainable feed and agri-solution provider in the region,” Zulhilmi envisions.

“We aim to expand beyond Malaysia, collaborate with international partners, and contribute meaningfully to global food security and environmental restoration.”