Three Sarawak enterprises among national winners of Shell LiveWire 2025

KUCHING (Jan 24): Five enterprises have emerged as national winners of Shell LiveWire Malaysia 2025, selected from 15 finalists across Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia following a rigorous selection process.

The finalists had already demonstrated their potential at the state level before advancing through a national incubator and a three-month accelerator programme that tested their business models, teams, and market readiness.

The national winners are Lettuboost Enterprise, Earthlings Coffee Workshop Sdn Bhd, and Lariss Quna Enterprise from Sarawak, Rebooz Technology Sdn Bhd from Peninsular Malaysia, and WAIG Consultancy Sdn Bhd from Sabah.

Each winner received RM30,000 in start-up funding and access to the global LiveWire network, providing opportunities for international collaboration and knowledge exchange, as well as a chance to compete in the Shell Global Top Ten Innovators Awards.

To further encourage participation from Sarawak, Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (Tegas) awarded an additional RM20,000 to Sarawakian winners.

Shell Malaysia Country Chair and Senior Vice President (Upstream) Siti Sulaiman highlighted that the programme has helped thousands of individuals access knowledge, skills, networks, and resources to transform their ideas into successful businesses.

“Each entrepreneur becomes part of the wider community that uplifts one another, exchanges knowledge and collaborates to solve real challenges, real-life problems.

“And by strengthening these community networks, we create a ripple effect of innovation, an opportunity that reaches far beyond individual successes, but also nurtures the entire ecosystem where everyone has a role in shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future,” she said during the award ceremony.

Lettuboost Enterprise

As one of the 2025 national winners, Lettuboost Enterprise aims to scale up production and expand market reach in the next phase of growth.

The Sarawak-based startup plans to channel its start-up funds towards commercialisation, focusing on mass-scale production and stronger marketing efforts to accelerate adoption among small-scale fish farmers.

“With the right machinery and facilities, we can move into large-scale production and conduct more feed trials with farmers,” said co-founder Pavithran Julieus Sudhave, adding that this would ensure consistent product quality while fast-tracking growth.

Founded by Pavithran alongside Neil Erickson Nelyson and Mohammad Zulhilmi Abang Mohammad Reduan, Lettuboost converts invasive water lettuce into sustainable, eco-friendly fish feed pellets.

Pavithran explained that the fast-growing aquatic plant, often discarded as waste, is rich in nutrients such as selenium, making it a viable alternative raw material for fish feed.

“Our goal is to help small-scale farmers sustain their livelihoods by offering a more affordable and environmentally friendly alternative to commercial fish feed,” he said.

The company began as a university-based science project, initially developed as a final-year degree project and later refined through innovation competitions before scaling into a commercial product.

Pavithran also shared that their fish feed is priced lower than commercial alternatives while delivering comparable performance, largely due to reduced raw material costs.

“With lower production costs, we can offer a cheaper product without compromising on effectiveness,” he said.

Pavithran said participation in the Shell LiveWire programme provided the team with valuable exposure and entrepreneurial guidance, allowing them to learn from more established businesses and better understand the wider business ecosystem.

“Being part of Shell LiveWire opened our eyes to how vast the business ecosystem is.

“We were exposed to companies that were much bigger and more established, which motivated us to learn and grow,” he said.

Earthlings Coffee

Earthlings Coffee Workshop Sdn Bhd, another 2025 national winner, plans to scale up its Sarawak Liberica coffee initiative by upgrading facilities, expanding farmer training, and strengthening its sustainable supply chain across rural communities.

The specialty coffee company will use its funding to improve productivity to meet growing demand, while continuing its direct-trade model that supports indigenous coffee farmers.

“With the improvement in quality, demand for specialty coffee has increased, but now we also need to improve productivity,” said founders Kenny Lee Wee Ting and Kwok Rave Sun, noting the need for equipment upgrades, processing facilities, and on-ground training.

Earthlings initially imported specialty coffee globally but later focused on Sarawak Liberica after seeing the untapped potential of locally grown beans.

Many indigenous communities already grew Liberica but lacked processing knowledge, quality control, and market access.

The company implemented hands-on training and a transparent buy-back model, paying farmers significantly higher prices once quality benchmarks were met.

Previously, farmers earned around RM12 per kilogram, but now they receive RM40–50 per kilogram, a three- to five-fold increase.

Each coffee batch highlights the village and producer behind it, giving recognition and pride back to the communities, such as Long Banga or Tringgus Bong.

“By naming the village and the producer, we are not just selling coffee — we are promoting the people and their stories,” they added.

WAIG Consultancy

WAIG Consultancy Sdn Bhd, also a 2025 national winner, plans to expand its regional footprint and invest in advanced underwater technology to enhance its environmental consultancy services.

Project manager Jack Teo said the company will use its funding to acquire specialised equipment, particularly underwater robotics, while exploring new regional and international markets, including Western markets.

“We are trying to get into a bit more westernised market to take advantage of our maybe more competitive exchange rates as well as our relatively lower salary compared to the Europeans and Australians,” he said.

WAIG provides hydraulic and coastal modelling services, hydrographic surveys, and environmental impact simulations, including sediment dispersion caused by seabed disturbances.

“When dredging takes place, sediment plumes are created.

“Using our models, we can analyse the concentration, spread and recovery time of these pollutants,” he explained.

The company has increasingly adopted remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), reducing risks to divers in hazardous waters.

“Going underwater can be very dangerous because conditions are unpredictable, and by using robotic systems, we can conduct inspections remotely, making operations safer and more cost-effective,” Teo said.

Despite its growth, WAIG faces challenges convincing some clients of the importance of advanced environmental modelling and competing with larger foreign consultancies.

“Some clients still think this kind of assessment is not necessary or not proven.

“Another challenge is competing with foreign firms with stronger global presence,” he said.