Shell LiveWire 2025 crowns five innovative enterprises

New Straits Times

14 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Five standout enterprises from Peninsular Malaysia have been named winners of the Shell LiveWire 2025 entrepreneurship programme.
They are recognised for coming up with bold solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing the country.
Chosen from over 60 participants, Earnest Grower Sdn Bhd, Lorry System Sdn Bhd, Mensilin Green Energy Sdn Bhd, Midwest Composites Sdn Bhd and Rebooz Technology Sdn Bhd were announced as winners at the state finals held at Menara Shell in KL Sentral.
The winners' selection followed an intensive bootcamp and a final pitching session before a panel of judges, which included Cyberview head of ecosystem hub and Futurise acting chief executive officer Shafinaz Salim, Business Times news editor Muhammed Ahmad Hamdan and Shell Malaysia global alliance manager Theswinder Kaur.
Each winner received a RM10,000 startup grant and a year-long business coaching programme.
The winners also join the Shell global LiveWire network, where they can connect with international peers and may be shortlisted for the prestigious Shell Global Top Ten Innovators Awards.
TURNING FLOODS INTO FIELDS
In December 2021, the Klang Valley was hit by severe floods. Amid the turmoil, Ernest Lee and Lawrence Yew, who have backgrounds in e-commerce, law and business strategy, discovered a renewed sense of purpose.
They went on to establish Earnest Grower, also known as The Earnest Co, an agricultural startup committed to converting underutilised land into productive regenerative farms.
Their mission extends beyond farming. By advocating for food sovereignty and soil health, the company is helping rural communities strengthen their resilience and confront the challenges of climate change.
The main crops include pineapples, corn, figs and chilli, cultivated using regenerative practices that improve soil health and support sustainable productivity over time.
Earnest Grower promotes community farming and builds partnerships across sectors, linking farmers, investors and government agencies.
For Lee and Yew, agriculture has evolved from being a background industry to a critical national priority.
"We realised then that agriculture wasn't just about food. It was about sovereignty, sustainability and survival. From that moment, we knew we wanted to be part of the solution.
"We founded Earnest Co not just as a business, but as a movement. A movement to champion regenerative farming, revive underutilised land and build systems that benefit people and the planet," they said.
Lee and Yew said the Shell LiveWire programme has helped them create more refined financial models, stronger stakeholder presentations and more effective implementation strategies.
"Most significantly, it helped us find our voice," they said.
LOGISTICS MADE SMART, SCALABLE AND INCLUSIVE
For Parimala Ponnusamy and Sasitheran Pathmanathan, the logistics industry represents a challenge and opportunity.
Their startup, Lorry System, is building a transport management platform tailored to small and medium fleet operators.
Rather than delivering complex software, they opted for a mobile-first solution that integrates directly with social media platforms like WhatsApp.
"Drivers interact through WhatsApp, a platform they already use daily, while our system captures video, runs artificial intelligence (AI)-powered safety analysis and syncs all compliance data to a central enterprise resources planning (ERP) dashboard in real time.
"This hybrid model allows us to deliver features like AI-driven video analysis for driver behaviour and safety, a zero-training WhatsApp chatbot interface, live dashboards for dispatchers and distributors, and carbon emissions and environmental, social and governance tracking built directly into fleet operations," they said.
They said the outcome is a solution that is inclusive, supports multiple languages, prioritises mobile access and is usable by operators in urban and rural areas.
"Shell LiveWire was a turning point. We gained deeper clarity on our value proposition and were pushed to think bigger, especially around impact and investor readiness," Sasitheran said.
FROM PLASTIC WASTE TO CLEAN DIESEL
Mensilin Green Energy is tackling two major challenges at once: plastic pollution and energy sustainability.
Founded by Ahmad Luqman Mohamad Adan, the company converts end-of-life plastic waste into Euro 5-grade diesel, jet fuel, naphtha and graphite.
The business began with research and development (R&D) in 2016, inspired by Luqman's father, a pioneer of biomass energy in Malaysia.
After nearly a decade of experimentation and validation, Mensilin now operates on an industrial scale and is expanding its capacity to handle up to 10 tonnes of plastic daily.
Luqman said the turning point came when his father noticed the escalating issue of plastic pollution, recognising it as both a crisis and an opportunity to convert harmful waste into a valuable fuel source.
"By applying principles from biomass energy to plastic waste, we spent over 14 years refining the technology to meet Euro 5 fuel standards (EN590). The R&D was largely sustained through consultancy projects in renewable energy," he added.
Luqman said Shell LiveWire stood out as a platform that could elevate their mission and boost awareness of their technology's impact on a global scale.
"One of the most valuable tools we gained was the empathy map framework. It has helped us understand our customers on a deeper level, allowing us to tailor our solutions more effectively to their true needs and pain points."
NATURE-BASED ENGINEERING FOR A CLEANER WORLD
Founded by Seremban native Sethu Raaj, Midwest Composites is revolutionising how materials are made.
The company develops high-performance biocomposites made from kenaf, jute and palm oil waste, offering an eco-friendly substitute for conventional fiberglass and carbon fiber.
His brother, Sunil Raaj, now spearheads the company's commercial strategy and international growth.
Together, they aim to decarbonise industries such as automotive, aerospace, drone technology and construction.
"Our materials cut carbon dioxide emissions by up to 75 per cent, enable significant weight reduction and support circular manufacturing.
"Designed for performance, they are suitable for a range of structural and semi-structural applications across automotive, construction, drone, and consumer goods industries," Sethu said.
The company recently represented Malaysia at the Circular Valley Convention in Germany, reflecting its growing presence on the global stage.
Back home, the siblings are mentoring young engineers and championing sustainability in the domestic startup ecosystem.
"One of the most valuable aspects was the opportunity to engage directly with Shell and understand real-world challenges, allowing us to explore how our solutions can create meaningful impact," Sethu added.
HYDROGEN INNOVATION MEETS REAL-WORLD IMPACT
Rebooz Technology, co-founded by chief scientist officer Choong Ewe Chiang (Tanaka) and led by chief executive officer Muhamad Ariel Maseri, is on a mission to make hydrogen technology mainstream.
The company's flagship product is a patented system that injects hydrogen into internal combustion engines to improve efficiency and reduce emissions without the need for invasive retrofits.
The technology, developed over two decades, is already being tested across sectors from transport to agriculture.
With deep roots in science and entrepreneurship, Rebooz aims to bridge the gap between innovation and practical deployment.
The pair admitted they faced moments of doubt, particularly in the early days of their Shell LiveWire journey.
What kept them moving forward was their broader vision: Rebooz is more than just a business, it is a mission to make clean mobility accessible and to demonstrate that hydrogen can be part of everyday life.
"Every time we reminded ourselves of why we started, it reignited the fire. Support from the Shell's programme partners, fellow participants and our own team made a huge difference.
"We pushed through by showing up every day, being open to feedback and trusting the process," they said.
Rebooz is pursuing large-scale partnerships, including with ministries and international clean-tech accelerators.
A PLATFORM FOR GROWTH AND PURPOSE
First launched in Sabah in 2015 and expanded to Peninsular Malaysia in 2022, Shell LiveWire continues to serve as a launchpad for purpose-driven businesses.
The programme equips participants with the tools, mentorship and networks needed to turn promising ideas into sustainable ventures.
Shell general manager of business operations in Kuala Lumpur Syed Hussain Taha said Shell LiveWire is not just a programme, but a journey that empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality.
"I truly believe in the impact this initiative can make. It empowers individuals to create lasting businesses that not only support their own growth, but also uplift communities and generate meaningful employment."
The five 2025 winners join a growing alumni of changemakers, who are transforming their industries and communities.
Whether it's through sustainable farming, green fuels, AI logistics, bio-based composites or hydrogen innovation, each of them reflects Shell LiveWire's commitment to unlocking domestic entrepreneurial potential.
As these five enterprises take their next steps, one thing is clear: Malaysia's innovation ecosystem is alive and thriving, and the future is being built by those who dare to reimagine it.