Amirul Merican joins Breakthrough Energy’s Innovator Fellows program from Qarbotech, an agritech startup based in Malaysia. Amirul is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Qarbotech, where he leads operations to scale climate-smart agricultural solutions. Amirul is a second-time founder with a background in agritech entrepreneurship, having co-founded and successfully exited Bioloop, an insect-protein and organic fertilizer startup dedicated to food security.

At Qarbotech, Amirul is working on scaling QarboGrow, the first-of-its-kind photosynthesis enhancer that helps crops grow more efficiently, leading to higher yields with fewer inputs. The project addresses global food security challenges by enabling farmers to produce more with less land, water, and fertilizer—supporting both productivity and sustainability. The Fellows program will help Amirul accelerate partnerships, expand into new markets, and build collaborations to maximize impact.

Outside of work, Amirul enjoys CrossFit and recently competed in a Hyrox fitness event. He holds a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, and in Energy, Sustainability, and the Environment, from the University of Cambridge.