Malaysian deep tech startup NanoSkunkWorkX receives investment from Gobi Partners
Leading Asia-focused venture capital firm Gobi Partners has announced a strategic investment in NanoSkunkWorkX (nSWX), a deep tech startup based in Malaysia that is creating manufacturable graphene systems designed for ground-breaking performance in real-world settings with uses in semiconductors, diagnostics, and green hydrogen production.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Gobi said that this investment is its first deep tech investment in Southeast Asia and demonstrates the company’s ongoing dedication to fostering globally competitive endeavors at the cutting edge of science and technology in order to develop Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem.
In keeping with Khazanah’s Malaysia Investment strategy, which is based on the “A Nation That Creates” framework, the investment was made through the Gobi Dana Impak Ventures (GDIV) Fund.
As part of Khazanah’s larger commitment to Advancing Malaysia, it also supports Dana Impak’s strategic goal of strengthening Malaysia’s position in the global semiconductor and advanced manufacturing value chain.
High-potential Malaysian startups with the potential to grow and have a significant national impact are the focus of GDIV.
“NanoSkunkWorkX represents the kind of bold, deep tech innovation Malaysia needs to nurture,
“This investment reflects our confidence in Malaysia’s ability to produce globally competitive technology from within,” said Thomas G. Tsao, Co-founder and Chairperson of Gobi Partners.
By supporting innovative founders, Gobi Partners is strengthening and fortifying the nation’s innovation ecosystem and positioning Malaysia as a hub for deep tech and material science innovation, said Hisham Ibrahim, Managing Director, ASEAN.
The goal of GDIV is to support domestic innovation headed by outstanding Malaysian talent, and SWX is said to embody this vision.
Scaling sovereign capabilities in chips, energy, and health—where materials meet mission—aligns with the company’s mission and with important national priorities.
The return and retention of elite Malaysian talent is symbolized by its founders, who also show how mature Malaysia’s tech sector is becoming.
The company’s proprietary platform enhances heat management, electrical conductivity, and chemical reactivity by integrating graphene into industrial materials at a low cost and with high energy efficiency.
In clean energy, its graphene-enhanced electrodes improve electrolysis efficiency, paving the way for scalable green hydrogen production.
The firm is actively engaging global energy leaders to co-develop system-level platforms and convening consortia to accelerate modular hydrogen deployment.
In semiconductors, the company’s solutions aim to boost chip performance while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Its ruggedized biosensor platform, developed in partnership with Malaysia’s Ministry of Health and Universiti Malaya’s Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Center (TIDREC), is also being adapted for next-generation field diagnostics in collaboration with health and security partners.
