- Funding marks Gobi’s first deep tech investment in SEA
- Investment made via Gobi Dana Impak Ventures to support Malaysia’s semiconductor push
Gobi Partners, a leading Asia-focused venture capital firm, has announced an undisclosed investment in NanoSkunkWorkX (nSWX), a Malaysian deep tech startup developing manufacturable graphene systems engineered for breakthrough performance in real-world conditions. Its technologies span green hydrogen production, semiconductors, and diagnostics.
In a statement, the firm noted that this marks its first deep tech investment in Southeast Asia and reflects its ongoing commitment to strengthening Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem by backing globally competitive ventures at the forefront of science and technology.
According to Gobi, the investment was made through the Gobi Dana Impak Ventures (GDIV) Fund, aligned with Khazanah’s Malaysia Investment Strategy under the ‘A Nation That Creates’ framework. It also supports Dana Impak’s strategic goal of advancing Malaysia’s position in the global semiconductor and advanced manufacturing value chain, as part of Khazanah’s broader commitment to Advancing Malaysia. GDIV targets high-potential Malaysian startups with the ability to scale and deliver meaningful national impact.
nSWX’s proprietary platform integrates graphene into industrial materials at low cost and with high energy efficiency—enhancing heat management, electrical conductivity, and chemical reactivity. In clean energy, its graphene-enhanced electrodes improve electrolysis efficiency, paving the way for scalable green hydrogen production. The company is engaging global energy leaders to co-develop system-level platforms and form consortia to accelerate modular hydrogen deployment.
In semiconductors, its solutions aim to enhance chip performance while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost. nSWX is also developing a ruggedised biosensor platform in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Universiti Malaya’s Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre. This platform is being adapted for next-generation field diagnostics in collaboration with health and security partners.
Built on wet electrochemistry and sustainable deposition techniques, nSWX bridges materials science and device engineering—translating lab breakthroughs into industrial solutions.
Founded by Dr Amani Salim, a former NASA principal investigator, and Iqbal Shamsul, an MIT-trained computer scientist and former energy and derivatives trader at Morgan Stanley, the startup is transforming frontier science into practical, high-performance technologies.
“At NanoSkunkWorkX, we evolve ideas from orbital insights into solutions that work on the ground. Science discovers, engineering delivers—that’s our mandate. This partnership with Gobi and Khazanah Nasional Berhad Dana Impak shows that bold deep tech belongs here at home, driven by our people and ideas,” said Dr Amani Salim, co-founder and chief technology officer.
Iqbal Shamsul, co-founder and CEO, added: “We don’t build to impress, we build to endure. This investment validates not just our science, but our stance: Malaysia can lead at the edge of what’s possible. With Gobi and Khazanah Dana Impak, we’re scaling not hype, but hard tech that performs under pressure—in the field, in the fab, and in the fight for a cleaner, smarter future.”
nSWX’s recent accolades include being named Grand Champion of TECH Planter Malaysia 2025 and receiving an invitation to present at the 2024 Hilton Head Workshop, a prestigious conference on deep tech, nanotechnology, and semiconductors—reinforcing its position as an emerging leader in advanced materials.
“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 (pic), co-founder and chairperson of Gobi Partners.
Hisham Ibrahim, managing director, Asean at Gobi Partners, said: “By backing visionary founders like Iqbal and Dr Amani, we are helping to build a stronger, more resilient innovation ecosystem for the country and positioning Malaysia as a hub for deep tech and materials science innovation.”
According to Gobi Partners, nSWX embodies the vision behind GDIV—to support homegrown innovation led by exceptional Malaysian talent. The company’s mission aligns with key national priorities: scaling sovereign capabilities in semiconductors, energy, and health, where materials meet mission. Its founders represent the return and retention of top-tier Malaysian talent and signal the growing maturity of the country’s tech ecosystem.
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Funding marks Gobi’s first deep tech investment in SEA
Investment made via Gobi Dana Impak Ventures to support Malaysia’s semiconductor push
Gobi Partners, a leading Asia-focused venture capital firm, has announced an undisclosed investment in NanoSkunkWorkX (nSWX), a Malaysian deep tech startup developing manufacturable graphene systems engineered for breakthrough performance in real-world conditions. Its technologies span green hydrogen production, semiconductors, and diagnostics.
In a statement, the firm noted that this marks its first deep tech investment in Southeast Asia and reflects its ongoing commitment to strengthening Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem by backing globally competitive ventures at the forefront of science and technology.
According to Gobi, the investment was made through the Gobi Dana Impak Ventures (GDIV) Fund, aligned with Khazanah’s Malaysia Investment Strategy under the ‘A Nation That Creates’ framework. It also supports Dana Impak’s strategic goal of advancing Malaysia’s position in the global semiconductor and advanced manufacturing value chain, as part of Khazanah’s broader commitment to Advancing Malaysia. GDIV targets high-potential Malaysian startups with the ability to scale and deliver meaningful national impact.
nSWX’s proprietary platform integrates graphene into industrial materials at low cost and with high energy efficiency—enhancing heat management, electrical conductivity, and chemical reactivity. In clean energy, its graphene-enhanced electrodes improve electrolysis efficiency, paving the way for scalable green hydrogen production. The company is engaging global energy leaders to co-develop system-level platforms and form consortia to accelerate modular hydrogen deployment.
In semiconductors, its solutions aim to enhance chip performance while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost. nSWX is also developing a ruggedised biosensor platform in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Universiti Malaya’s Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre. This platform is being adapted for next-generation field diagnostics in collaboration with health and security partners.
Built on wet electrochemistry and sustainable deposition techniques, nSWX bridges materials science and device engineering—translating lab breakthroughs into industrial solutions.
Founded by Dr Amani Salim, a former NASA principal investigator, and Iqbal Shamsul, an MIT-trained computer scientist and former energy and derivatives trader at Morgan Stanley, the startup is transforming frontier science into practical, high-performance technologies.
“At NanoSkunkWorkX, we evolve ideas from orbital insights into solutions that work on the ground. Science discovers, engineering delivers—that’s our mandate. This partnership with Gobi and Khazanah Nasional Berhad Dana Impak shows that bold deep tech belongs here at home, driven by our people and ideas,” said Dr Amani Salim, co-founder and chief technology officer.
Iqbal Shamsul, co-founder and CEO, added: “We don’t build to impress, we build to endure. This investment validates not just our science, but our stance: Malaysia can lead at the edge of what’s possible. With Gobi and Khazanah Dana Impak, we’re scaling not hype, but hard tech that performs under pressure—in the field, in the fab, and in the fight for a cleaner, smarter future.”
nSWX’s recent accolades include being named Grand Champion of TECH Planter Malaysia 2025 and receiving an invitation to present at the 2024 Hilton Head Workshop, a prestigious conference on deep tech, nanotechnology, and semiconductors—reinforcing its position as an emerging leader in advanced materials.
“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 (pic), co-founder and chairperson of Gobi Partners.
Hisham Ibrahim, managing director, Asean at Gobi Partners, said: “By backing visionary founders like Iqbal and Dr Amani, we are helping to build a stronger, more resilient innovation ecosystem for the country and positioning Malaysia as a hub for deep tech and materials science innovation.”
According to Gobi Partners, nSWX embodies the vision behind GDIV—to support homegrown innovation led by exceptional Malaysian talent. The company’s mission aligns with key national priorities: scaling sovereign capabilities in semiconductors, energy, and health, where materials meet mission. Its founders represent the return and retention of top-tier Malaysian talent and signal the growing maturity of the country’s tech ecosystem.
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