USM PENANG, 23 Sept. 2022 – Today marks a historic and memorable day for USM, Biotenova and Bioscenergy!

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) via the USM Centre for Innovation and Consultation (CIC), today for the first time signed a Share Sale Agreement with Bioscenergy International Sdn. Bhd. (BSI).

This event is unique as it involves a USM spin-off company, Biotenova Sdn. Bhd., with the aim of working together, to grow and to commercialise innovative products from Biotenova.

The event is one of the strategic moves by CIC in achieving the vision of becoming an innovation-driven nation, and with strategic partnership being one of USM key strategic aims, CIC is moving fast to promote high-impact and sustainable entrepreneurial activities and to nurture the mindsets of individuals on entrepreneurial behaviours and skills.

Signing on behalf of USM were the USM Director of Corporate Strategic Development, Muhamad Sabri Said, together with the Biotenova Sdn. Bhd Directors and Founders, Dr. Tan Joo Shun who is also a lecturer at the School of Industrial Technology and Ho Rhu Yann, a pharmacist from the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and along with Bioscenergy International Sdn. Bhd. Director, Wong Chin Cheang.

Biotenova is built based on two intellectual properties relating to postbiotics, which are being extracted from two unique probiotic strains, both exhibiting comparable antimicrobial activities to antibiotics against superbugs, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities.

With the support and help from BSI, it is hoped that Biotenova will grow and continue to give value back to the community and USM will continue to provide assistance in its best capacity and expertise to help Biotenova become one of the pioneers in postbiotic research and development (R&D) and manufacturing in the region.

USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan congratulated all those involved, in particular USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation, Professor Dato’ Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed and USM CIC Director, Professor Ir. Dr. Srimala Sreekantan, on the success of the University’s first share sale event.

“It’s really fantastic to see this happening, all the more as the USM Start-up/Spin-off (SUSO) Residency Ecosystem was only set up less than 2 years ago. To date, we have 20 enterprises up and ready to move forward,” he added.

Text: Nur Farrah Ezlin Mohd Suhaimi/Photo: Mohamad Zaidi Jaini