What began as a university innovation project has evolved into one of Sarawak’s most promising sustainable aquaculture startups. For Pavithran Julieus and his team at Lettuboost Enterprise, the mission is simple yet ambitious — transform invasive aquatic waste into affordable, sustainable fish feed while helping local farmers reduce costs and improve food security.
The idea behind Lettuboost first took shape during Pavithran’s bachelor’s degree research, where he explored the potential of water lettuce as an alternative feed ingredient.
“Lettuboost started out as a group innovation project and later became my final year project,” said Pavithran. “At the same time, I noticed two real issues — unused invasive biomass and the rising cost of commercial fish feed.”
Across Samarahan, Serian and Asajaya, lakes and waterways are frequently overwhelmed by invasive water lettuce. The fast-growing aquatic plant forms dense mats that block sunlight, reduce oxygen levels, and contribute to eutrophication, severely affecting aquatic ecosystems.
“Tonnes of these plants are discarded as waste because their rapid growth covers the surface of lakes,” Pavithran explained. “But we discovered that water lettuce is rich in minerals and nutrients such as selenium, which can promote growth in plants and animals. Throwing it away felt incredibly wasteful.”
That discovery sparked the foundation for Lettuboost — converting invasive biomass into something useful: a locally sourced, sustainable and cost-friendly fish feed alternative for aquaculture farmers.
From University Bet to Award-Winning Startup
What transformed the project from research into a startup was an unexpected challenge among friends.
Pavithran shared that his co-founder, Zul, who previously operated a service-based startup called RapidBarber, saw potential in the innovation after witnessing the decline of on-demand grooming services following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Zul made a bet with me and our co-founder Neil,” Pavithran recalled. “He said if we could win the VIBES Initiative competition hosted by VELESTO Energy and SEDC, then we would seriously kickstart the startup.”
The gamble paid off.
The team secured second place at the competition and went on to win the Shell LiveWIRE Sarawak 2025 during the same week, marking a major turning point for the company.
Another pivotal moment came through mentorship from Madam Zety, a former Shell LiveWIRE national winner, who advised the team to narrow their focus.
“At the time, our startup was known as NutriLett and it was both a fish feed and soil booster product,” said Pavithran. “She told us we were being too ambitious and encouraged us to focus on our strongest product. That advice completely changed our direction — from innovation into a real business.”
Tackling Two Major Problems at Once
At its core, Lettuboost addresses two interconnected challenges facing the aquaculture industry: rising feed costs and environmental degradation.
Conventional fish feed heavily depends on imported ingredients such as fish meal and soybean meal, exposing farmers to volatile global prices and supply chain instability.
“Feed can account for up to 60 to 70 percent of operational costs for fish farmers,” Pavithran noted. “Many small-scale farmers are struggling with shrinking profit margins because of rising feed prices.”
Beyond economic pressures, traditional feed production also contributes to environmental concerns including overfishing and deforestation associated with soy cultivation.
At the same time, uncontrolled water lettuce growth continues to damage freshwater ecosystems by depleting oxygen levels and worsening water quality.
“Lettuboost tackles both issues simultaneously,” Pavithran said. “We reduce dependence on imported feed ingredients while helping restore aquatic ecosystems through the removal and reuse of invasive plants.”
The result is a circular bioeconomy model where environmental waste becomes economic value.
Building a Sustainable Aquaculture Ecosystem
Unlike many feed producers reliant on imported raw materials, Lettuboost sources its primary ingredient locally, creating both cost and supply advantages.
“Our raw material is currently freely available,” Pavithran explained. “Even when we scale and start paying communities or farmers for collection, our costs will still remain significantly lower than imported alternatives.”
The startup is also creating opportunities for local communities by establishing decentralized collection systems for water lettuce harvesting.
“Instead of treating water lettuce as waste, communities can collect and supply it as an additional income source,” he said. “It creates a more circular and inclusive supply chain.”
Currently, Lettuboost has developed a working prototype and completed initial pilot testing, with early results showing promising fish growth performance and strong feed acceptance.
The team now plans to scale production through investments in grinders, mixers and pelletizing machinery capable of producing up to 10 tonnes of feed weekly during the initial production phase.
Alongside scaling efforts, the startup is investing heavily in research and development to improve protein content and digestibility through methods such as solid-state fermentation (SSF).
“SSF allows us to improve protein levels, reduce fibre, and enhance nutrient absorption,” Pavithran said. “It can transform low-value biomass into higher-value feed ingredients.”
A Vision Beyond Fish Feed
While aquaculture remains Lettuboost’s immediate focus, the company’s long-term ambitions stretch far beyond fish farming.
“In five years, we want Lettuboost to become a leading sustainable feed company in Southeast Asia,” Pavithran said.
The startup plans to diversify into poultry and livestock feed using other locally abundant biomass sources such as Azolla, Napier grass and Salvinia.
Further ahead, the team envisions integrating advanced biotechnology approaches, including CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, to improve feed efficiency, disease resistance and livestock performance.
“For non-scientific audiences, CRISPR is essentially a precision tool for improving natural traits safely and effectively,” Pavithran explained. “We see potential for Malaysia and Sarawak to become hubs for sustainable feed and biotechnology innovation.”
Growing Through Collaboration
Lettuboost also believes partnerships will be key to scaling its impact.
Among the startups the company hopes to collaborate with is AquFish, whose digital aquaculture solutions align closely with Lettuboost’s sustainability goals.
“We see strong synergy between sustainable feed innovation and digital aquaculture management,” Pavithran said. “Together, we could accelerate the adoption of smarter and more sustainable farming practices.”
As the company transitions from prototype to commercialisation, Pavithran remains grounded in the realities of startup building — especially as a university founder.
“Building Lettuboost during university has been challenging but incredibly rewarding,” he reflected. “We’re still learning every day, whether it’s investor discussions, scaling challenges, or refining our business strategy. But that constant learning mindset is what keeps us moving forward.”
For Lettuboost Enterprise, the journey is not simply about creating another fish feed product. It is about reshaping how sustainability, biotechnology and local resources can work together to build a more resilient future for Malaysia’s aquaculture industry.