JAZRO Robotic Academy (JAZRO), a robotics education startup incubated by PETRONAS Innovation Garage (PING), has announced an investment of RM1.2 million from Gobi Partners through the Khazanah Nasional Berhad-backed Gobi Dana Impak Ventures (GDIV) fund.
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This strategic investment will enable JAZRO to expand its educational offerings and reach more young learners, nurturing a new generation of tech-savvy innovators.
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Founded in 2020 by Ir. Dzulfarqeish Bin Zainuddin, alongside co-founders Yasser Rabanie and Khoirun Nisah, JAZRO is dedicated to enabling inclusive education for all children through its specially curated robotic education programme. The company’s inception was inspired by the lack of robotics programmes available when Dzulfarqeish sought to enrol his son while working as an engineer in Kerteh. The absence of structured robotics education programmes in Malaysia presented a significant gap amidst rising demand for technological advancement. Since then, JAZRO has expanded its operations to Kerteh, Kuala Terengganu, Chukai, and Cyberjaya, providing robotic education to over 50,000 students.
The company’s engaging curriculum is designed to cater to diverse learning needs, ensuring that every child, regardless of their background or abilities, can thrive in a technology-driven environment. The programme emphasises hands-on experiences in robotics and coding to spark curiosity and ingenuity and has garnered awards from TERAJU SUPERB 2021 and CRADLE MYStartup MYHackathon 2022. As part of its commitment to providing inclusive robotic education, JAZRO has expanded its business segment to include robotic education specifically tailored for autistic children, delivered by specially trained tutors in collaboration with occupational therapists, to help these children develop cognitive, communication, and social skills.
JAZRO is one of the four employee startups incubated under PETRONAS Innovation Garage (PING), PETRONAS’ internal incubator for employees to develop ideas into investible startups. Established in 2023, PING provides selected employees with entrepreneurship development programmes, coaching, access to resources, and funding, supported by policies that allow them to build their businesses as founders of their own startups.
JAZRO Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Ir. Dzulfarqeish Bin Zainuddin said: “We are deeply grateful for this significant investment, which validates our vision and empowers us to accelerate growth. This milestone is a testament to our team’s hard work and the trust our investors have placed in us. We are committed to driving innovation and creating value for the communities we serve. We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, discover, and explore the exciting world of robotics”.
PING Chief Executive Officer, Zafirah Bahiyyah Zulkifli, said: “We are immensely proud of JAZRO’s achievements under Dzulfarqeish’s leadership and the positive impact they are making in education. As the incubator for employee-driven ventures, our role is to support innovative employees like Dzulfarqeish by providing him with the support he needs to build a thriving startup.”
Gobi Partners, a leading Asia-focused venture capital firm, empowers underserved entrepreneurs who drive meaningful community impact and innovation in emerging markets. The investment in JAZRO reflects Gobi’s mission to bridge the digital divide by supporting startups that provide access to quality education and essential tools for success in the digital economy.
Gobi Partners Managing Partner (Malaysia), Jamaludin Bujang said: “Our partnership with JAZRO reflects Gobi Partners’ dedication to nurturing startups that drive social impact through technology. We are confident that with our support, JAZRO will continue to expand its reach and inspire the next generation of innovators across the region.”
GDIV is part of Khazanah’s Future Malaysia Programme (FMP), an initiative under the sovereign wealth fund’s Dana Impak (Impact Fund) mandate, with the aim to support the Malaysian start-up ecosystem. Dana Impak is a key pillar of Khazanah’s Advancing Malaysia strategy that aims to deliver socioeconomic impact for Malaysia across six themes – Digital Society and Technology, Quality Health and Education for all, Decent Work and Social Mobility, Food and Energy Security, Building Climate Resilience, and Competing in Global Markets.
The investment from Gobi Partners will enable JAZRO to expand its reach, enhance its educational programmes, and develop innovative robotics solutions. By making robotics education more accessible, JAZRO aims to equip the younger generation with essential skills to thrive in the digital age and contribute to Malaysia’s economic growth. This aligns with the Malaysian government’s policy, Dasar Pendidikan Digital, which aims to close the gap in digital literacy among students and educators.
About JAZRO
JAZRO Robotic Academy (JAZRO) is a robotics education company which aims to develop digital talents in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) with specially curated contents for students from the age of 7-17 to learn, discover and explore robotics & coding via fun learning method, in line with Industrial Revolution 4.0 future career opportunities and needs.
About PING23 Sdn. Bhd.
PING23 Sdn Bhd or PETRONAS Innovation Garage (PING) is a wholly owned subsidiary of PETRONAS Leadership Centre, dedicated to employee-driven innovation and entrepreneurship. As a corporate incubator, PING offers coaching, mentoring, funding, access to network and facilities, supported by entrepreneur-friendly policies that would enable selected employees to dedicate themselves to their ventures as founders of their startups, creating value for the organisation and beyond.
At PING, employees progress through multiple stages from idea validation to venture building before pitching and showcasing their solutions to a panel of judges at PING Demo Day. Successful participants are offered a one-year employment contract with PING to continue building their startups under the company’s support. Since its inception in 2023, PING has incubated 20 projects, of which 4 were transferred internally for further development within PETRONAS Group and 5 launched as independent start-ups.
