DAdvance Agarwood Solutions

DAdvance Agarwood Solutions (DAAS) is a Malaysian biotechnology firm focused on the agarwood industry, operating as a fully integrated entity from upstream plantation management to downstream consumer products. The company's origins trace back to 2008 when founder David Liew began research and development on an inoculation vaccine for cultivated agarwood. After a decade of persistent effort, Liew achieved a significant breakthrough in 2019, leading to the formal establishment of the company with his business partner, Davidoff Lim. This journey began after Liew, then working in the palm oil sector, was intrigued by the high price of agarwood perfume and was introduced to the industry.

DAAS addresses the challenge of inconsistent and low-yield resin formation in cultivated Aquilaria trees. The company’s core product is the DAdvance Agritech Vaccine (DATV), a proprietary, all-natural inoculation bio-serum. This vaccine is engineered to stimulate agarwood resin formation, reportedly increasing yields by up to 85% per tree within an 18 to 24-month synthesis period. The business operates a multifaceted model. It provides inoculation services, plantation management, and processing for B2B clients, namely agarwood plantation owners. For owners lacking capital, DAAS offers a joint-venture program, sharing profits in exchange for services. The company also has a B2C arm, marketing agarwood-based wellness and personal care products under its brand, Nan Yang Chen Xiang (NYCX). Its revenue streams are diversified across these B2B services and B2C product sales, with a strategic focus on expanding B2B partnerships for trading raw materials like wood chips, oil, and hydrosol water.

In December 2022, the company successfully raised RM1.923 million through an equity crowdfunding campaign to fund the expansion of its R&D and manufacturing capabilities. A significant portion of these funds was allocated to increasing the number of distillation machines at its Malacca factory to boost agarwood oil output by a projected 500%. DAAS has forged key strategic partnerships to enhance its technological edge and market reach. A memorandum of understanding with Huawei Technologies aims to implement Agriculture 4.0 solutions, using IoT and 5G for precision data collection on plantations. The company also collaborates with several Malaysian universities on improving distillation processes and developing skincare products. To penetrate the European market, DAAS has an agreement with Tropical Extracts Sdn Bhd as an exclusive distributor.

Keywords: agarwood inoculation, gaharu, oud oil, Aquilaria, biotechnology, sustainable agriculture, agri-tech, DAdvance Agritech Vaccine, plantation management, resin formation, Malaysia agriculture, David Liew, wood chips, hydrosol, Nan Yang Chen Xiang, crop science, natural resin, essential oils, fragrance industry, forestry products