A clear strategy to enhance the MPA cross-sections whilst independently tuning the emissive wavelengths of semiconductor QDs using seeded CdSe/CdS nanorod heterostructures is presented. MPA cross-sections as large as 2-3 orders and two-photon pumped ASE with threshold fluence 1-2 orders smaller compared to CdSe/CdS QDs were achieved using these heterostructures. © 2012 OSA.