Singapore’s calling all start-ups
Young start-ups and innovators with entrepreneurial visions from around the world are invited to enter the 10th edition of the “Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC)” to vie for prizes worth up to S$1 million, (22.1 million baht).
Organised by the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) at Singapore Management University (SMU), this is a platform for all full-time university and polytechnic students and recent university alumni (who graduated up to five years ago) to submit their fresh, innovative and entrepreneurial ideas under the theme “Reimagine Smart, Sustainable And Resilient Cities”.
Their sustainable urban innovations can focus on any of the following areas — public health, wellness and safety, infrastructure and industry, air, water, food and waste, energy and grid, built environment and real estate, transportation and mobility, government tech and civil solutions, and cybersecurity. Applicable technologies that facilitate solutions for the aforementioned areas may include blockchain, virtual and augmented reality, data analytics and artificial intelligence, internet of things, 5G, robotics and more.
The competition has two categories: pre-revenue teams with disruptive technology or business model innovations, and revenue-generating early stage start-ups, up to Series A. All teams are required to submit their pitch for their innovations, products and services centred on the theme. An international panel of judges will select the top 50 entries to compete at the finals. They will receive an all-expenses paid trip for two to Singapore to partake in a one-week immersion programme.
Of the 50 entries, the very top from each category will advance to the Grand Finals, scheduled for March 20 of next year. Each winning team from the two categories will be awarded S$100,000, while the top 50 finalists will also stand a chance to win other thematic cash, investment and in-kind prizes.
The submission deadline is Nov 17. Visit smu.edu.sg/lky.