See the latest winners of Start-Up@Singapore entrepreneurship contest
Start-ups solving societal problems bagged wins.
Start-Up@Singapore, Singapore’s biggest and longest running entrepreneurship competition, announced that Sorgen won the Biz Venture Category by focusing on the elderly and developing “intelligent” walking frames. Equipped with “Glyde Safe” wheels, these walkers can be glided along, and come with an auto-brake system, solving the problem that many elderly people face when they have to lift their walking frames.
QikRehab, the winner of the Product Showcase category, has invented a handheld device that can serve as a rehabilitation and therapy tool. Fil’O, who placed 3rd in the same category, has developed a series of graphic and visual tools that enable deaf parents communicate with their infants.
Silver Caregivers, the winner of the Social Entrepreneurship category of the competition, focusses on empowering family caregivers. They do this by organizing skill training, social events, preferred pricing and employment help workshops.
Other winners include LeLux, a jewellery processing start-up and JMTV, a video-monetizing tool.
The winners of the competition walked away with S$85,000 in cash, and three of them shall be selected to receive the S$50,000 ACE Start-Up Grant. They shall also be pre-incubated by NUS Enterprise Incubator. During the Awards Ceremony, 28 Finalists pitched their business ideas to a panel of Judges and to the audience. Over 460 attendees ensured a full-house at the Stephen Riady Auditorium in the NUS University Town.
The event was graced by Mr. Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister, Ministry of Culture, Communications and Youth. In his Keynote Address, Mr. Wong spoke about the need to inculcate an entrepreneurial mindset in people, and how perseverance was an important virtue for aspiring entrepreneurs.