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The next artificial intelligence revolution could be founded by student innovators, but they need funding

Singapore Management University (SMU) has announced the 60 finalists from over 1,500 applicants worldwide for the 12th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC), which will be held from 29 September to 2 October 2025 at the Singapore City Campus. Thai team 'MUI-Robotics' is one of the finalists.

A prototype does not save the planet. A working pilot might. This stark truth underlies one of the great challenges in the fight against climate change: it’s not enough to invent a clever new climate solution in a lab – we must prove it works in the real world, at scale, and fast. As global temperatures rise and climate impacts accelerate, we have no time or capital to waste on innovations that never leave the drawing board. Every year, governments and companies announce bold sustainability targets, yet the gap between ambition and action yawns wide. Bridging that gap means turning prototypes into pilots, because only then can promising ideas translate into tangible emissions cuts.

Asia’s approach to sustainability can be traced to a unique interplay of strategic policy continuity, high-impact demonstration projects, and robust supply chains. Beyond progressive policies, Asia’s integrated manufacturing ecosystems and surging green finance industry, such as China’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) and Singapore and Hong Kong–based climate bonds, have accelerated clean innovation, from lab-based prototypes to mass-market deployment. For sustainability-focused startups, this confluence of regulatory clarity, industrial depth, and investment exuberance positions Asia as the launchpad for globally relevant solutions.

The climate shifts have unveiled extraordinary opportunities for positive change, with a new generation of entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors collaborating on new solutions and approaches that can reshape Southeast Asia’s sustainable, urban future. At the core of this momentum stands Singapore. With its transparent governance, global outlook, and willingness to adopt emerging technologies on a national scale, Singapore is naturally the frontrunner to be the region’s test bed – where it can be a “living laboratory” for pioneer approaches to urban planning and a sustainable future.

LKYGBPC’s commitment to fostering social ventures through technology and urban innovation has been further amplified for its 2025 edition through our collaboration with the Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise, raiSE, a national ecosystem builder that looks to seed and nurture new and existing Social Enterprises in Singapore. The partnership aims to equip participants with essential resources and expertise to unlock new, innovative ways to further develop the Social Enterprise sector.

Spotlight on the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC) Visionary Partner: Mr. Zhang Fan, Co-Founder, Sequoia Capital China | Four-Time Forbes “Midas List” Honoree - on Empowering Future Innovators

We track down a Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition alumnus from 2006. Games developer extraordinaire Leonard Lin reflects on how the competition has evolved.

The very first intern under SMU’s Global Innovation Immersion programme to go to Sweden was SMU 3rd year Business Management student, Claire Soh – all thanks to the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition.

Four of the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition partners tell us why they believe in the competition.