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Trailblazers - Mentors

Mentorship: The bridge between potential and performance.

Each edition, we assemble a powerhouse of industry leaders, entrepreneurs, academics and investors who generously share their expertise and networks with aspiring startups. This invaluable mentorship empowers our participants to stand on the shoulders of giants to leverage real-world wisdom, overcome challenges, and soar even higher. 

  

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Jeremy Goon
Chief Sustainability Officer
Wilmar International

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Peter Ho
Executive Chairman
HOPE Technik

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Professor Yaacob Ibrahim
Advisor to President of SIT
Singapore Institute of Technology

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Gary Kunis
Former Chief Science Officer
CISCO Systems

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Kheng Nam Lee
Deputy Chairman
Vertex Holdings

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Michele Lemmens
CTO & Head of Business Sustainability for APAC
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

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Hugh Lim
Executive Director
Centre for Liveable Cities

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Liu Xiaowei
Asia Director & Senior Advisor to Secretary General
World Energy Council

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Sugandhi Matta
Chief Impact Officer
abc IMPACT

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Wong Wai Meng
Chief Executive Officer (Data Centres), Data Centres & Networks Division
Keppel Data Centres Holding Pte Ltd

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Ivan Ng
Chief Technology Officer
City Developments Limited

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Andrew Tan
Former Managing Director / Operating Partner
Temasek International

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Pauline Tay
Director
National Health Innovation Centre (NHIC)

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Dave Sivaprasad
Managing Director and Partner
Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

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Kwan Chong Wah
Director of Kwanpen Co-founder / CEO of Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants

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SS Lim
CEO
PTC System (S) Pte Ltd

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Dr James Chung Hui Tan
Orthopaedic and Sports Surgeon
Quantum Orthopaedics

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Dr Claus Rettig
President, Asia Pacific
Evonik (SEA) Pte. Ltd.

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Dr Daniel Tay
Vice President, Emerging Technology Group
Temasek

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Steve Lee Hee Kwang
Chief Information Officer
Singapore Power Limited, Information Technology & Security

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Dr Shawn Vasoo
Executive Director
National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID)

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Dr Carl Firth
Partner
Panacea Venture

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Guo Xiuling
Chief Executive Officer
Nurasa

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Ong Kim Pong
Group CEO
PSA International

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Tan Kah Han
Chief Technology Officer / Senior Director (Unmanned Systems Group/Next Generation Programme Office), Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore

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John Cheng
Founder & CEO
Innovate 360

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Michael Toh
Managing Director
Singapore Water Association

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Prof Chan Choong Meng
Senior Consultant Renal Physician, Department of Renal Medicine
Singapore General Hospital (SGH)

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Yap Chew Loong
Former Country General Manager
Becton Dickenson (BD) China Hong Kong

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Kwek So Cheer
Partner
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

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Cheong Chee Hoo
Chief Executive Officer
DSO National Laboratories

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Associate Prof Henry Ho
Chairman, Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology – SGH and NCCS, Academic Chair, Surgery Academic Clinical Program Executive Director , National Health Innovation Centre (NHIC), Senior Consultant, Dept of Urology - SGH

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Goh Eng Choon
President, Cyber Business Area
ST Engineering

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Alvin Foo
Head of Technology & Sustainability Solutions
PSA Singapore

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Kunna Chinniah
Board Member
Sembcorp Industries, Changi Airports International, Capitaland Ascendas REIT Management, Greenko Energy Holdings

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Ryan KC Chaw
Senior Director, Global ETA
The Coca-Cola Company

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Chok Yean Hung
Board Member and Former CEO
AEM Holdings Ltd

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George Poh
CEO
Unisteel Group

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Dennis Wee Teck Heng
Head Innovation, Data Centres & Networks Division
Keppel Ltd

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Wahab Yusoff
Founding Partner / Acting CEO
Rekanext Capital Partners Pte Ltd

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Sze Thiam Siong
Senior Technical Advisor
Setsco Services Pte Ltd

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Ravinder Singh
Senior Advisor
ST Engineering

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Ng Chun Pin
Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Planning, Corporate and Technology)
National Environment Agency (NEA)

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Sheng Thong Yin
Managing Director – Singapore Group; Senior Vice President - Corporate Planning & Development
NIPSEA

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Robert Yap
Executive Chairman
Swan & Maclaren Group Pte Ltd

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Arunjai Mittal
Chairman
Advanced Micro Foundry

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Jasmmine Wong
Chief Executive Officer
Mobility Abdul Latif Jameel

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Geraldine Chin
Chairman and Managing Director
ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

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Sanjay Anand
Director, Projects & Business Development
Adani Global Pte Ltd.

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Dr Ho Nyok Yong
Chief Operating Officer
Samwoh Corporation Pte Ltd

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Thomas Pang
Senior Managing Director, CEO’s Office
Keppel Ltd

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Clarence Lee
CEO, Lee Yin Apparel International; Honorary Treasurer, Singapore Fashion Council

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Koh Li-Na
Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Director-General
National Environment Agency Singapore

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David Tan
Assistant Chief Executive Officer (Development Group)
JTC Corporation

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Dennis Foo
Founding President
Singapore Nightlife Business Association SNBA

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Ng Yeow Boon
Deputy Chief Executive (Development)
HTX (Home Team Science & Technology Agency) Ministry of Home Affairs

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Dr Rebecca Lian
Chief Technology officer
Green Planet Foods Pte Ltd

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Lee Kok Kin
Group CEO
Cora Environment

Competition Information

The inaugural edition of the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC) was held in 2002.

Named in honour of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister - who can be said to have developed the country’s defining business plan in pitching Singapore into the global spotlight –it was one of the first international business plan competition platforms for the world’s best and brightest next-gen innovators to solve global challenges.

In over two decades since, the competition, which is held every two years, has grown leaps and bounds: From just over 200 submissions from 74 tertiary institutions in 2002, to 1,000 submissions from 1,100 institutions in 2023.

Today, LKYGBPC is a recognised beacon of excellence in global youth innovation. As one of Asia's most globally representative and exciting deep-tech startup challenges, hundreds of next-gen entrepreneurs and leaders in the global innovation ecosystem converge in Singapore for an exciting week of live pitches, networking, mentorship and learning.

Beyond the competition, the platform has become a launchpad for a rising tide of alumni who are continually innovating to make the world a better place.

Focus Areas

Carbon Tech

Solutions to capture, utilize, reduce, or store carbon dioxide, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and leverage data to optimize carbon management, ESG reporting and financing strategies.

Climate Tech

Climate tech utilises climate-resilient infrastructure to reduce emissions and support sustainable development.

Emerging Tech

Advances in science and technologies that address urban solutions and sustainability through the use of AI, cybersecurity, quantum computing, fintech, robotics, biological science, synthetic biology, materials and manufacturing that will ultimately impact people, health, environment and the planet.

Energy Transitions

Advancements in energy generation, storage, transmission, and distribution to facilitate the shift toward renewable sources to enhance grid resilience, optimize energy use, and ensure access to clean energy.

Food & Land Use

Innovative solutions promoting sustainable farming and alternative protein sources that enhance food security and minimise environmental impact.

Green Buildings & Constructions

Energy-efficient materials, smart technologies, and sustainable designs that reduce resource consumption and emissions.

Homeland Security

Advanced surveillance, AI, and cybersecurity solutions that strengthen national resilience and enhance rapid-response capabilities by safeguarding critical infrastructure and public spaces.

Public Health

Digital health, AI and other tech solutions that boost patient outcomes and enhance healthcare access, preventive care and overall community wellness.

Sustainable Materials & Circularity

Innovative materials and recycling technologies that promote renewable resources, extend product life cycles, and reduce waste, enabling closed-loop systems.

Transport & Logistics

Smarter transport networks based on EV infrastructure and mobility optimisation that optimise efficiency, reduce emissions and streamline logistics operations.

Urban Mobility Solutions

Urban mobility technologies such as autonomous vehicles and AI serve to optimise traffic, reduce congestion, and lower carbon emissions.

Water Solutions

Innovations in purification, harness real-time monitoring and AI-driven analysitcs to ensure access to clean water, optimise water usage, detect leaks, and minimise waste.

Rules

  • Each team / startup must have at least one founder, who is a current student or recent alumnus / alumna of a university who graduated within the past 5 years.
  • A “current student” is an individual who is currently enrolled full-time in a polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD programme at a tertiary institution as of 30 April 2025. “Alumni of less than 5 years” is defined as any person who graduated from a tertiary institute from 31 March 2020 onwards
  • There is no restriction on the number of members in a team or company.

Teams will be evaluated based on the following:

  • Innovativeness
  • Commercial Feasibility
  • Impact of Idea
  • Capability to Execute

The following materials will be required for your application during the Preliminary Round. Failure to submit the materials online by the announced deadline will result in disqualification. 

  • Executive Summary
    • Not more than 500 words, in pdf
    • File should be named in this format: Summary_TeamName.pdf
  • Pitch Deck Presentation
    • Not more than 20 slides, in pdf
    • File should be named in this format: Presentation_TeamName.pdf
  • Video presentation (Optional) 
    • This is encouraged but not required.
    • Video should be no longer than 5 minutes with preference for mp4.
    • File should be named in this format: Video_TeamName.mp4

All submitted materials must be the original work of the participating team.

Each team is eligible to submit one idea. In the event of multiple submissions by a team, the last submission made by the team by the deadline will be considered for evaluation.

All submitted executive summary and pitch deck presentation can only be in English.

All timings indicated are in the Singapore time zone (+0800 GMT).

Categories

Category 0 to 1:

Pre-revenue teams driving commercialization opportunities with transformative potential in urban solutions and sustainability

  • Academic research that drives groundbreaking deep-tech solutions, fostering commercialisation opportunities to tackle challenges in urban solutions and sustainability. These innovations may still require validation but promise transformative impact.
  • Team is in initial phases of ideation up to having a minimum viable product (MVP) that has yet to be launched in the market
  • Each team / startup must have at least one founder, who is a current student or recent alumnus / alumna of a university who graduated within the past 5 years.
  • A “current student” is an individual who is currently enrolled full-time in a polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD programme at a tertiary institution as of 30 April 2025. “Alumni of less than 5 years” is defined as any person who graduated from a tertiary institute from 31 March 2020 onwards.
  • Individuals who were previously enrolled full-time in any of the programmes, but who dropped out between 31 March 2020 and 30 April 2025, are also eligible to apply.
  • There is no restriction on the number of members in a team or company.

Category 1 to Infinity:

Revenue-generating early stage start-ups, up to Series A

  • Startup is in the phase of initial sales or looking to scale
  • The product or service has launched in the market, and the startup is seeking its next customer(s) and/or to enter a new market
  • Each team / startup must have at least one founder, who is a current student or recent alumnus / alumna of a university who graduated within the past 5 years.
  • A “current student” is an individual who is currently enrolled full-time in a polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD programme at a tertiary institution as of 30 April 2025. “Alumni of less than 5 years” is defined as any person who graduated from a tertiary institute from 31 March 2020 onwards.
  • Individuals who were previously enrolled full-time in any of the programmes, but who dropped out between 31 March 2020 and 30 April 2025, are also eligible to apply.
  • There is no restriction on the number of members in a team or company.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

The Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC) is an international competition designed to inspire and empower young entrepreneurs. It provides a platform for students and startups to present their innovative business ideas to industry leaders, investors, and potential partners.

2,500 Best Minds represents the peer learning network at the heart of the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC) — bringing together visionary founders with mentors, judges, and industry leaders to exchange ideas, share insights, and scale their innovations. Together, they power 1 Epic Competition—a global deep-tech platform that fosters collaboration, accelerates learning, and empowers the next generation of changemakers to tackle the world’s most pressing urban and sustainability challenges.

This competition is open to all next gen startup founders. To be eligible, the team or startup must have at least one founder who is a current tertiary student or a recent tertiary graduate (within the last five years). 

Category and Composition

Category 0 to 1: Pre-revenue teams/startups with novel technology or business model innovations

  • Technology innovations that have emerged from academic research with commercialisation opportunities that may or may not be fully validated
  • Innovative business models that may or may not be fully validated
  • Team is in initial phases of ideation up to having a minimum viable product (MVP) that has yet to be launched in the market
  • Each team / startup must have at least one founder, who is a current student or recent alumni of less than 5 years.
  • “Current student” is defined as any person who is enrolled in a full-time polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD programme at a tertiary institute.
  • “Alumni of less than 5 years” is defined as any person who has graduated at a tertiary institute from 31 March 2020 onwards.
  • Persons who were previously enrolled full-time in a polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD program but dropped out between 31 March 2020 and 30 April 2025 are also eligible to apply.
  • There is no restriction on the number of members in a team or company

Category 1 to Infinity: Revenue-generating early stage start-ups, up to Series A

  • Startup is in phases of initial sales or looking to scale
  • Typically, product or service has launched in the market, and is seeking their next customer(s) and/or to enter a new market
  • Each team / startup must have at least one founder, who is a current student or recent alumni of less than 5 years.
  • “Current student” is defined as any person who is enrolled in a full-time polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD programme at a tertiary institute.
  • “Alumni of less than 5 years” is defined as any person who has graduated at a tertiary institute from 31 March 2020 onwards.
  • Persons who were previously enrolled full-time in a polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD program but dropped out between 31 March 2020 and 30 April 2025 are also eligible to apply.
  • There is no restriction on the number of members in a team or company

To apply, the following materials will be required for your application during the Preliminary Round. Failure to submit the materials online by the announced deadline will result in disqualification. 

  • Complete an application form on the official platform.
  • Executive Summary
    • Not more than 500 words, in pdf
    • File should be named in this format: Summary_TeamName.pdf
  • Pitch Deck Presentation
    • Not more than 20 slides, in pdf
    • File should be named in this format: Presentation_TeamName.pdf
  • Video presentation (Optional) 
    • This is encouraged but not required.
    • Video should be no longer than 5 minutes with preference for mp4.
    • File should be named in this format: Video_TeamName.mp4
  • All submitted materials must be the original work of the participating team.

Open for submission: 6th January 2025, 23:59 SGT (GMT +8).
Final submission deadline: 30th April 2025, 23:59 SGT (GMT +8).

Stand to win the early-bird perks if you submit your application by 5 Mar 2025.

  • 3 Lucky Early-Bird Teams
    Submit your application early for a chance to be one of three lucky teams to win an all-access pass to the LKYGBPC Grand Finals week in Singapore. This exclusive opportunity gives you unparallel access to Asia’s top innovators and leaders during the F1 Night Race week. For overseas startups, flights and accommodation will be covered.
  • Top 3 Highest-Ranked Early-Bird Teams
    Even if you’re not selected as a finalist, your early application could still secure you a spot! The three highest-ranked Early Bird teams that do not make it to the Top 50 finalists will also win the same all-access pass. Flights and accommodation will be included for overseas startups.

Apply early to maximize your chances of being part of this exclusive experience!

Upon successful registration, you will receive a confirmation email from the platform. If you do not receive this confirmation, please contact us through the Chat function on Agorize.

Yes, you can edit your participant profile and update most details after registration. However, you cannot change your email address. If you need to update it, you will need to delete your current account and create a new one with the desired email.

There is no restriction on the number of members in your team or startup, but only one representative from each team will act as the official point of contact for the competition.

Each team is eligible to submit one idea. In the event of multiple submissions by a team, the last submission made by the team by the deadline will be considered for evaluation.

All pitch decks must be submitted in English. However, if you advance to the Grand Finals, we may provide a translator to assist you in pitching live in your native language.

All submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
  • Innovativeness
  • Commercial Feasibility
  • Impact of Idea
  • Capability to Execute

The final pitch event will be held in-person at Singapore Management University from 29 September to 02 October 2025.


Further details will be provided on the official website closer to the event.

Yes, winners will receive significant prizes, including cash awards, scholarships, and opportunities for mentorship with entrepreneurs and investors. There is also global recognition for the top teams.

Teams must fully participate in-person in LKYGBPC Grand Finals from 29 September 2025 – 2 October 2025. 

Failure to participate in any event during the competition may result in forfeiture of all prizes.

DateMilestone
06 January – 30 April 2025Launch of Competition and call for applications
May 2025Preliminary Screening
May – June 2025Announcement of RVLT 50*
June – August 2025Through mentoring, networking, and learning, the RVLT 50 teams will gain valuable knowledge.
September – October 2025LKYGBPC Grand Finals in Singapore


*Two members from the RVLT 50 will be eligible for sponsored airfare and accommodation trip to Singapore. Out of the two members, one member must be the main applicant.

Registration for and participation in the competition is free, with no purchase or payment obligation.
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