Trailblazers - Judges

The Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC) is honoured to onboard an esteemed international judging panel comprising leaders from industry, academia, venture capital firms, and government establishments.

The mission of LKYGBPC is to identify the revolutionary top 50 or RVTL50 deep-tech university startups from thousands of global applicants—and to celebrate the most influential change-makers within this group. The panel of international judges plays a critical role in upholding the highest standards of evaluation, ensuring a rigorous and impartial selection process.

A subset of the over 200 international judges supporting the LKYGBPC is featured below.

Mario Fernandez
Head of Catalyst
Breakthrough Energy [US]

Joyce Ng
General Partner
iGlobe Partners [Singapore]

Cyril Ebersweiler
General Partner
SOSV [Singapore]

Daniel TAY
VP, Emerging Technologies
Temasek

Prof Shlomo Magdassi
Professor of Chemistry
Hebrew University of Jerusalem [Israel]

Prof Catherine Morency
Canada Research Chair in the Mobility of People
Polytechnique Montréal [Canada]

Prof Paul Davidson
Director, Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation
UIUC [US]

Prof Romildo D. Toledo Filho
CEO
UFRJ Science Park [Brazil]

Ms Leslie ZAMBELLI
Asia Senior Investment Director for Environment / Sustainable Development
Schneider Electric [Singapore]

Karndee LEOPAIROTE
Executive Vice President
Foresight and Innovation, FutureTales Lab, MQDC [Thailand]

Dr Lee Shiang Long
Group CTO
ST Engineering [Singapore]

Genevieve Soh
Chief Product & Strategy Officer
Climate Impact X [Singapore]

Frank Levinson
Co-Founder and General Partner
Convergent Ventures [US]

Shingo Hori
Managing Director
Kajima Ventures Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Dr LEE Song Hao
Associate Director
Vertex Holdings [Singapore]

James Tang
Partner
Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers (KPCB) [China]

Prof Tuuli Toivonen
Professor
University of Helsinki [Finland]

Prof Carolina Rojas Quezada
Director of R&D
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile [Chile]

Prof Kerry Kirwan
Deputy Pro-Vice Cancellor (Research)
University of Warwich [UK]

Prof Neven Duić
Power Engineering and Energy Management Chair
University of Zagreb [Croatia]

Wanweera Rachdawong
CEO
Thailand Management Association (TMA) [Thailand]

Caroline Liow
Managing Director
Deutsche Bank [Singapore]

Seungho Lee
CEO
DeltaTech-Korea [South Korea]

Jose Arnulfo Batac
Senior Assistant Vice President - Corporate Ventures
Metaworld Corporation [Philippines]

Jeffrey Paine
Founding Managing Partner
Golden Gate Ventures [Singapore]

Farhan Firdaus
Partner
Meet Ventures [Singapore]

Neha Poddar
Partner
Good Startup [Singapore]

Andrew Hyung
CFO / Director
Valuence Ventures [US]

Prof. Hadas Mamane
Professor
Tel Aviv U [Israel]

Dr Chun-Ting LIN
COO, Operations Center for Industry Collaboration
National Tsing Hua University [Taiwan]

Prof Peter D. Lund
Professor, Department of Applied Physics and Professor
Aalto University [Finland]

Prof George Georghiou
Professor and Director
University of Cyprus [Cyprus]

David Golding
Head of Global Innovation Partnerships
Innovate UK [UK]

Mr NG Keng Wei
Group Director & CTO
NEA [Singapore]

Dr Einar Olavi MANTYLA
CEO
Auðna Tæknitorg (TTO Iceland) [Iceland]

Dr Ng Wai Kiong
Executive Director, ISCE2
A*STAR [Singapore]

Prof Lee Pooi See
Vice President (International Engagement) President's Chair in Materials Science and Engineering Professor, School of Materials Science & Engineering
NTU [Singapore]

Prof Xiwang Zhang
Director of UQ Dow Centre, and Director of ARC Centre of Excellence for Electrochemical Transformation of Carbon Dioxide (GetCO2)
University of Queensland [Australia]

Dr Nikhil Agarwal
Managing Director, FITT-IITDelhi
Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi [India]

Prof. Stephen Cummings
Professor of Innovation
Victoria University of Wellington [New Zealand]

Karen Tay
Chief of Staff
ENGIE South East Asia [Singapore]

Guah Eng Hock
Director
SG Enviro Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Ryan Chaw
Senior Director, Global Scouting, Global Strategy and Corporate Development
The Coca Cola Company [Singapore]

Jordi Rafols
CEO
Innoget [Spain]

Dr Chung-Chih Wu
Vice President, R&D
National Taiwan University [Taiwan]

Prof. Dr. Habibah Wahab
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation
Universiti Sains Malaysia [Malaysia]

Prof Ivan Lee
Vice President
SIT [Singapore]

Dr Haji Masairol Haji Masri
Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Industry Engagement and Enterprise Development)
Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) [Brunei Darussalam]

Sanjay Velappan
Investor
Berkeley SkyDeck Fund [US]

Tim Zhang
Vice President
GIC [Singapore]

Mr PHEY Teck Moh
Partner & Co-founder
AngelCentral [Singapore]

Axel Tan
Venture Partner
IMC Ventures [Singapore]

Dr Kim Shin Cheul
Associate VP for Research & Development (Knowledge Transfer)
The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology [Hong Kong]

Prof Robert Rosner
Professor, Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics; Enrico Fermi Institute
U of Chicago [US]

Dr Reem AL-FAYEZ
Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center
University of Jordan [Jordan]

Prof Subodh Mhaisalkar
Executive Director for Academic Research
National Research Foundation [Singapore]

Mr George POH
CEO
Unisteel Technology Ltd [Singapore]

Elif İŞGÖR ÖNEN
COO
Sistem Global [Turkey]

Mr Alex SZABO
Partner & Managing Director
Stryber [Singapore]

Dr. Agus Muhamad Hatta
Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, Cooperation, and Alumni
Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) [Indonesia]

Ir Prof Anderson H.C. Shum
Vice-President (Research)
City University of Hong Kong [Hong Kong]

Dr Sovila Srun
Director
Royal University of Phnom Penh [Cambodia]

Apiwat Thongprasert
Managing Director
VISUP / VISTEC [Thailand]

Dr WONG Mun Yew
Managing Partner
Greenwillow Capital Management [Singapore]

Terence Teo
Senior Principal, Investments
EDBI Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Kirby Leo
Managing Director
Principled Investments [Singapore]

Pang Chan Yip
Executive Director
Vertex Ventures [Singapore]

Prof. em. Dr. Ralph Eichler
Professor Emeritus at the Department of Physics
ETH Zurich [Switzerland]

Prof M.N. Kaumal
Director, University Business Linkage (UBL)
University of Colombo [Sri Lanka]

Dr. Heba KAOUD
Director Of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO)
Nile University [Egypt]

Prof Ariuntsetseg Lkhagva
Professor, Department of Biology
National University of Mongolia [Mongolia]

Sandra Speer
Head of the Transfer Center enaCom
Universität Bonn [Germany]

Prof Osamu Watanabe
President
INPIT [Japan]

Dr Jonathan Low
Assistant CEO
ARTC [Singapore]

Dr Niclas NILSSON
Director of Innovation
Lund University [Sweden]

NG Choon Peng
Co-founder / CEO
ImmunoScape [Singapore]

Johnson Paul
Director, Group Strategy, Business Development
Meinhardt Singapore Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Matthew Choo
Director
NTUC Congress [Singapore]

David Lee
Independent Non-Executive Director
Maybank Singapore Ltd [Singapore]

Dr Wanwipa (Jeab) S
Deal Partner
Vectors Capital [Thailand]

Douglas PERIS
Partner
Founders Bridge [Singapore]

Vadim SHPAK
Operating Managing Director
Vickers Venture Partners [Singapore]

Prof. Christopher Gordon
Professor
University of Ghana [Ghana]

Dr Pham Tan Thi
Director
HCMUT [Vietnam]

Martin Spraggon Hernandez
Dean / Professor
Canadian University Dubai [United Arab Emirates]

Dr Jifeng ZHANG
Director, Smart Energy Research Center
Yangtze Delta Region Instiute of Tsinghua University [China]

Ms Av. İdil Hazer
Director, Technology Transfer Office
Middle East Technical University [Turkey]

Ms Caroline ARUOJA
Manager, TalTech Startup Centre
Tallinn University of Technology [Estonia]

Mr Alvaro Ossa Daruich
Director Innovación
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile [Chile]

Dr Chava V. Saradhi
Deputy Director
NTUitive Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Mr Clarence TAN
Founder
Origgin Ventures Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Shawn TAN
General Partner
TRIVE Digital [Singapore]

Kevin MOON
Investment Director
Amand Ventures [Singapore]

Shwetank VERMA
Managing Partner
Leo Capital [Singapore]

Naveen ASRANI
Head - Strategic Product & Growth, Digital Native Businesses and Software
Amazon Web Services Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Kirill PERFILIEV
SVP
NTUC Enterprise [Singapore]

Patrick LIM
CEO
Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) [Singapore]

Shankar KRISHNAMOORTHY
Co-Founder and Director
Aspire Systems Global Pte Ltd [Singapore]

NEO Weisheng
Partner
Qualgro Partners [Singapore]

Ben CHEAH
Partner
Innoven Capital SEA [Singapore]

BOBBY MAHASITH
CEO & Founder
GreenrocketVC [Singapore]

Dr Ngin Hoon Tong
Senior Director
SFA [Singapore]

Dr Nedeljko Milosavljević
Co Director
Labena Ventures [Serbia]

Dr Ang Yee Gary
Consultant
National Healthcare Group [Singapore]

Mr Rohan McDougall
Director of IP Commercialisation
Curtin University [Australia]

Marek DAWIDOWICZ
YouTube Marketing Director
Google [Singapore]

Amit KAISTHA
Global Head of Partnerships
Qapita Pte Ltd [Singapore]

TAY Kok Chin
Executive Director
Smart Cities Council [Singapore]

Mr David YIN
Partner
GSR Ventures [Singapore]

Mr Anand GOVINDALURI
Founding Director & CEO
Govin Capital [Singapore]

Raymond Choong
Venture Partner
Focus Tech Ventures [Singapore]

Ghanshyam AHUJA
Managing Partner
Thinkuvate Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Harish METHIL
Managing Director
AmpUp Advisory Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Timo UUSTAL
Co-Founder / CEO
Nursebeam [Singapore]

Ryan Lim
Founding Partner
QED Changemakers [Singapore]

Mr Bjørn SIMONSEN
Science & Technology Counsellor
Innovation Norway [Norway]

Manish SINHA
Director & Head of Venture Building
NTUitive Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Dr Kevin CHEONG
Adjunct Faculty
SMU [Singapore]

Dr Jonathan CHANG
CEO
HeritageSG [Singapore]

Andre Stolz
MD and Co-Founder
Budding Innovation [Singapore]

Mr Xander SIM
Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer
Cell-ID, i3.lab [Singapore]

Dr Dien PANDIMAN
Executive Director
Pidilite Industries Limited [Singapore]

Kris CHILDRESS
Consultant
Kris Consulting [Singapore]

YEE Chong Moon
Head of Commercial, Tech & Durables
NielsenIQ [Singapore]

Chris POWELL
Deputy Director
NTU [Singapore]

Pietro BORSANO
Deputy Executive Director, Industrial & Global Alliances
Chulalongkorn University [Thailand]

Chris YEO
CEO
Doku [Singapore]

Dr Yousif ASFOUR
Chief Innovation & Transformation Officer
American Univeristy of Beirut [Lebanon]

Oliver KWAN
Founder & CEO
Motion G [Singapore]

Ghislain LE CHATELIER
Founder & CEO
Edgile [Singapore]

Luca SCHNETTLER
Group CEO
Qumata Group [Singapore]

Reynold D'SILVA
CEO
Chope [Singapore]

Sri MANDALAPARTHY
Tech Due Diligence, Growth & Transformation Leader
C2F Corp Strategic Advisory & Execution [US]

Naotaka ISHIZAWA
General Manager
Innovation Promotion Group [Japan]

Jayanth BHUVARAGHAN
Founder
The PDG Pte Ltd [Singapore]

Oliver LU
Partner
Innoangel Fund [China]

Filippo GIACHI
Founder
SustainX Ventures [Singapore]

Tatiana SIUFI
Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer
Vidacity [Singapore]

Mogan SUBRAMANIAM
MD
GrowthTech Insights [Singapore]

Jerahmeel B. CHEN
Chief Innovation Officer
National Development Company (NDC) [Philippines]

Prof. Sangam Shrestha
Dean of School of Engineering and Technology Director Global Water Sanitation Center Professor of Water Engineering and Management
Asian Institute of Technology [Thailand]

Ronald ANG
Venture Builder
Stryber [Singapore]

Dr TAN Yong-Tsong
CEO
Bluefield Renewable Energy [Singapore]

Arnaud BLANDIN
Founder
The Beyond Institute [France]

Prof Frank ROTHAERMEL
Regents' Professor
Georgia Institute of Technology [US]

Prof Dongmin CHEN
Director, Tsientang Materials Research Laboratory, Emeritus Professor
Peking University [China]

Dr. Hala Madanat
Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science Distinguished Professor Vice President for Research and Innovation
SDSU (San Diego State University) [US]