The Singapore Management University Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SMU IIE) has announced the Revolutionary 50 (RVLT50) finalists who will present their ideas and solutions to a judging panel during the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC).
The LKYGBPC is one of Asia’s largest university-led startup competitions, empowering youth through innovation and entrepreneurship to tackle urgent global challenges of the 21st century. Held biennially, this year’s LKYGBPC focuses on five key areas:
- Urban solutions and sustainability
- Manufacturing, trade, and connectivity
- Human health and potential
- Smart nation and digital economy
- Media and entertainment
This year, the LKYGBPC celebrates its 11th edition and received a record-breaking 1,000 submissions, reflecting a 20% increase from the previous edition. These submissions represent 1,100 universities across 77 countries. Among these submissions, about 25% were from the world’s top 100 universities, including ETH Zurich, Harvard University, Imperial College London, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, University Malaya, University of Melbourne, Tsinghua University, and Yonsei University.
To ensure a broader representation of ideas and talent, this year’s RVLT50 has been expanded to feature 55 student finalist teams, selected through a rigorous judging process that involved 200 industry experts and thought leaders.
BLAZE at LKYGBPC
In addition to participation in the finals, two members from each finalist team will travel to Singapore and take part in BLAZE, a week-long cornerstone event encompassing inter-generational networking, panel discussions, site visits, and mentorship sessions:
- VC Office Hours will offer Singapore-based startups the opportunity to connect with Southeast Asia’s senior venture capitalists, to accelerate their professional development and grow their ventures. Over 50 senior VCs are expected to participate.
- Changemakers Conversions, a series of thought leadership panel discussions, will equip attendees with the tools and insights necessary to thrive in the evolving dynamic and evolving business landscape.
- Mixer Night is an inclusive event that convenes the competition’s winners and finalists, along with corporates, government agencies, and youth and entrepreneurship communities in Singapore, to celebrate the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Commenting on the LKYGBPC, Shirley Wong, chairperson of the competition’s steering committee, said, “As urbanization and sustainability continue to drive global growth, there is increasing demand for solutions that address the challenges of infrastructure and the environment. We have seen the birth of ideas that have the potential to reshape the urban landscape, and we are excited to see how the finalists will make history as future change makers and deliver a lasting impact on our society.”
The 11th LKYGBPC finals and BLAZE will be held in Singapore from September 11 to 15, 2023. The grand finals will be open to the public, offering an opportunity to witness the talent, expertise, and passion of the finalists as they pitch to judges in real-time to win prizes worth up to SGD 2.5 million (USD 1.8 million).
To attend the grand finals, please visit the competition’s official registration page.