Asia's leading business awards for SMEs and start-ups

Emerging Enterprise Award and Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award

Recognising the young, bold ambition of businesses under 10 years old.

Congratulations to our 2023 finalists and winners

2023 WINNERS

Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Emerging Enterprise Award and Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award!

Presented by Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, Tan Kiat How at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore on 23rd Nov 2023, Singapore-based Conex Healthcare and Profileprint, as well as Malaysia-based Troopers Innovation, snagged the Emerging Enterprise Award.

The first-ever Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award went to Singapore-based Redex Group and N&E Innovations, as well as Hong Kong-based Flex Fuel Hydrogen Development.

Last but not least, prisium and NEU Battery Materials – both based in Singapore – received the Most Promising Sustainability Startup Award.

Check out the award ceremony here

(From left) ProfilePrint COO Chin Kai Lun, Troopers Innovation COO Craig Goonting, Aprisium CEO Raghav Narayan, CoNEX Healthcare CEO Tan Swee Yen, N&E Innovations CEO Didi Gan, Flex Fuel Hydrogen Development CEO Steven Fong, Redex Group CEO Kang Jen Wee and NEU Battery Materials CEO Bryan Oh

CELEBRATING YOUNG AND BOLD AMBITIONS

Fostering and building a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem

Since its inception in 2008, the Emerging Enterprise has been empowering startups and young businesses under 10 years old in Singapore by providing them with resources to help them reach their full potential.

Now in its 16th year, the Emerging Enterprise Award is going green and regional. Co-presented by OCBC and The Business Times, this year’s edition sees the introduction of the new Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award, which recognises emerging enterprises that are capitalising on growth opportunities in the green economy. These businesses take pride in embedding sustainability in their operations and leveraging technology and innovative solutions to drive the transition towards low-carbon economies.

Standout businesses will vie for 2 coveted awards: the Emerging Enterprise Award, and the Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award.

Key Dates

Submission deadline

30 June 2023

Finalist announcement

September 2023

See finalists

In-person award gala

November 2023

MORE ABOUT THE AWARDS

Emerging Enterprise
Award

Emerging Enterprise Award

Recognises emerging enterprises that demonstrate an enterprising mindset. These are businesses that drive consistent, significant and sustainable growth, resulting in excellent business performance; and display the ability to scale and expand overseas.

Emerging Enterprise Award, up to 3 winners will each receive from:

OCBC – a 2 year, interest-free term loan of up to S$200,000 (or local currency equivalent, as set out in the terms and conditions);
The Business Times – Media publicity in print, digital, social media, radio, podcasts for Singapore and the region
RSM – Business Consulting Package worth S$30,000

Most Promising Startup, will receive from:

OCBC – a 2 year, interest-free term loan of up to S$100,000 (or local currency equivalent, as set out in the terms and conditions); and
The Business Times – Media publicity in print, digital, social media, radio, podcasts for Singapore and the region.

Emerging Enterprise
Sustainability Award

Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award

Recognises emerging enterprises that are capitalising on growth opportunities in the green economy, embedding sustainability in their businesses and leveraging technology and new solutions to drive the change and transition to low-carbon businesses and industries.

Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award, up to 3 winners will each receive from:

OCBC – a 2 year, interest-free term loan of up to S$200,000 (or local currency equivalent, as set out in the terms and conditions);
The Business Times – Media publicity in print, digital, social media, radio, podcasts for Singapore and the region

Most Promising Sustainability Startup, will receive from:

OCBC – a 2 year, interest-free term loan of up to S$100,000 (or local currency equivalent, as set out in the terms and conditions); and
The Business Times – Media publicity in print, digital, social media, radio, podcasts for Singapore and the region

DO WELL, DO GOOD, DO NOW

Applicants shortlisted into the Emerging Enterprise Awards undergo a rigorous 2-part judging process: Site visits (Physical and/or Virtual) as well as live Judging for applicants to present their business model, products and services to a panel of distinguished judges.

The carefully selected expert judging panel will review each entry based on the criteria set within each category, whilst also applying three key principles:

Clear and concise results and metrics
Measurable evidence of innovation, impact and scalability, with demonstrable, long-term commitment to a sustainable transformation
Relevance award category criteria

Meet the judges for 2023

OCBC Bank
Christie Chu
Head, Emerging Business and Commercial Bank Cash

Christie leads the Emerging Business (EmB) & Commercial Banking Cash in OCBC Bank. The business serves the growth of SMEs - sole proprietors, partnerships, and private limited companies from start-ups to Serial Entrepreneurs and high growth businesses across multiple industries. It offers a full suite of loans and cash solutions to help the growth of business owners (locally and foreign incorporated entities), including Funds and non-profit organisations. She is responsible for driving acquisition & engagement and digitalisation across the various platforms.

OCBC Bank
Iris Ng
Head Of Middle Market For Global Commercial Banking

Iris leads the Middle Market segment covering mid-size corporates across multiple industries. She is particularly passionate about helping innovative and high growth businesses in new industries such as digital economy, urban solutions, lifestyle, advanced manufacturing and improving the financing coverage of such companies in Post-Seed and Growth stages.

Iris is also responsible for driving Sustainable Finance and within Global Commercial Banking and led the development of the OCBC SME Sustainable Finance Framework.

The Business Times
Chen Hui Fen
Editor

Chen Huifen is the Editor at The Business Times. She started her journalism career at Singapore Press Holdings more than 20 years ago. She has covered macroeconomics, policy, biomedical sciences, healthcare and SMEs before taking on a supervisory role a decade ago.

The Business Times
Kenneth Lim
Deputy News Editor For Environmental, Social And Governance Issues

Kenneth Lim is a deputy news editor at BT who oversees coverage of environmental, social and governance issues. Over his career, he has covered Singapore public capital markets and regulations, South-east Asian private capital markets and US debt markets, as well as non-journalism work related to sustainable finance.

Mastercard
Deborah Heng
Country Manager, Singapore

As Country Manager, Deborah leads all aspects of Mastercard business expansion in Singapore, working with banks, non-financial institutions and key merchants to drive business results. She also oversees the rollout of new payment solutions, focusing on innovation and partnerships. Previously, Deborah held multiple roles in Mastercard, managing strategic deals, revenue targets and investment budgets.

Rajah and Tann
Jonathan Yuen
Head, Commercial Litigation & Employment (Disputes)

Jonathan is the Head of the firm’s Legal Basix practice, which provides baseline and growth stage legal advice, representation and documentation to businesses. Leveraging the deep expertise and experience of Rajah & Tann’s many providing industry-leading practice groups, Jonathan supports all businesses, from emerging enterprises, start-ups and SMEs to high-growth companies.

Rajah and Tann
Lee Weilin
Head, Sustainability Partner, Banking & Finance

Lee Weilin is a leading finance practitioner experienced in green and sustainable financing, particularly in the green real estate sector and the renewable energy sector. Weilin is also the Head of the award-winning Sustainability Practice of R&T which advises on various ESG issues. She has a BSc. in Economics and is an EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst.

RSM
Woo E-Sah
Partner

E-Sah currently leads her firm’s Assurance Practice. She handles assurance, initial public offerings and due diligence assignments for emerging businesses, multinationals, statutory boards, not-for-proﬁt organisations (NPOs) and public-listed companies. E-Sah also serves clients in other industries such as healthcare, shipping, manufacturing, retail and construction.

Oliver Wyman
Timothy Colyer
Head of Climate and Sustainability, Asia Pacific

Tim Colyer is a Partner with Oliver Wyman and leads its climate and sustainability practice in Asia Pacific. He has been helping clients deal with challenges requiring technical expertise to make strategic changes, especially around financing the transition net zero. He is an author and regular speaker on climate change in Asia.

A*STAR
Lee Han Boon
Director, Innovation and Enterprise

Han Boon is the Senior Vice President and Head of Licensing for the Science and Engineering Division at Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd, the technology transfer arm of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). He is also the Head of the Infocomm and Media Cluster, which is responsible for developing, marketing and licensing research outcomes from the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), an institute under A*STAR’s Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC).

A*STAR
Radiana Soh
Director (Chemical, Materials & Sustainability), Innovation & Enterprise Group

Radiana leads a team that focuses on technology commercialisation, venture co-creation, licensing and joint collaborations.

With more than a decade of experience in technology development and commercialisation, she has taken on a broad spectrum of roles that spans across ideation, marketing, technology matching, productisation, business model formation, negotiations, manufacturing, process improvements and relationship management in partnerships.

Enterprise Singapore
Soh Leng Wan
Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Manufacturing & Engineering

Leng Wan serves as Assistant Chief Executive Officer at Enterprise Singapore, the Singapore government agency under the Ministry of Trade & Industry which champions enterprise development. He oversees the growth of companies in the Manufacturing and Engineering industries. Prior to this, Leng Wan spent seven years at the Ministry of Trade and Industry as Senior Director of the Industry Division.

Enterprise Singapore
Geoffrey Yeo
Assistant Chief Executive Officer

Geoffrey serves as Assistant Chief Executive Officer at Enterprise Singapore, the Singapore government agency which champions enterprise development. He oversees the Urban Solutions, Infrastructure Services, Sustainability and Enterprise Finance portfolios. Prior to his current appointment, Geoffrey was the Executive Director of Enterprise Singapore’s Circular Economy & Sustainability division.

Paia Consulting
Corrado Forcellati
Managing Director

Corrado guides a skilled and engaged team to help companies in Singapore and Southeast Asia embed sustainability into their strategies and business operations.

Show

MEET OUR PAST WINNERS

Jackson Aw,
Founder,
Mighty Jaxx

“Upon joining the Emerging Enterprise Awards, we found our NorthStar, a direction to undertake. Now we have grown beyond anything I thought it would be.”

Join now

2022 finalists and winners

Ackcio

avocado

AP Technologies

eezee

Flying Cape

glife

iO3

LUMOS

Meridian Innovation

MooVita

Plasma Science

Speedoc

stemly

The Gentlebros

utu

Show/Hide

Ackcio

avocado

AP Technologies

eezee

Flying Cape

glife

iO3

LUMOS

Meridian Innovation

MooVita

Plasma Science

Speedoc

stemly

The Gentlebros

utu

Before you apply

Eligibility requirements

Years of business operation

Up to 10 years (Up to 3 years of business operations for Most Promising Startup Award and Most Promising Sustainability Startup Award)

Business incorporation

Registered either as a Sole Proprietor, Partnership, Limited Partnership, Limited Liability Partnership, or Private Limited. Not applicable to listed company, lending institution or the lender's affiliates.

Note: For Indonesia: Registered either as a Limited Liability Company (Perseroan Terbatas or PT) or Limited Liability Partnership (Commanditaire Vennonntschap or CV)

Local Shareholding

At least 30%

Annual sales turnover as of the last financial year

Up to S$20 million or local currency equivalent

Business profile

Must be a registered business.

For example:

Singapore: Business profile with Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)
Malaysia: Business profile with Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) or Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM)
Indonesia: Company Registration Certificate (TDP) or NIB or Trading Business License (SIUP) or similar document
Hong Kong: Certificate of Incorporation or Business Registration Certificate

Financial documentation must be provided

Latest financial statements for the last two financial years, including management statements. †For businesses that have only 1 year of operation, financial statements can be for the prior or current year, whichever is available.

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