These rules and regulations apply to all applicants of the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC) and to applicants who are successfully accepted into the LKYGBPC. By making an application to join the LKYGBPC, you/your team hereby agree to be bound by these rules and regulations.
Any dispute as to the interpretation of these rules and regulations shall in the first instance be resolved by mutual good faith discussions between the applicant(s) and the Director of Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. If the dispute is not resolved with 60 days from the date the dispute was made known to the Director of SMU’s Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the dispute shall be referred to the Senior Vice President, Administration for final adjudication.
Notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement, in no event shall SMU be liable any other person or entity with respect to any subject matter relating to the LKYGBPC, under any equity, common law, tort, contract, estoppel, negligence, strict liability or other theory, for any (a) incidental, special, punitive, consequential or indirect damages or (b) damages resulting from loss of sale, business, profits, data, opportunity or goodwill, even if SMU has been advised of the possibility of any of the foregoing damages.
For the avoidance of doubt, withdrawing your consent to Singapore Management University collecting and disclosing your data will mean withdrawal from the competition. In the event of your withdrawal, Singapore Management University reserves the right to seek reimbursement for all material benefits accrued to you as a result of your participation in the competition (including, but not limited to, prizes, grants, subsidized flights and accommodation).
If any discrepancies between the English version and the Chinese version is found, the English version will prevail.
Registration and Participation
To take part in the competition, we must receive your completed registration by 30 April 2025 2359hrs SGT . To register, the Participant must first have created a user account on the competition website, and must have truthfully and accurately completed required information, such as full name, email address, etc.
Any registration based on inaccurate, false or incomplete information will result in the Participant’s disqualification. Refusing collection, recording and use of their personal data that is strictly necessary to performing the competition will result in the Participant’s disqualification. The Participant is solely responsible for the information he/she provides when registering. Any intentional or unintentional mistake, anomaly or inconsistency, regarding this information, may result in the Participant’s disqualification. SMU reserves the right to proceed with all necessary verifications regarding the Participant’s identity, postal and/or email address.
Any registration based on inaccurate, false or incomplete information will result in the Participant’s disqualification. The Participant shall provide accurate information when registering. SMU reserves the right to proceed with all necessary verifications regarding the Participant’s identity, postal and/or email address.
Deletion of a Participant’s user account on the competition website will be deemed as a withdrawal from the competition. In this case, the Participant, regardless of whether the deletion results from the Participant’s personal action or not, will not participate in the competition and will not obtain any compensation.
You must also have accepted the Rules as well as the Personal Data Protection Statement, during the creation of your user account and your registration to the competition.
Registration for and participation in the competition is free, with no purchase or payment obligation.
Teams must meet all the following eligibility requirements in order to be selected to compete:
Category and Composition
Category 0 to 1: Pre-revenue teams driving commercialization opportunities with transformative potential in urban solutions and sustainability
Category 1 to Infinity: Revenue-generating early stage start-ups, up to Series A
Entries will be evaluated online by an international panel of judges and the final 50 whom we called RVLT (revolutionary) 50 will be selected to proceed into Grand Finals.
The top teams from each category will be selected to participate in the LKYGBPC Grand Finals (29 September 2025 to 2 October 2025). 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. Please refer to the FAQs for elaboration on RVLT 50. The top teams from each category will make their ‘live’ pitch for the top prize virtually in front of a panel of Grand Final Judges and registered guests.
Each team will be given a total of 20 minutes (including time for Q&A from the judges)
Please refer to the competition FAQs for more information.
*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. Please refer to the FAQs for elaboration on RVLT 50.
Teams will be evaluated based on the following:
Submission Requirement
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.
Copyrights & Permissions
Changes to Competition Rules
Decisions regarding the Competition and the Winners
Limitation of Liability
SMU will in no way be held liable in the event of breakdown or failure, regardless of the cause, of any telecommunications network used that causes Participants difficulty in or prevents Participants from identifying themselves on or gaining access to the Challenge website.
Participants agree that SMU, its affiliates and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, representatives and agents (“released parties”) will have no liability whatsoever for, and will be released and held harmless by participants for any claims, liabilities, or causes of action of any kind or nature for any injury, loss or damages of any kind including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages to persons, including without limitation disability or death. Without limiting the foregoing, everything on the challenge website and in connection with the challenge is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. Some jurisdictions may not allow the limitations or exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages or exclusion of implied warranties, in which case such limitation or exclusion shall apply only to the extent permitted by the law in the relevant jurisdiction.
Participation in the Challenge implies acknowledgement and acceptance of the characteristics, limits and risks of the internet and related technologies, particularly with regards to performance, response time, security of software and computer equipment against various potential attacks, such as viruses, logic bombs or Trojans, and loss or misuse of data. As a result, SMU will not be held liable in any way for any damage incurred by Participants arising from these characteristics, limits and risks, which Participants accept by registering and taking part in the Challenge.
SMU will not in any case be held liable for damages resulting from faults with or delays in the submission of deliverables by Participants, including refusal to accept these deliverables as a consequence of their submission outside the deadlines set out in the Rules, from faults with or delays to the sending of any emails by the Participant sent as part of the Challenge, or from any alterations made to the deliverables independently of SMU.
SMU will not in any case be held liable for damages resulting from services provided by a third-party relating to the prizes.
SMU will not be held liable for the consequences of a Participant’s disqualification from the Challenge as a result of their violation of these Rules.
Personal Data Protection
Participation in the Challenge requires the communication of the Participant's personal data.
By submitting the Application Form, you hereby agree to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal data by SMU for your application to the LKYGBPC (“Purpose”). Your personal data will be used for the Purpose, including where necessary or applicable, the disclosure of your personal data to partners or to affiliates of SMU, as the case may be for the Purpose. In this regard, you confirm that the personal data you have provided is complete and accurate.
SMU respects the privacy of individuals and recognizes the importance of the personal data you have entrusted with us and believe that it is our responsibility to properly manage, protect, process, use and disclose your personal data. We will collect, use, disclose and protect your personal data in accordance with Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (“ PDPA ”), the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“ GDPR ”) or the United Kingdom’s Data Protection Act (“ DPA ”), as the case may be. If you are located in Singapore, please click here to find out about your rights under the PDPA. However, if you are located in one of the countries in the European Union or European Economic Area, or in the United Kingdom, please click here to find out about your rights under the GDPR or DPA, as the case may be.
You may withdraw your consent for the collection, use and disclosure of your personal data for the Purpose, at any point in time, by sending your request to [email protected] . However, please note that this may affect our administration of the Purpose to you. Your withdrawal will be effective within thirty (30) days of such request.
Applicable Law and Disputes Resolution
The Challenge and any action related thereto shall be governed by the law applicable in Singapore.
In case of persistent litigation beyond a period of fifteen (15) days after the Participant has filed a claim, SMU and the Participant undertake to submit their dispute to an amicable conciliation prior to any legal proceedings. The party wishing to initiate conciliation shall inform the other party by means of a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt in which it will inform of its intentions and will explain the cause. If no agreement is reached between the parties within thirty (30) days after receipt of the registered letter, the parties regain their freedom of action.
In case of persistent disagreement on the application or interpretation of the Rules, and in the absence of an amicable settlement, any dispute that may arise between the parties, will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Singapore court to which the parties expressly grant jurisdiction, even in the case of multiple defendants, in summary proceedings, appeal by guarantee or by motion, or any other jurisdiction.