The Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC) platform experienced technical difficulties earlier today, 26 April 2025. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. The issue has since been resolved. You may now create an account or log in with your credentials to finalise your application. The submission deadline remains 30 April 2025, 23:59 (GMT+8). We appreciate your understanding and look forward to receiving your innovative business plan!
The LKYGBPC Beta Prize (Category 0 to 1) will be awarded to the top pre-revenue start-up. Selected by a panel of Grand Final Judges, the winning team will receive S$100,000 cash prize and S$75,000 in-kind prizes that are equity-free, non-dilutive and without any strings attached.
The LKYGBPC Infinity Prize (Category 1 to ∞) will be awarded to the top revenue-generating early-stage start-up.
Selected by a panel of Grand Final Judges, the winner will receive S$100,000 cash prize and S$75,000 in-kind prizes that are equity-free, non-dilutive and without any strings attached.
The SMU Chancellor Cup worth S$75,000 in cash (excluding in-kind benefits) will be awarded to the most promising start-ups from Singapore. Only finalists based in Singapore are eligible for the SMU Chancellor Cup Prize, sponsored by Maybank.
Wavemaker Partners is Southeast Asia’s leading early-stage venture capital firm investing in enterprise and deep-tech companies. The Wavemaker Partners Sustainability Investment Prize will be awarded to the most promising enterprise start-up who will receive an investment term sheet worth a minimum of S$100,000 and up to S$300,000 from Wavemaker Partners. All participating enterprise start-ups are eligible.
PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency , is responsible for ensuring a secure, diversified and sustainable water supply for Singapore. PUB believes that the future of Singapore’s water security lies in the use of science, innovation and technology to overcome our water challenges. The PUB Water Technology Innovation Award will be presented to the most innovative solution that can address critical water issues in the areas of water sustainability, water quality & security, smart water management and climate change mitigation strategies for water, including decarbonisation and resource recovery. Selected finalists in the water category will be eligible for this award. The winner will have the opportunity to testbed their innovation at one of PUB’s facilities and receive research funding support for their project in Singapore.
Kajima Built Environment Innovation Award
Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Singapore, APRW is an integrated agency delivering transformational communications solutions and marketing campaigns for clients across Asia Pacific. The APRW Public Relations Resource Prize is worth S$100,000 of professional services relating to Public Relations. Six finalist teams including the two winning teams of the Beta Category and Infinity Category will be awarded a public relations service package.
The public relations service package covers: 1. Development of 1 Press Kit 2. Public Relations and Brand Building Workshop
Winning team for Beta and Infinity Category can also receive an additional: 1. 2 Press Releases 2. 1 Website Content Audit 3. 1 Website Content Strategy Guide
The National Supercomputing Centre (NSCC) Singapore was established in 2015 and manages Singapore’s first national petascale facility with available high performance computing (HPC) resources to support science and engineering computing needs for academic, research and industry communities. The NSCC Supercomputing Resource Prize is worth S$83,200 of professional services. Finalists in relevant focus areas (e.g. AI) will be eligible for the NSCC prize.
Maybank is among Asia’s leading banking groups and is Southeast Asia’s fourth largest bank by assets. Maybank Group has an international network of over 2,600 branches in 18 countries including all 10 ASEAN countries, with more than 42,000 employees serving customers worldwide. The Maybank Youth Entrepreneurship Shield worth S$75,000 in cash will be awarded to the most promising start-ups from Singapore. Only finalists based in Singapore are eligible for the Maybank Youth Entrepreneurship Shield Prize.
Sembcorp is a leading energy and urban solutions provider, driven by its purpose to do good and play its part in building a sustainable future.
The Sembcorp Greennovation Award worth S$100,000 will be presented to the most innovative solution that can drive decarbonisation within the Urban Solutions & Sustainability focus area.
Selected finalists in the Urban Solutions & Sustainability category will be eligible for this award.
Lee & Lee is one of Singapore’s leading law firms providing a comprehensive range of legal services to serve the differing needs of corporates, financial institutions and individuals. The Lee & Lee Legal Resource Prize worth S$50,000 in professional services is awarded to winners of the Beta Category, Infinity Category and SMU Chancellor Cup. Lee & Lee will provide all 3 winners with up to 25 hours of legal advice ranging from contract drafting, compliance, and intellectual property protection.
Protégé Ventures is Southeast Asia’s first and Singapore’s only student-run venture fund. Launched in 2017 in partnership with Kairos ASEAN, a Singapore-based social enterprise dedicated to finding and empowering young entrepreneurs, Protégé Ventures aim to nurture the next generation of Venture Capitalists within the region through investing in great student ventures and grooming students into outstanding student VCs. The Protégé Futurist Investment Prize worth S$25,000 in investment term sheet will be awarded to one finalist team from Singapore. Only finalists based in Singapore are eligible for the Protégé Futurist Investment Prize.
One finalist team comprising a faculty member with an exciting and revolutionary urban solution will stand to receive the Best Professor-Student Team Prize worth S$20,000 in cash that is equity-free, non-dilutive and without any strings attached. Selection will be made by a panel of judges.
One finalist team will be eligible for the Best Presentation Award worth S$20,000 in cash that is equity-free, non-dilutive and without any strings attached. Selection will be made by a panel of judges.
One finalist team from the Beta Category with the highest number of public votes will stand to receive the People's Choice Award worth S$10,000 in cash that is equity-free, non-dilutive and without any strings attached.
One finalist team from the Infinity Category with the highest number of public votes will stand to receive the People's Choice Award worth S$10,000 in cash that is equity-free, non-dilutive and without any strings attached.
> 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.
> A "current student" is someone who is currently enrolled full-time in a polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD program at a tertiary institution as of 31 March 2025.
> Persons who were previously enrolled full-time in a polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD program but dropped out between 31 March 2020 and 31 March 2025 are also eligible to apply.
> There is no restriction on the number of members in a team or company
> 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
On 19 March 2021, 8 grand finalists competed for the grand prizes. Each category winner (0 to 1; and 1 to infinity) walked away with an award of $250,000 including S$100,000 cash, along with other in-kind prizes.
In case you missed it, watch the highlights here!
Register to get involved and be the first to know when the competition launches!
Inspired by one of the world’s most visionary leaders, the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC) is one of the world’s largest deep-tech university startup challenges. Every two years, our pitch competition lights up a global stage for university startups to showcase their groundbreaking innovations and connect with the world, fueling their growth.
Powered by Singapore Management University’s Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SMU IIE), we have fostered a global youth innovation village and launched countless successful ventures solving real-world challenges since 2002.
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.
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.
Advanced surveillance, AI, and cybersecurity solutions that strengthen national resilience and enhance rapid-response capabilities by safeguarding critical infrastructure and public spaces.
Climate tech utilises climate-resilient infrastructure to reduce emissions and support sustainable development.
Innovative solutions promoting sustainable farming and alternative protein sources that enhance food security and minimise environmental impact.
Energy-efficient materials, smart technologies, and sustainable designs that reduce resource consumption and emissions.
Advances in science and technologies addressing urban solutions and sustainability that ultimately have a positive impact on people, health, environment and the planet.
Digital health, AI and other tech solutions that boost patient outcomes and enhance healthcare access, preventive care and overall community wellness.
Innovative materials and recycling technologies that promote renewable resources, extend product life cycles, and reduce waste, enabling closed-loop systems.
Smarter transport networks based on EV infrastructure and mobility optimisation that optimise efficiency, reduce emissions and streamline logistics operations.
Urban mobility technologies such as autonomous vehicles and AI serve to optimise traffic, reduce congestion, and lower carbon emissions.
Innovations in purification, harness real-time monitoring and AI-driven analytics to ensure access to clean water, optimise water usage, detect leaks, and minimise waste.
Leverage Singapore’s edge in innovation, startup-friendly policies & top talent
Connect with leaders shaping Southeast Asia’s market of 700M consumers
Pitch to investors in Singapore’s thriving hub of 200+ VC funds & family offices
Join a deeptech peer learning network of founders from world's top 100 universities
Receive 1:1 mentorship from C-suite executives
Over S$2M+ in prizes and counting
Connect with specialised and knowledgeable investors in this field
Accelerate your go-to-market with real-world pilot deployment opportunities
Cut through red tape and fast-track approvals with expert regulatory guidance
Access leading researchers and labs to power your innovation