TECH PLANTER(en)

Judges for 2019 Season

• Dr. Yukihiro MaruFounder and CEO, Leave a Nest Group

  profile

  Founder of Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. is a leading knowledge based platform company in Japan. The company is comprised of Mastersʼ and Doctorate degree holders. Leave a Nest works on extensive projects relating to Science and Technology. Dr. Maru has great experience in supporting startups. One of the startups he was supporting called Euglena Co., Ltd. was listed in the First section of Tokyo Stock exchange. He is an expert in advising young entrepreneur in business development and venture spirit.

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  Mr. Yoshikazu UeharaManaging Director, Mitsui Chemicals Singapore R&D Centre, Pte. Ltd.

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  Mitsui Chemicals Inc. is one of the diversified companies in Japan and providing wide variety of chemicals and polymers globally. It will help build a better future society across five business domains, Mobility, Health Care, Food & Packaging, Next Generation Businesses and Basic Materials. Mr. Uehara is charge of new business development from Asia Pacific. He is looking for new business opportunities making best use of open innovation in connection with Mitsui Chemicals' proprietary technologies.

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  Mr. Sophian Abdul RahmanCEO and Co-Founder, Delightex Pte Ltd.

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  Mr. Sophian Abdul Rahman is the CEO and co-founder of Delightex Pte Ltd, a venture builder that seeks out innovative ways of capturing Delightful Moments. Before heading up Delightex, Mr. Sophian had served as the Director of Strategic Planning, Business Development and Mergers & Acquisitions at SGX-listed Cordlife Group Limited, as well as the CEO of its Bursa Malaysia-listed subsidiary Stemlife Berhad. His other experiences include a myriad number of roles in Singapore’s CapitaLand Group and Singapore Government’s Ministry of Trade & Industry agencies. Mr. Sophian graduated with a Master of Aeronautical Engineering from Imperial College, London.

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  Mr. Satoshi YamanakaSenior Manager, Centre for Future Innovation, Mitsubishi Electric

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  Mr. Satoshi Yamanaka joined Mitsubishi Electric in 1998. He had developed high quality picture technologies for Mitsubishi Electric products such as TV and Diamond Vision in Advanced Technology R&D Center for thirteen years. He moved to the department driving open innovation four years ago and exploring new technologies to upgrade their products and services for future market.

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  Mr. Shun KimuraResearch Scientist, Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology

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  Mr. Kimura is the research scientist of Rohto Pharmaceutical CO., Ltd. and visiting researcher of the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (BDR). His mission is a contribution to health and beauty through the development of next-generation skin anti-aging therapeutic strategy, based on scientific evidence. He has contributed to development of Japanese anti-aging cosmetic active ingredients and items. Simultaneously, he has contributed to basic research in the developmental biology and tissue engineering through the development of technologies of skin equivalent models.

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  Mr. Norio AsaharaRegional Research & Development Director, Glico Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

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  Glico manufactures not only confectionery and ice cream, but also a wide range of food categories such as beverages, dairy products, processed foods and baby milk powder. Mr. Asahara is the director of research and development in Glico Asia Pacific. He is looking for new research partners as well as technical support, investment and opportunities for various collaboration such as buying of new ingredients. He is responsible for new business in Asia Pacific.

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  Mr. Hadi OgawaManager (Corporate Planning), Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. Singapore Branch

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  Toppan is a leading global provider of integrated solutions in the fields of printing, communications, security, packaging, décor materials, and electronics. Mr. Ogawa is in charge of new business developments for the company, actively scouting for new innovative opportunities with start-up companies in the ASEAN and India market. As an experienced business strategy manager skilled in M&A and Post Merger Integration, his current key roles include the establishment of effective communication channels among Asian start-ups, Toppan group companies and the customer base. He possesses a Master of Engineering in Computer Engineering from Nagaoka University of Technology (Japan).

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  Mr. Satoshi WashiyaChief Operating Officer & Board Director, Autonomous Control Systems Laboratory

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  Mr. Washiya graduated with a M.S. of Architecture from Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University. He served both domestic and multinational companies in corporate wide transformation project at Tokyo and Stockholm office of McKinsey & Company. Mr. Washiya joined ACSL in July 2016.

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  Mdm. Lau Kum YeeRepresentative, Platform E

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  Mdm Lau Kum Yee obtained her Bachelor degree from the University of California at Berkeley followed by a Master degree from Cornell University under the discipline of Food Science. She worked in the Asia Pacific HQ of Kraft General Foods International based in Hong Kong for a few years before returning to Singapore. She has been teaching since 2001 and was the Course Managers for the Diploma in Food Science & Technology and the Diploma in Nutrition, Health & Wellness in Singapore Polytechnic. Her interest is in development of healthy food products specifically low Glycemic Index foods.

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  Mr. Kelvin OngCEO, Focustech Ventures Pte. Ltd.

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  With over 15 years of experience in precision engineering, Mr. Kelvin was the Executive Director of Focus-Tech Holding, leading shareholder of HDD component maker Seksun. He is also the CEO of FocusTech Ventures & founding partner of TNB Ventures, an early stage VC fund. An active angel investor & entrepreneur, Mr. Kelvin serves as Technical Advisor for National Research Foundation’ s Central Gap Fund and Accredited Mentor Partner under Enterprise Singapore’s StartupSG Founder scheme.

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  Mr. Malcolm ChuaHead of Incubation lnnosparks, an ST Engineering Open Lab

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  Mr. Malcolm is currently the Head of Incubation at Innosparks - an ST Engineering Open Lab. Innosparks boasts innovative product lines and invests/incubates early stage intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs, translating technology to value across multiple business units. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Malcolm was the founder of 2 start-ups and had over a decade of leadership and commercial experience across both aerospace and infrastructure sectors in both SMEs, Multi-Nationals and Government Agencies. He is also a highly regarded speaker, panelist and guest lecturer for various private and public organisations in the field of innovation and start-ups. Mr. Malcolm holds a Masters of Engineering (M.Eng) (1st Class) from Imperial College, London, is a CFA charter holder as well as a certified coach.

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  Mr. John ChengFounder of Innovate 360 and Director Cheng Yew Heng Candy Factory Pte. Ltd.

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  Innovate 360 is Singapore's first incubator with manufacturing facilities and co-working space focused on food. It is a government recognized incubator and accredited mentor partner. Backed by Cheng Yew Heng, Singapore’s oldest and only sugar manufacturer since 1947, Innovate 360 taps on the company’s long established networks, partners and channels to help companies develop their business in the food space. Mr. John has been in the food industry for more than 10 years and has been a key driver in the company’s transformation and in helping build up a food innovation ecosystem.

Finalists for 2019 Season

• Sentient IO

  A unique agnostic SaaS cloud platform with AI algorithms, microservices and contextual datasets readily available for any software application developers to quickly integrate into their solutions. An architectural platform structure that integrates both AI API platform and a blockchain Data platform.

• Carmentix

  A novel biomarker prognostic panel for pre term birth by establishing biomolecular tools that will alert clinicians for the risk of preterm birth weeks before symptoms occur.

• Kang Healthcare

  Digitalised traditional medicine using pressure based sensor device in detecting the pulse and pressure points. Targeting on people in rural or remote area to get the access to medical healthcare and traditional medicine.

• TEAPASAR

  TEAPASAR is supported by three tech solutions. ProfilePrint, a quick and cheap scan of the organic composition of the tealeaves, TasteMap matching which is based on the ProfilePrint results, and matching of teas on database.Tying all together on team's marketplace, TEAPASAR, which features local and international tea brands, as well as exclusive and rare tea direct from the world’s best plantations.

• Pro-health Water Technologies

  Conversion of low-value tap water (80ppm) to high value mineral water (110-130 ppm) with a unique value proposition increase of 3,900%. The system is capable of carrying out (i) tap water purification, (ii) Calcium & Magnesium reactions, (iii) mineral dosing, (iv) dispensing of disinfected mineralized water.

• Neurobit

  Neurobit is a personalized device agnostic physiological data analytics platform through an open API. Current tech being used by 30+ universities worldwide. Targeting to solve sleep disorders and apnea problems. Focus on every possible physiological signals (EEG, EOG, ECG, EMG, blood oxygenation and respiration).

• RECORNEA

  Intra-corneal metal device (GROSSO implant). Involves a netted-shaped metal device that goes across the circumference of the cornea therefore applying uniform pressure that leads to a uniform reshaping of the cornea. Does not require usage with any other support to work for cornea deformities.

• Soynergy

  Bio-processing of okara is a straightforward and natural method to improve the taste and nutrition of okara. The bioprocessed okara (“bio-okara”) can be used in a variety of high-value food products. Potential product categories include diabetic packaged foods and probiotic beverage; both attractive markets are expected to grow, especially in Asia Pacific.

• Tech Prom Lab

  Advanced material processing of the hazardous waste to make a pervious concrete. Using hazardous waste for coal-fired power plant. Conventional pervious concrete in Indonesia did not use hazardous waste from a coal-fired power plant. On the other hand, the hazardous waste is rarely being processed.

• nanolabLRC

  Producing eco-friendly and economical nanomaterials electrode for electrochemical energy storage applications.

• Advance materials for Environment

  Burning risk husk to obtain silica which can be used for multiple purposes. This research has higher efficiency rate compared to others.

• ReadRing

  Handheld device for blind people to read text in real time. Utilises AI to scan and read text/books and print it on a re-printable material in bumps to allow braille reading.

• EMaS

  An electrochemical DNA biosensor based on immobilized ZnO Nanowires for the rapid detection of sequence specific for the Breast Cancer 1 (BRCA1) gene. Has the ability to detect the target sequence in the range of concentration between 10.0 and 100.0 μM with a detection limit of 3.32 μM.

• Spiral Inc.

  Markflex Air allows users to operate drones easily during non-GPS environments.