The Next Big Thing

Your launchpad for bold ideas

From Vision to Venture

Got a game-changing idea? The Next Big Thing is your launchpad. Whether you’re a young innovator or an aspiring entrepreneur, pitch your boldest ideas, get expert feedback from top venture capitalists, and take your first steps toward turning vision into reality.

  • Theme: Artificial Intelligence / Robotics / Space
  • Open to Entrepreneurs of all backgrounds

Mid-Career Founders​

Start-ups with founders between 35 – 45 years old​

University Spin-Offs

Startups founded within the past five years by current university students or alumni

Young Entrepreneurs

Aspiring founders between 12 and 18 years old

Download Participant Info Pack

WHY PITCH?

Gain Investor Access & Visibility

Pitch directly to top VCs and industry leaders while gaining exposure to a wider audience of potential partners, customers, and media

Unlock Growth Opportunities​

Position yourself as a rising leader in AI, Robotics, and Space while fast-tracking your journey with potential investments, partnerships, and market exposure

Expand Your Network​

Connect with investors, mentors and fellow entrepreneurs to open new doors

Refine Your Idea​

Receive expert feedback to strengthen your business strategy and market positioning

Want guaranteed exposure? 

All startups have the option to showcase their innovative ideas with a dedicated exhibition stand for SGD2,900—whether or not they choose to participate in the pitch segment and regardless of their selection status after applying. 

Register below!

BE THE NEXT BIG THING

SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS
SHOWCASE YOUR STARTUP

Key Dates

*Subject to changes

Now - 15 May
Complimentary Registration

Submit your ideas now!

16 May - 31 July
Early Bird Registration

SGD99

1 Aug - 28 Oct
Regular Registration

SGD299

29 Oct - 4 Nov
Late Registration

SGD499

Subject to availability

4 Nov
Submission Deadline
7 Nov
Selection

Announcement of selected participants - stay tuned!

14 Nov
Final Pitch Materials Submission

Only for selected participants. Only minor refinements to the original slides are allowed; major changes are not permitted. The submitted slides will be used on pitch day. If no updated version is submitted, the original slides will be used. 

26 Nov
Mentorship Day

0900 - 1200

Exclusive mentorship sessions for selected participants to refine their business strategies and pitches.

27 Nov
Live Pitch

1500 - 1730

More details to come!

REGISTRATION

PAST PARTICIPANTS

Hover over each profile to learn more about them!

Dr. Christopher Luwanga is a space engineer and physicist based in Singapore, and originally from Malawi, Africa. As founder of Galamad Aerospace, he is leading a team of designers, engineers, and builders of spacecraft for the new age of applications that are built around space technologies. One of the most exciting applications is that of broadband connectivity from and via outer space. This extension into space not only creates a powerful, resilient complement to our existing terrestrial network infrastructure but in some places, across Africa and Asia, creates a wider-reaching network at lower operational costs than traditionally seen.

GALAMAD is also specifically developing the PROSat, a programmable, reuseable, and highly maneuverable spacecraft bus that will ultimately enable smart constellations that do not unnecessarily crowd or pollute the space environment.

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Mr. Joe Pong is the Strategic Project Manager of Nanolumi, a Singapore-based deep-tech company that specializes in advanced luminescence materials. He received his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Biological Chemistry from Nanyang Technological University Singapore, specializing in both Medicinal Chemistry and Food Chemistry. He has accumulated more than 5 years of technical product management experience at multiple start-ups, ranging from AgriTech, BioTech, MedTech, to NanoTech, with working knowledge of commercializing research innovation into real-world applications.

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Mr. Floyd Dcosta is the co-founder of Block Armour, a pioneering cybersecurity venture that has developed a Blockchain-powered Zero Trust Cybersecurity platform and empowers organizations to effectively secure their modern enterprise-IT environments. He is also the founder of Space Armour, a SpaceTech startup that builds on the Block Armour platform and integrates advanced technologies to deliver comprehensive Zero Trust Cybersecurity tailored for space systems and satellite networks.

Floyd brings over 22 years of international professional experience in management consulting, specializing in establishing and expanding enterprise business practices, along with providing strategic advice to senior client executives on decisive topics. His extensive background includes an eleven-year tenure at Capgemini, where he served as the Global Segment Leader for Industrial Products. A regular writer and speaker at events, Floyd advises multiple public and private organizations, helping them with strategy, planning, and harnessing the potential of emerging technology for Digital Transformation.

Floyd is an alumni of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B) and also has a Masters degree in Information Systems from the Institute for Technology and Management (ITM), Mumbai. As a hobby, he takes delight in exploring new places, cultures, and cuisine. And, when he is not traveling, Floyd enjoys spending time at home surrounded by his family.

Mr Randy Teo has more than 28 years of industry and private equity experience. He was formerly the President of Stanley Black & Decker (Engineered Fastening Division), CEO/ President of Infastech and Asia Pacific President of Acument Global Technologies and Textron Asia (Engineered Fastening Division).

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Miss Shi Pei is a pragmatic idealist who sees possibilities and practicalities at the same time. She is passionate about building products that are useful and used by people, and has spent the last 8 years doing so in startups and venture capital.

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Mr Vijay Jacob is a Venture Partner at Speciale Invest, a deep tech VC fund with operations in India and Singapore. He brings with him over 15 years of experience in making private equity and venture capital investments and has experience across the lifecycle, including deal sourcing, building networks, investing, portfolio management, and exits. His investments have spanned a variety of sectors, including financial services, manufacturing, business and technology services, and consumer.

At Speciale Invest, he leads the South East Asia business and is looking for great entrepreneurs building deep tech and engineering innovation in the region. His other investing experience includes being a founding member at TPG NewQuest, where he led new investments into India and South East Asia, as well as investing roles with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and emerging markets investor Actis.

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Ms Pooja K Dhanothia is a global commercial leader with 17+ years of experience driving enterprise revenue, customer success, and GTM transformation across APAC, EMEA, and LATAM. With a proven track record of building world-class sales organizations, she is cultivating next-generation leaders, and delivering business turnarounds in high-growth markets. She is also trusted by CXOs and government leaders across ASEAN to accelerate digital transformation, forge strategic partnerships, and deliver measurable, multi-million-dollar impact, and recognized for architecting ecosystems that unlock sustainable growth and long-term customer success.

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Mr Josep M. is VP for Consulting and with EDT&Partners, an international consultancy firm working at the intersection of cloud technology, business, and education. He held senior positions with Cambridge University Press in Europe & Asia and McGraw-Hill Asia. Over the past 15 years, he has consulted for startups and some of the leading publishers in Europe and Asia, and has been a frequent lecturer in industry events and master programmes. He is a regular mentor for organisations like Eduspaze and Singapore Education Network. A graduate from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and IESE Business School, Josep M. lives in Singapore.

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Mr Selim Arguel is the Head of Robotics at Menlo Research. He previously worked at Tesla for six years as a Software Engineer.

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Dr. Ayesha Khanna is a globally recognized AI expert, entrepreneur, and CEO of Addo, helping businesses leverage AI for growth. With 20+ years in digital transformation, she advises Fortune 500 CEOs and serves on global boards, including Johnson Controls and NEOM Tonomus. A graduate of Harvard, Columbia, and the London School of Economics, she spent a decade on Wall Street advising on information analytics. 

 

A thought leader in AI,  Dr. Khanna has been recognized as a groundbreaking entrepreneur by Forbes, named to Edelman’s Top 50 AI Creators (2025), and featured in Salesforce’s 16 AI Influencers to Know (2024). Committed to diversity in tech, she founded the charity 21C Girls, which taught thousands of students the basics of AI and coding in Singapore, and currently provides scholarships for mid-career women through her education company Amplify. 

 

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Dr. Mohan is currently an Associate Professor with the Engineering Product Development Pillar at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. He received his Ph.D. and M.Sc degrees from the Nanyang Technological University. His research interests are in robotics with an emphasis on reconfigurable platforms as well as research problems related to robot ergonomics and autonomous systems. He has published more than 300 papers in leading journals, books, and conferences. Dr. Mohan is currently serving as an Associate Editor of the IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters and IEEE Nanotechnology Magazine. He is the recipient of the SG Mark Design, ASEE Best of Design in Engineering Award, Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors’ Award and A’ Design award. He is the co-founder of Lionsbot, a Singapore-headquartered robotics company which designs and manufactures autonomous cleaning robots for global deployments. Also, he is the co-founder of the Wefaa Robotics, an edutech startup that offers transformative educational robotic products for the global markets. Dr. Mohan has served in various positions of organizing and technical committees of several international competitions and conferences. 

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Ms Shilpa S Nath is the Founder of Women in AI (for Good), a mission-driven initiative empowering 1,000 women to adopt AI responsibly in their personal and professional lives. She also founded What The Fail, a movement reshaping how Asia talks about failure, and Kali Club, a community for intentional transformation. By day, she leads Community and Marketing at a government-backed AI testing company. Shilpa is currently writing S(e)oul Searching: Reinventing Your Life in Your 30s, inspired by her transformative sabbatical in Seoul, Korea. 

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Ms Alexandra Vidyuk is a CEO & General Partner at Beyond Earth Ventures, leading one of the few VC funds dedicated exclusively to space and deep tech. A sought-after speaker at top global business forums, she bridges the worlds of cutting-edge technology and capital. 

As a Board Member at Space Bridge Partners, she advises billionaires and family offices on funding high-profile research missions. She mentors founders at Creative Destruction Lab and leads the influential Space Ambition Substack (75,000+ subscribers). Recognized as a Karman Pioneer, she is part of an elite global network of space industry leaders driving transformative change.

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Mr Kah Kuang is the Assistant Chief Executive, National Youth Council (NYC).  He oversees the Global and Transformation Office, Strategic Planning and Research, Strategic Comms and Youth Leadership and Engagement Division.

Prior to that, he spent 10 and the half years leading Youth Corps Singapore, part of NYC.  Under his leadership Youth Corps has grown from a single leadership programme with 90 youth volunteers when it started in June 2014 to a strong volunteering ecosystem with a membership base of over 40, 000 youth volunteers. Prior to joining NYC, Kah Kuang was in the Army for 24 years.

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Ms Jewel Aw is a final-year student in NTU’s Renaissance Engineering Programme, graduating with a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering and Master’s in Technology Management. She has completed internships at startups, government organizations, and MNCs, primarily in AI and cybersecurity. Jewel co-founded OpenMentor, Singapore’s largest cross-institution student mentorship platform, scaling to 1,500+ users in two weeks. As Head of Outreach at YouthTechSG, she hosted 75 student leaders at their Technology Student Leader Alliance, fostering connections between students and industry leaders. Passionate about building technology that drives social impact, Jewel bridges technical innovation with community-driven initiatives. 

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Mr. Jon Ochoa is an Aerospace Engineer specialized in Artificial Intelligence and currently serves as Area Manager for Asia Pacific at ARQUIMEA, a Spanish technology company active in Space, Defence, and advanced R&D through the Arquimea Research Center. He has experience in both the private and public sectors, and in large companies and startups, always linked to new technologies and innovation.

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Ms Mylene Abiva is the President and CEO of FELTA Multi-Media Inc., a 60-year-old company pioneering innovative instructional materials and educational technology solutions. Since 2012, FELTA has been the official Education Solution Provider for Intel Education.

She has held numerous leadership roles, including Past President of the Philippine Marketing Association (2009), Certified Professional Marketer (ASEAN Marketing Federation), and Organizer of the Philippine Robotics Olympiad. She also served as World Robot Olympiad Ambassador (2018–2021).

Mylene is a Presidential Appointee as Co-Chairperson of the Design Advisory Council under the Department of Trade and Industry (2024–2027), and a GO Negosyo Pioneer Mentor since 2005, specializing in Marketing.

Her outstanding achievements have earned her numerous distinctions:

  • Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines (Women Entrepreneur) – 2009

  • ASEAN Business Leader (Woman Category) – 2014

  • ASEAN Woman Entrepreneur – 2015

  • 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World – 2016

  • ASIA CEO Most Innovative Company – 2017

  • United Nations Women Empowerment Awardee for Leadership Commitment and Gender Responsive Marketplace – 2020

  • Chairperson, Women’s Business Council Philippines – 2022–2024

  • Asia’s Top Outstanding Woman Marketer of the Year – 2020

  • ASEAN Special Women Entrepreneur Awardee – 2022

  • The Rotary Golden Wheel Award for Education – 2024

A graduate of De La Salle University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management (1985), she also served as President of the De La Salle Alumni Association – College of Business, and is a 2025 De La Salle Alumni Achievement Awardee.

Mylene currently serves as Independent Director for San Miguel Brewery and San Miguel Brewery Hong Kong.

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Dr. Bihan Wen is an Associate Professor and the Director of CISS-ROSE AI Centres at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He received both the MS and PhD degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), USA. His research interests span areas of machine learning, computational imaging, computer vision, image and video processing, AI trustworthiness, etc. He is an IEEE Senior Member and Associate Editor of IEEE TCSVT. He received the 2025 NTU CoE Young Faculty Award (Runner-Up), the 2023 IEEE VSPC Rising Star Award, and was ranked the World Top 2% Scientists in Artificial Intelligence by Stanford University.

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Trained in both fundamental science and engineering, Iuna Tsyrulneva is passionate about analysis of emerging science and technology trends with a pronounced societal impact, strategic analysis of science and technology state, conceptualizing and developing strategies for emergent technologies, and helping teams to promote innovative interdisciplinary approaches to address social issues. Her current role as Research Fellow at the Earth Observatory of Singapore involves translating climate science into actionable items such as feedback-driven policymaking with governmental agencies and supporting collaborations with corporate and community partners. Her research interests revolve around Sustainable AI, AI in Space, Military Spacetech, Climate Change Impacts and Societal Impact.  

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A former Naval Officer turned Unmanned Aircraft (UA) Pilot, Mr. Desmond Yang spent 23 years serving in the Navy before making a bold career shift. Embracing new challenges, he joined Heron Airbridge as Head of Operations and Product, where he expanded his skill set to include software coding, hardware engineering, and UA piloting. At Heron Airbridge, Desmond leads efforts to innovate and enhance aviation safety, helping to pave the way for safer skies.

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Mr. Lim Seng, born in 1960, was awarded government scholarships to study in France and America. Between 1980–1986, he completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics followed by a Master of Science in Electronics Engineering and a Physics Maitrise at the French Grande Ecole CPE in Lyon, and between 1993–1995, a Master of Science in Computer Engineering at the U.S. Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He returned from France to Singapore in 1987 and was posted to the Ministry of Defence to develop the first Air Force Operations Command Centre, which he later initiated to ‘link up’ with Changi Civil Airport, providing a comprehensive national air situation picture. Lim Seng was subsequently designated to pioneer Singapore’s UAV [unmanned system] capability, and he headed the UAV Programme Office between 1990–1993, drafting the Unmanned Technology Master Plan. Mr. Lim Seng received numerous Best Programme Awards, including three consecutive 3-Star Awards at the national level for innovative contributions, among which was the world’s first UAV Simulator.

Currently, Mr. Lim Seng is the Founder & MD of IN.Genius, and in his personal capacity, he aims to send the first Singaporean to cross the Armstrong Line at 20 km to “teleport” Singapore to space. As the Founder & MD of Singapore Astronautics, he is pioneering “Space Education” for youths across the nation as his personal contribution to SG50.

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Anna is the Technical Head and Business Development Manager at Space Faculty. With over 13 years involved in microgravity research in different capacities, she has conceptualized, designed, built, executed and analyzed a number of space-related experiments in applied physics and bioengineering. Having originally entered the field after attending a student outreach presentation, Anna is passionate about space outreach and awareness to youth and adults alike.

An engineer at heart, she likes to solve problems creatively and likes to stay up to date with the latest tech and research trends.

Anna co-founded and was president of the Student European Low Gravity Research Association (SELGRA) and is currently a management committee member of ELGRA. She holds a PhD in Computational and Applied Physics from BarcelonaTech.

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Dr Victor Cole is an Assistant Professor with the Centre for Professional Communication at Singapore Institute of Technology. He trained in English Education at Oxford University and Bioethics at Monash University. He currently teaches critical thinking and communication to ICT students as well as healthcare ethics to allied health students.

Prior to joining SIT, he led a national-level initiative at NUS to address ethical issues arising from the adoption of novel technologies in the healthcare sector, including AI. He is a lifelong space enthusiast who developed the world’s first undergraduate course in space ethics at NUS in 2013.

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Professor Er Meng Hwa, Emeritus Professor at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, is a luminary in the field of engineering. His illustrious career, spanning 38 years, has been dedicated to advancing engineering education and research, leaving an enduring impact on NTU, Singapore’s educational system, and the international engineering community.

Professor Er’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping NTU’s engineering landscape. He has held numerous prominent positions, including Deputy President, Vice President (International Affairs), and Dean of the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. His vision led to the establishment of the Centre for Signal Processing and the NTU Satellite Engineering Programme, and he served as the founding Dean of the College of Engineering, solidifying his role as a pioneer in engineering education.

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Mr Koh Chong Hin leads Xylem’s Lifecycle Services business in the Emerging Markets, a region that includes Africa, Middle East and Türkiye, and the Asia Pacific. He is responsible for driving growth in services that help customers better manage their water assets. He was previously the Managing Director for Xylem Southeast Asia from 2018-2023.

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Miss Cindy Khoo is the Managing Director of Enterprise Singapore. She drives strategies to uplift Singapore companies, facilitate their global expansion, and transform key industries.

Prior to her current appointment, Cindy was Deputy Secretary (Strategy Group) at the Prime Minister’s Office, overseeing climate change and population policies, as well as whole-of-government strategic planning.

Cindy is concurrently the Chairman of SEEDS Capital, the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore, and Infrastructure Asia, as well as the Deputy Chairman of Singapore Cooperation Enterprise. She also serves on the boards of SGInnovate and the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore.