Source: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Water-stressed-Singapore-bets-on-new-technology-to-secure-supply SINGAPORE -- André Stolz calls his company's feature product a "super-absorbent" sponge: a carbon-fiber filter made from recycled paper and cotton that can suck oil or industrial contaminants out of water. The company, EcoWorth, a start-up spun out of the Nanyang Technology University, three years ago, has so far raised around $1 million through grants, angel investments and bootstrapping to help commercialize its 'carbon fiber aerogel' technology. After a series of successful trials, the company is looking for fresh funding to take the technology to scale and tap into an expected surge in demand for new water purification technology as Hyflux, the operator of the city-state's biggest desalination plant, teeters on the brink of liquidation. The Singapore government announced last week that it will have to seize control of Singapore's largest desalination plant on May 17 in order to secure the country's water supply. The demise of the once high-flying homegrown company, as well as a spat over prices with Malaysia which supplies around 40 per cent of Singapore's water needs, has brought Singapore's perennial water shortage problems into sharp focus. "Singapore wants to be independent from Malaysia and have independent water management," said Stolz, who hopes that this will lead to the government putting more pressure on businesses to conserve and treat their wastewater, which will in turn create opportunities for startups like EcoWorth. "We are seeing that the legislation is tightening and the [Public Utilities Board] is pushing back for industries to install their own wastewater treatment. That is the market for us to go into.'' A bugbear for Singapore leaders since it broke away from Malaysia in 1965 -- state-sponsored television adverts and radio jingles urge citizens to save water -- the government has invested heavily in a "four national taps" strategy. With two-thirds of the island designated as water catchment areas, rainwater-- the first of the "taps" -- is collected in 17 reservoirs. That reserve is supplemented by the second tap, wastewater, which is treated in one of the country's five "NEWater" plants. But the last two taps -- desalinated seawater and water imported from Malaysia -- are now looking somewhat creaky. Following his surprise election win last May, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has a notoriously prickly relationship with Singapore, branded as "morally wrong" a 1962 treaty under which Malaysia agreed to pipe up to 1.1 billion liters of water per day across the border at less than $0.002 per 1,000 liters. At the same time, the cost of running Singapore's water system has increased almost threefold since the turn of the century, according to the Public Utilities Board, which is responsible for managing the water supply, and those costs are now being passed on to consumers. In its 2017 budget, the government announced a 30 percent hike in water bills, the first such increase since 2000. "What Singapore doesn't want is to stop growing, development-wise and economically, because they don't have water," Cecilia Tortajada, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Water Policy at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, told Nikkei. The need to find new ways to control domestic water resources and to reduce treatment costs has meant that Singapore and its water utility are uniquely open to innovation, Tortajada said, adding that the PUB currently runs incubators, innovation competitions, and also sponsors academic research in a constant search for new ideas. In response, industry is rising to meet that demand. Blue Ocean Memtech, another NUS spinout, is working to commercialize a new nanofiltration membrane that could, according to founder Fu Feng-Jiang, significantly reduce the cost of treating water. Fu hopes that the technology could be commerialized within a few years. Having already applied for funding to develop another new type of membrane, and with his eye on several other technologies, Fu said many people were starting to realize that the water business has a bright future in Singapore. "In my mind I have a few technologies I want to commercialize," he said. Others are using the country's developing water technology ecosystem as a springboard to build solutions for entirely different markets. Wateroam, founded by three university undergraduates in 2014, has built highly portable water filters, operated by a hand pump, which can supply clean water to remote communities and disaster zones. The company's technology has already been deployed in more than 20 countries, and used by relief organisations responding to humanitarian crises across Asia. It's also found a small but relatively lucrative market among "preppers" -- mostly Americans worried about the apocalypse. "We grew up in a relatively developed city where we open our taps every day and get clean drinking water," co-founder Lim Chong Tee said. "We felt that Singapore being an innovation hub we should really do more, we should help more people." Startup entrepreneurs point out that there are still gaps in the ecosystem, notably the availability of finance to take innovations from pilot to full commercial scale. But that may change as the challenges of water scarcity in Singapore and around the world become more acute. "Water, relative to its utility, is unbelievably cheap," said Tom Ferguson, vice president of programming at Imagine H2O, a US water-tech accelerator that recently opened a program in Asia. The "existential" challenge in places like Singapore, Ferguson said, changes that calculation. "Singapore has an opportunity to really build an industry out of this."

SINGAPORE | Budding Innovations, in partnership with Platform E, is launching a program aimed at helping large multinational corporations build and develop open innovation teams, as more business leaders seek new means to productively innovate with external entities. The program is focused on developing an “outside-focused” innovator with the following key traits – Technical Expertise, Opportunity Insight, Inter-personal dynamics, Business Acumen, and an Entrepreneurial Mind-set, which would be beneficial for companies looking for talent development in Open Innovation (OI). The challenge facing organisations now is finding people who possess a balance of the aforementioned traits; the program is designed to help close the gap on the demand and supply of talent in this area. OI is a process that encourages the exploration, and execution, of opportunities with external partners, scientists, and engineers, where the synergy created leads to new innovations more effectively compared to working within the corporate entity. The design and adoption of an OI strategy has gained traction as a result of the way internal and external talent and knowledge can be integrated, in R&D departments, as well as all other capabilities and industries. Dr Bert Grobben, CEO of Budding Innovations, said: “Many large MNCs have adopted successful OI processes. In Singapore, P&G, UniLever and L’Oreal are recognizable experts. However, these processes are tailored to the particular industry and corporate. At BI, we have realized that corporations new to the process of OI can benefit from a kickstarter, and a partner in designing or adapting a process, and develop a talent pool that works for them. This will deliver them a competitive edge. Beyond designing it, more corporates are looking to partner with us to manage this process with them." Mr Alan Wong, CEO of Platform E, agrees. “This partnership between Platform E and Budding Innovations provides corporates the unique opportunity to transform their innovation teams and allow them to work more effectively towards ensuring that in the long-term, the edge that they possess would not be lost. BI’s program has proven itself to be immensely helpful, and we hope that it will continue to benefit those who choose to join moving forward”. The Nebula™ Open Innovation Program is open to the ranks in large corporations, as well as individuals in search of new opportunities. Participants may also get the opportunity to be incorporated into Budding Innovations’ ecosystem as they help develop solutions for various companies while completing the program. Interested parties may find out more on www.platformE.asia, www.buddinginnovations.com or email connect@platforme.asia for enquiries.

Building from its internal career development program, and based on the day-to-day entrepreneurial innovation processes, BI has launched Nebula™, the first of its kind Apprenticeship learning program. Nebula™ is: A focused hands-on program where the brightest minds in innovation collaborate to exchange ideas and create new solutions. The vibrant learning style includes bite-sized lectures, business casework, and engagement with industry partners. Nebula is backed by Budding Innovation’s proven business design practice and methodical approach. Apprentices graduate with deep knowledge, toolkits and practical experience in end-to-end solution creation. Nebula™ is open to all innovators. You can apply as an individual or as a corporate team. We have structured the program is such a way you can come onboard as a corporate team working on your own problem statement, make significant development progress, while learning a new skillset. Likewise, individuals with experience in innovation can sign up to work on real-life industry problems while retooling themselves with Entrepreneurial Innovation skills. To find out more about Nebula™, click here, or the image below. A Nebula™ is where stars are born, with each one being unique. Their formation process is one of a kind, and leads to a diverse aggregate of properties and characteristics. Although governed by universal laws, the individual process is dependent on the star's experience of the universe as it comes into being. BI’s program to develop Entrepreneurial and Innovator [Entrovator] skills is exactly that. Elevated from our internal BI career development program, we designed Nebula™ as an experiential apprenticeship program. Guided by principles, anyone with a passion or desire for Entrepreneurial Innovation [Entrovation] can find a suitable entry level in Nebula™ to start learning by doing. We will even create an entry level just for you! Just come and talk to us. ​ Welcome to Nebula™

The team of EcoWorth Tech participated in the 2nd Guangzhou-Foshan Technology and Innovation Conference during 19 – 21 September 2017 in Foshan City, Guangzhou. The theme of the conference was 'Developing a Global Vision of Innovation, Building a World Class Technological Bay Area' (Guangzhu-Shenzhen-Macao). EcoWorth Tech showcased its Carbon-Fibre-Aerogel (CFA) technology at its exhibition booth, explained which game-changing impact the technology has to society and environment and networked with potential collaborators, clients and investors. EcoWorth Tech was one of the seven invited startups that pitched during the event and received a feature in the local newspaper - read here.

This was recorded ages ago, but still very relevant today! Thanks Graham for the opportunity to share about my journey in my after-Corporate life. It's been all about Entrepreneurship & Ironman. While it's definitely the longest interview I've ever done, it is now a great digital record of my learnings and insights. It's a pleasure to share with anyone out there being daunted to even start their own journey, or to my fellow entrepreneurs & athletes to recognise maybe similar experiences. To anyone taking the time to listen, please reach out with thoughts, comments and/or questions. Let's do this.

AWS Hackdays “Hack for Good” is now OPEN for application! After the success of the 2018 edition, AWS Hackdays is back in 2019 with an exciting new challenge! Introducing AWS Hackdays: "Hack for Good", a hackathon journey made for builders eager to create a positive impact on local communities with the power of technology. This year, you have the opportunity to accelerate South-East Asia digitalization by bringing new solutions around the four topics - HealthTech, AgriTech, Smart City and FinTech. Using Amazon Web Services, you now have the chance to showcase a product demonstrating your skills in either Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, IoT, Data Analytics or Modern Applications. Three stages of AWS Hackdays 2019: Online Hackathon (January 23 – 19 March) Create a team or join a team online (2 to 4 people) Submit your project in the format of a PowerPoint and/or a video Offline Demo Day (29 March) The top 5 teams from Singapore will be invited to pitch their projects at the national Demo Day The winning team will be invited to attend the Final Hackathon in Singapore Final Hackathon - Offline Hackathon (April 10) The top 3 teams of the Final Hackathon will win attractive prizes The Final Hackathon champions will be rewarded with flights, accommodation, and tickets to AWS re:Invent 2019 in Las Vegas Are you ready? Form a team with your fellow friends and join us online. You can participate from any South-East Asian countries. www.aws.agorize.com We cannot wait to have you onboard and hack for good!

Budding Innovations (BI) is committed to offering entrepreneurial internship programs to young entrepreneurs, growing their skill sets and contributing towards building a vibrant start-up scene in Singapore. The Singapore Management University (SMU) is now partnering with BI, to provide opportunities for this type of internships to their highly talented and passionate under-, and post-graduates. We are very excited with this partnership, and have enrolled the first candidates on projects in our rich portfolio.

Elemental Concept (EC) and Budding Innovation (BI) are excited to share that we have entered into a multi-year partnership that brings together our cutting edge capabilities in digital and physical solutions delivery. Both firms strive to develop and deliver the right-sized solutions for clients whether they are start-ups, SMEs or larger corporates from a deep understanding of the original problem to design a development path that delivers unique value. Both partners also share a common vision towards structuring each deal in a way that the economics benefit all parties involved. “We have found in BI the same core values and approach to working with our customers. That is by providing the distilled solution - keeping everything as focused as possible. We have found that this plus a willingness to experiment with uncertainty creates a spark so that we can produce something different and special,” said Bimal Shah, CEO of EC. “EC and BI are similar in so many ways, that coming together and join forces to deliver sustainable impact for our clients was a natural choice.” said Dr. Bert Grobben, CEO from Budding Innovations. “As our world is more interconnected than ever, and new meaningful products and services have both physical and digital elements, we see 2 very complementary skillsets, and mindsets, coming together here. We look forward to jointly build our vision with the fabulous EC team.” Besides working directly with their clients and respective portfolios, EC and BI additionally plan to develop joint capabilities and infrastructure for the benefit of entrepreneurs in Singapore. Each team will bring in the right know-how and resources to combine virtual and physical concepts and ideas into products and services that create real value. Coinciding with EC’s expansion into Asia, we saw wide synergies in what we are building, how we aspire to bring new products and services to market, and create a positive and lasting impact in Singapore and the region. About Elemental Concept (www.elementalconcept.com) EC is a strongly Asia focused business consultancy, software developer, startup builder and investor. Headquartered in London, with long established ties to Asia, EC has recently established a Singapore office to boost regional presence. We leverage the full stack of latest digital technologies and methodologies to help startups and multinationals create or change markets. The EC team has strong backgrounds to deliver and run smart digital solutions, AI, blockchain and data-science projects, along with experts in design and consultancy to enable our clients and partners to generate longterm value in our partnerships. Maintaining partnerships and client solutions go hand in hand with focusing on reducing to the max. EC focuses on understanding unmet customer needs and enable clients to pursue their most valuable visions as part of their elemental concept. The approach is shaped by the persuit of the distilled core proposition of new technologies, products and services which the clients will launch. As a partner, EC is focused on creating sustainable value for their clients and pursues opportunities where the visions and ways of doing business promise potential for lasting, mutually beneficial partnerships. EC believes digital technology is fundamentally transforming all industries and works in diverse, collaborative teams to deliver cutting-edge solutions along and, if valuable, co-locates with their partners from across industries and geographies. It is at the core of EC’s approach to combine strong domain knowledge and deep functional expertise to create sustainable value . About Budding Innovations (www.buddinginnovations.com) BI is a Singapore-headquartered horizontally integrated Venture Builder, that focuses on Technology & Product Commercialization by maturing and developing new opportunities towards scalable in-market solutions. It operates on an « Outside-In » and « One-to-Many » Innovation model that enables efficient integration and execution of emerging possibilities across broad technologies and entities. BI specializes in all product aspects in Deep Tech, and company de-risking based on a Technology and Business Model Due Diligence and the follow through maturation and execution framework. BI is working with leading Fortune 500s and regional multinationals in delivering innovative Brand Portfolios, as well as a wide range of SMEs, start-ups and innovators in predominantly Lifespan Health, Nutrition/Food, Life Science, MedTech and Wellness domains (hereinafter “Industry Verticals”). For Start-ups in particular, BI has core expertise in taking them to full product readiness stage, scale-up, and commercial market launch & expansion. Beyond product development, BI recently launched Nebula™, an apprentice program that focuses on entrepreneurial talent development. BI brings broad applied talent development & deployment skills to Start-up teams and companies, to support in developing the business plan, and get the companies ahead towards the next fundable stage(s), but also to enable multinational companies to drive more efficient applied Innovation processes. BI has a strong commitment to develop more talent development capabilities to support a growing number of start-ups and deliver increasing innovation productivity among corporate teams. BI has a strong Singapore foothold, and is expanding its capability, client and start-ups networks globally. Expansion and technology import/export enables value creation for companies, and talented individuals. BI aims to build close international partnerships to cross fertilize opportunities between innovation ecosystems.

Can your startup contribute to the safety and ANSHIN (peace of mind) of society? Can you improve today’s security systems and services? Established in 1962, SECOM is recognized as Japan’s first security services provider and is currently active in 18 countries and territories. SECOM provides comprehensive and advanced security services for both personal and business use. SECOM ANSHIN Innovation Challenge is calling on global startups to present their ideas to make the world safer than ever. The main theme of this year's challenge is “Ultimate ANSHIN (Peace of Mind) Beyond Boundaries”. If your startup has a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that is applicable to the categories below, we want to hear from you! Join now via one of the following categories: Physical/Cyber Security Innovation: Can your startup tackle the constantly changing landscape and demands of cyber/physical security? Healthcare Innovation: Is your startup aiming to alleviate mental and physical health issues through healthtech, Digital Health, Medtech, Mental Health and Wellness-based solutions? With/After Covid-19 Innovation: Does your startup have technologies that can optimise the workplace safety, logistics and management in a post-Covid era? Wild Card: Can your startup provide a non-category related solution to improve society’s peace of mind? SECOM ANSHIN Innovation Challenge is a partner competition of SLINGSHOT 2021. Winning and shortlisted teams are eligible for the following prizes: Grand Prize of $30k SGD Startup SG Grant Grand Prize of $10k SGD from SECOM Fast-track to SLINGSHOT 2021 Top 100 Global Startups and participation in the SLINGSHOT 2021 Grand Finals! Winners can take away over $1M SGD in grant and cash prizes. Top 20 Startups: Discussions for collaboration with SECOM Top 5 Startups: Possibilities of Pilot testing with the SECOM Join us before 12th September HERE and bring peace of mind to society.

What a day at InnovFest! Winning the "Hottest Opportunity" award for EcoWorth Tech has been such an energising experience. Finally sharing some of the official event pictures.

Join us at the Innovation Pitch on 12 July at 10am, where EcoWorth Tech will showcase its CFA technology alongside other Innovators and their clean and sustainable solutions for an increasingly urbanised world, aimed at converting waste into resources and developing smart solutions for the environment. EcoWorth Tech can also be visited at the NEA pavilion during CESS 2016. We're proud to be part of this and are grateful for all the support we received so far from both the NEA and the CESS organising committee. http://bit.ly/28YZjlO