AquaInnova from Thailand has been crowned the winner of 12th Start-Up@Singapore in Open category for their shrimp viral detection kit, which is set to staunch the massive farming loss from frequent shrimp viral outbreaks. Other winners in other categories after the break.
Team Aqualnnova
12th Start-Up@Singapore Awards Ceremony – Champions Crowned!
Sunday, 22 May 2011 –This year at the Start-Up@Singapore’s Awards Ceremony, top entrepreneurs were recognized. Starting in September 2010, the Start-Up@Singapore (S@S) business plan competition was an eight month process, culminating in a rigorous judging process, held yesterday. AquaInnova, a team comprising of 4 enterprising students from Thailand, emerged the champions of the Open category, beating some 1,000 participants from over 17 countries. AquaInnova received the grand prize of $20,000 in cash, and also a green lane to the $50,000 SPRING YES! Startup Fund. In addition, they also gain direct entry to the Intel Berkeley Tech Challenge and direct entry to Global Tic.
AquaInnova’s product, Genovex, is a shrimp viral detection kit, which is set to staunch the massive farming loss from frequent shrimp viral outbreaks. Genovex is able to detect viral situations early and is also user-friendly, comparing well to other detection products in the market. Joining AquaInnova as winners were Ms DeeDee and X-Change, which won the Youth and Cooperative categories respectively. See Annex A for more details on the winners.
Gracing this event was Ms Chong Siak Ching, CEO of Ascendas and Deputy Chairman of SPRING Singapore. In her opening speech, she emphasised that this was the “golden era” for entrepreneurship and advocated for more youths to rise to the occasion. Citing examples such as Facebook and Groupon, she believed that “youthful idealism and entrepreneurship have always been closely linked”. She also reminded the participants that the real winner in business is not determined by results of a competition, but by the market, and the prize would only be limited by the extent of entrepreneurs’ dreams.
Since its inception, S@S has served as a springboard for aspiring entrepreneurs. Organised by the NUS Entrepreneurship Society, this business plan competition not only funds the business idea of their winners with S$20,000 and S$5,000 for the Open and Youth category respectively, but also seeks to provide networking opportunities and technical resources. With events catering to the public, students, and research institutes, S@S strives to be the beacon for the would-be entrepreneurs of Singapore. The 12th S@S was sponsored by SPRING Singapore, Singapore National Co-operative Federation and Microsoft Biz Spark, with the Official Bank being DBS Bank. Our partners included nEbO, SG Entrepreneurs, Action Community for Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, National Library Board Singapore, Spirit of Enterprise, Young Business Leaders and CommonTown Pte Ltd.
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ANNEX A: 12th Start-Up@Singapore Winner Profiles
Open Category – AquaInnova
The idea of shrimp farming might seem distant and strange to most Singaporeans, who are attuned to the fast-paced urban lifestyle in this concrete jungle – but not for this team of six from Thailand. Hailing from the country known for being the largest shrimp producer in the world, AquaInnova aims to produce Genovex, a shrimp viral detection equipment, which would staunch the massive farming loss from frequent shrimp viral outbreaks.
Genovex, a tool consisting of the actual device as well as reagents specific for each shrimp virus, is able to detect such viral situations early, hence prohibiting massive farm loss which arises from the late discovery of viruses. This sets AquaInnova’s product from other products and services for viral detection, as it is able to provide early containment, reducing economic losses for shrimp farmers as well. Besides being speedy in its detection, the sensitive and user-friendly nature of Genovex is a
sure hit with consumers.
The focused AquaInnova team has their eyes set on the Thailand market, due to the sheer size of its shrimp farming industry and number of hatcheries.
Cooperative Category – X-CHANGE
The roots of X-CHANGE’s business idea can be found in something simple and close to home – rooftop gardening. Emphasis is now placed on freshness and quality of produce, due to the demand of many high-end restaurants and an awareness of healthy living. The team found a need to commercialise rooftop gardening ventures. X-CHANGE’s business idea consists of hiring employees, such as retirees and housewives, to tend to the task of growing tomatoes, a fruit in a high demand in
Singapore and which can grow year-round. They aim to work with other co-operatives, such as NTUC, to fulfil greater social missions and reduce sustainability problems.
Youth Category – Ms DeeDee
Team Ms DeeDee
Ever thought of having a cup of fruit juice ready within minutes? In tropical Singapore, there is always a need to quench one’s thirst or cool down after a hard day’s work. Ms DeeDee aims to combine the convenience of dispensers and self-service concepts with the healthy nutritional value of freshly squeezed fruit juices. Not only does it aim to promote an alternative lifestyle, it also aims to provide a healthier choice for people. The ability to mix and match different juices serves as a big attraction. By allowing people to customize their own juices, Ms DeeDee will differentiate itself from conventional drink stores through this healthier alternative.
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