A global competition for university entrepreneurs developing technologies to address urban and sustainability challenges has opened applications, offering finalists access to investors, industry partners and potential funding.
The 13th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC), organised by Singapore Management University’s Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, is seeking start-ups working across 12 areas, including climate technology, energy, urban mobility, healthcare, sustainable materials and the circular economy.
Fifty finalists will be invited to Singapore from 28 September to 1 October 2027 to compete for more than S$2.5 million (US$2 million) in prizes. They will also participate in an innovation festival featuring investor meetings, mentorship and opportunities to connect with corporate partners.
The competition is open to start-ups with at least one founder currently enrolled at a university or who graduated within the past five years.
Beyond the competition, selected finalists can join Singapore Management University’s Urban SustaInnovator (USI) accelerator, which helps start-ups secure market access, pilot projects and strategic partnerships across Asia. The university launched the USI Fund in May 2026 to support promising ventures as they test and scale their technologies.
Rony Palathinkal, head of LKYGBPC and Urban SustaInnovator, said the initiative aimed to connect innovators with the markets and partners needed to translate technological breakthroughs into practical applications.
One example is Singapore-based Standard Physics, formerly Inviscid AI, which participated in the previous competition before joining the USI accelerator and Y Combinator’s Winter 2026 cohort.
The company uses artificial intelligence and digital twins to improve energy efficiency in buildings and data centres. It has secured a pilot project with The GEAR, operated by Japanese construction group Kajima, and raised US$2.3 million in seed funding.
The 2025 edition attracted more than 1,500 entries from founders representing 1,200 universities across 91 countries. Finalists from the previous four editions have collectively raised more than S$1 billion, according to the organisers.
The initiative comes as Singapore seeks to strengthen its position as a hub for sustainability innovation and technology commercialisation.
