Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition opens with SGD 2.5M in prizes
Singapore Management University opens applications for student founders, offering non-dilutive awards and pilot opportunities.
The Singapore Management University Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship has opened applications for the 13th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition, bringing more than SGD 2.5 million in total prize funding to early-stage ventures [1].
The biennial competition is open to active university students and recent graduates worldwide who are developing novel technology ventures [1]. Beyond cash awards, finalists selected for the initiative will receive entry into the Urban SustaInnovator accelerator, a dedicated platform designed to help emerging startups secure customer traction, pilot deployments, and commercial market entry [1].
Organizers plan to close the application window on March 31, 2027 [1]. Following the evaluation phase, shortlisted teams will travel to Singapore to participate in the final stage of the event, scheduled to take place from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1, 2027 [1]. The program aims to bridge technical research with industry application. According to Rony Palathinkal, head of the competition and the Urban SustaInnovator program at Singapore Management University, technology creators achieve meaningful outcomes only after reaching the commercial end-users and communities they set out to support [1].
Questions and answers
Who is eligible to enter the competition?
The competition welcomes applications from current university founders as well as recent graduates.
What is the total value of prizes offered?
Participants compete for a pool exceeding SGD 2.5 million in awards and pilot opportunities.
What is the submission deadline for entrants?
Applications close on March 31, 2027, with the final competition held in Singapore in autumn 2027.
Companies & investors in this story
Sources
- 1.LKYGBPC returns with a pitch to fix deeptech’s real bottleneck: customers — e27, Oct 29, 2026