After several rounds of fierce competition, we finally selected one startup to represent Singapore at the grand final round of Asia Hardware Battle in Shanghai.
In this competition, one startup rose above all the others and proved extraordinary through a series of stringent evaluation and step-by-step screening by several prominent judges: Mr. Chirayu Wadke (Partner at SeedPlus), Mr. Derrick Yap (CEO of PBA Group), Dr. Huang Zhiqiang (IP Strategist at IP Value Lab), and Mr. Kelvin Ong (CEO of FocusTech Ventures).
Winner: EcoWorth Tech—Carbon Fibre Aerogel
EcoWorth Tech (EWT) is a waste solutions partner specializing in transforming waste materials into reusable products while delivering social & environmental benefits. As an SG CleanTech startup, EWT commercializes an innovative, sustainable technology called “Carbon Fiber Aerogel”, developed at the NTU to treat waste, in particular, to remove and recuperate organic materials. Globally, there is a need for sustainable technologies that reduce waste, transform waste into value-added products, eliminate the environmental impact of polluting industries, and meet an increasing demand for clean water. Although a wide variety of decontamination technologies are available, most, if not all are complex, costly and/or inefficient. Specifically, addressing the removal of a massive range of organic components to acceptable discharge levels is particularly challenging. The technology has the potential to transform the food waste industry, oil and gas decontamination, and industrial wastewater treatment.
In addition to EcoWorth Tech, here are the other 6 qualified startups that appeared on the field:
QIQ Global–QIQ
QIQ has developed a proprietary energy storage system that is non-lithium based, making it RoHS certified. Its energy storage is clean and efficient. Compared to a lithium-based battery, its energy storage has a duty cycle of 50,000, which is 50 times longer in usage life. QIQ has also developed and designed its own transportation system such as the docking charging station for vehicles including electric bicycles and scooters that charges in under 7 minutes.
igloohome–Deadbolt 2S
igloohome helps people manage their homes and properties through innovative technologies. igloohome Smart Locks and Smart Keybox allow home and property owners to grant access to visitors remotely, via time-sensitive PIN codes or Bluetooth keys. The igloohome Smart Deadbolt 2S is the world’s slimmest smart deadbolt and promises both style and substance. Grant time-sensitive entry to your home or property via a mobile app, and track when visitors enter. Unlike many other deadbolts, the key cylinder of the 2S has been specially designed such that it is flushed with the front panel – this makes the key cylinder much less conspicuous, and much less likely to be picked. The Deadbolt 2S has a universal design aesthetic that fits well with most types of decor, and its sharp lines keep it clean and sleek.
OCEO Water–OCEO Smart Water Purifier
OCEO Smart Water Purifier is designed to meet growing needs for safe drinking water. With OCEO Smart Sensor innovation, the purifier not only measures and monitors the drinking water usage, but also maintains safe drinking and hygiene water at all times. OCEO is an intelligent, sustainable, and cost-effective way to solve the drinking water crisis.
Standcraft–Birdcage
The Birdcage is a rest pavilion for retail and public spaces. It marries good design with interactive technologies, encouraging users to ‘rest, reconnect and recharge’. Resembling a life-sized birdcage, the unusual structure calls out to users to enter and take a break. As they take their seats, LED lights trigger light patterns in response. Every seat is equipped with wireless charging capabilities – place a phone on the seat and it starts charging! Music also plays a part in the relaxation experience, with ceiling-mounted speakers playing soothing tunes. The Birdcage won the URA-REDAS Spark Challenge in July 2018, a national design competition in Singapore to improve the quality of urban spaces. It is the first in a series of responsive structures created by StandCraft that are quickly produced, modular and reusable.
TAG TEAM–TAGRider
Laser TAGRider is one of the recent innovations of TAG TEAM. It will upgrade your standard toys (dart blasters, mechanical or battery operated toy guns or any trigger based weapons) to a laser tag equipment. Once attached, you will now have expanded options on the way you play as Laser TAGRider is designed for multi-player combat missions. Loaded with LED lights and sounds to provide visual and audio feedback for a great player experience. It will record and display player hit counts. It can shoot up to 20 meters with unlimited ammunition. When paired with a host of Mixed Reality Gaming apps, the gaming experience and fun the user can derive stretches into the virtual space.
uHoo–uHoo
uHoo is an Indoor air sensor that monitors, analyzes, and provides insights and solutions in real-time. Just plug the device into power, connect it to WiFi, and all the information is available via the uHoo app on the mobile phone or web dashboard. uHoo is the most advanced sensor that measures 9 air quality parameters – temperature, humidity, PM2.5, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, VOCs, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and air pressure. When uHoo detects pollutants it is able to automatically control users’ smart air purifiers or send users visual cues or audio cues via smart lights or smart speakers. It is also able to integrate directly with users’ building systems to automate the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems of their buildings thereby reducing energy costs, ensuring a healthy and safe indoor environment, and obtaining green/sustainability credits and points for users’ buildings.
Next stop!
We would like to extend a big thanks to all participants, judges, and partner organizers. AHB Singapore City Pitching was well supported by our venue partner, JTC and many strategic partners:
Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE), IP Value Lab, EnterpriseSG, Focustech Ventures, NUS Enterprise, PBA Group, SGTech, Startup-O, TNB Ventures, and SWITCH.
EcoWorth Tech is getting ready to battle it out at the Grand Finals in Shanghai. See you soon!