The 12th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition

Competition Information

The inaugural edition of the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC) was held in 2002.

Named in honour of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister - who can be said to have developed the country’s defining business plan in pitching Singapore into the global spotlight - it was the first ever international business plan competition to be organised at theuniversity undergraduate level, targeting students from universities, colleges, and polytechnics world-wide.

In over two decades since, the competition, which is held every two years, has grown leaps and bounds: From just over 200 submissions from 74 tertiary institutions in 2002, to 1,000 submissions from 1,100 universities in 2023.

Today, the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC) is a a recognised beacon of excellence in global youth innovation. As one of the world’s largest deep-tech university startup challenges, hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors in the global innovation ecosystem converge in Singapore for an exciting week of live pitches, networking, mentorship and learning.

Beyond the competition, the platform has become a launchpad for a rising tide of alumni who are continually innovating to make the world a better place.

Focus Area

• Carbon Tech: Carbon tech leverages data to optimise carbon management and financing strategies, driving sustainable practices and reducing emissions.
• Climate Tech: Climate tech utilises climate-resilient infrastructure to reduce emissions and support sustainable development.
• Energy Transitions: Technology that advances the usage of renewable energy to enhance grid resilience, optimise energy use, and ensure access to clean energy.
• Food & Land Use: Innovative solutions promoting sustainable farming and alternative protein sources that enhance food security and minimise environmental impact.
• Green Buildings & Constructions: Energy-efficient materials, smart technologies, and sustainable designs that reduce resource consumption and emissions.
• Homeland Security: Advanced surveillance, AI, and cybersecurity solutions that strengthen national resilience and enhance rapid-response capabilities by safeguarding critical infrastructure and public spaces.
• Public Health: Digital health, AI and other tech solutions that boost patient outcomes and enhance healthcare access, preventive care and overall community wellness.
• Sustainable Materials & Circularity: Innovative materials and recycling technologies that promote renewable resources, extend product life cycles, and reduce waste, enabling closed-loop systems.
• Transport & Logistics: Smarter transport networks based on EV infrastructure and mobility optimisation that optimise efficiency, reduce emissions and streamline logistics operations.
• Urban Mobility Solutions: Urban mobility technologies such as autonomous vehicles and AI serve to optimise traffic, reduce congestion, and lower carbon emissions.
• Water Solutions: Innovations in purification, AI and technology that serve to ensure access to clean water, optimise water usage, detect leaks, and minimise waste.

Key Dates

APPLICATION | JAN - MAR 2025
Register yourself or in a team for the Beta or Infinity category.

LOCAL & GLOBAL ROADSHOWS | JAN - MAR 2025
Meet us as we embark on global roadshows to uncover and connect with visionary founders!

PRELIMINARY SCREENING | APR 2025
150 top teams will be shortlisted.

QUALIFIERS | MAY - JUN 2025
50 finalist teams - called the RVLT (Revolution) teams - will be chosen by an international judging panel.

DEEPENING | JUN -AUG 2025
Through mentoring, networking, and learning, the RVLT 50 teams will gain valuable knowledge.

BLAZE | SEP - OCT 2025
1-week innovation festival and immersion programme in Singapore, where RVTL50 teams will refine their pitch for the category finals.

GRAND FINALS | OCT 2025
The Grand Finalists will pitch 'live' to a panel of judges to vie for the top prize for the two categories.

Categories

Categories 0 to 1:

Pre-revenue teams with disruptive technology or business model innovations

• Technology innovation that emerged from academic research with commercialisation opportunities that may or may not be fully validated
• Innovative business model that may or may not be fully validated
• Team is in initial phases of ideation up to having a minimum viable product (MVP) that has yet to be launched in the market
• Each team / startup must have at least one founding member/founder, who is a current student or recent alumnus / alumna of a university who graduated within the past 5 years.
• A “current student” is an individual who is currently enrolled full-time in a polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD programme at a tertiary institution as of 31 March 2025. “Alumni of less than 5 years” is defined as any person who graduated from a tertiary institute from 31 March 2020 onwards.
• Individuals who were previously enrolled full-time in any of the programmes, but who dropped out between 31st March 2020 and 31st March 2025, are also eligible to apply.
• There is no restriction on the number of members in a team or company.

Categories 1 to Infinity:

Revenue-generating early stage start-ups, up to Series A

• Startup is in the phase of initial sales or looking to scale
• The product or service has launched in the market, and the startup is seeking its next customer(s) and/or to enter a new market
• Each team / startup must have at least one founding member/founder, who is a current student or recent alumnus / alumna of a university who graduated within the past 5 years.
• A “current student” is an individual who is currently enrolled full-time in a polytechnic, undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD programme at a tertiary institution as of 31 March 2025. “Alumni of less than 5 years” is defined as any person who graduated from a tertiary institute from 31 March 2020 onwards.
• Individuals who were previously enrolled full-time in any of the programmes, but who dropped out between 31st March 2020 and 31st March 2025, are also eligible to apply.
• There is no restriction on the number of members in a team or company.