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SINGAPORE

TECH PLANTER in Singapore 2026

Discovering and nurturing Deep Tech seeds
and entrepreneurs in Singapore
ABOUT
Purpose
At universities, research institutes, and corporate laboratories, the "seeds" of science and technology are being born, and it takes a lot of time and effort before they sprout into practical applications. The "TECH PLANTER" organized by Leave a Nest with its partner companies is an ecosystem that aims to discover these seeds and serve as a planter to turn them into businesses. Our program in SINGAPORE aimed at discovering and nurturing Deep Tech seeds and entrepreneurs.
Target
  • Early stage startups and pre-startup researchers’ team or individual in Deep Tech Field.
  • Mature startups or SMEs seeking collaborators are also welcome, even if they are close to mass production or PMF establishment.
  • Visionaries that aim to change the world and/or their own country to a better place based on the science and tech based seeds.
  • Those who are interested in the Japanese market or collaboration with Japanese corporations.
Categories of the TECH
Manufacturing, robotics, IoT, AI, agri-tech, bio-tech, healthcare, med-tech, food-tech, care-tech, marine-tech, ecotech, and etc.
Application Period
2025/12/1(Mon)-2026/3/13(Fri)
Judging Criteria
A panel of judges consisting of Leave a Nest and its partners will evaluate each of the following items.
  1. 01NOVELTY
  2. 02PRACTICABILITY
  3. 03IMPACT TO THE WORLD
  4. 04PASSION
Awards
The Winner: 3,000 SGD
Corporate Awards: 2,000 SGD (Multiple)
SCHEDULE
12/1[MON]

Entry open

Please register from here and fill out the web form to apply.
We also hold information sessions at each university and on an individual to encourage your full registration to tell you how to prepare documents. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

3/13[FRI]

Application deadline & 1st selection

After our closing the application window, a panel of judges consisting of Leave a Nest and its partners will review the applications.
Applicants will be asked to submit information about their team, technology, passion, and future vision via web form.
All applicants will be notified of the results of the screening process and will receive feedback on their applications.
In addition, online individual interviews will be held for those who wish to participate in the presentation review.

4/24[FRI]

Announcement of finalists

Selected Finalists will be announced in the middle of May.
For applicants who pass the selection, interviews will be held to brush up their presentations for the final DEMO DAY.
In addition, it is possible to set up interviews with partner companies for the purpose of business consultation and to develop collaboration projects.

5/23[SAT]

TECH PLAN DEMO DAY in Singapore

The 9 finalist teams that passed our selection will be judged on their presentations.

6/1[MON]

Supporting period

Even after the DEMO DAY, the contact point between teams and Leave a Nest remains open, allowing discussions to develop their business.
We are responding to a wide range of start-up issues, from incorporation to prototype development, financing, and R&D.
In addition, collaboration between teams and partner companies is becoming more popular in this period to support business development.

PARTNER
Global Partners
Local Partners
Strategic Partners
ASSET
  1. ASSET01Leave a Nest Communicator
  2. ASSET02Japanese Partner Companies
  3. ASSET03Local Partners
  4. ASSET04Super Factory Group
SUPPORT
  1. SUPPORT01Organizing the vision your business
  2. SUPPORT02Brushing up your presentation
  3. SUPPORT03Opportunities for collaboration with Japanese corporates
  4. SUPPORT04Support for R&D and prototype development
  5. SUPPORT05Support for Knowledge and IP Strategies
  6. SUPPORT06Investment and support for finance
DEMO DAY
Name of the DEMO DAY
TECH PLANTER in Singapore 2026
Place
Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)
Date & Time
2026/5/23 (Sat)13:00-18:00 in Singapore Time
Application Period
2025/12/1(Mon)-2026/3/13(Fri)
Eligible Participants
Deep Tech Startups and Research Teams
Organizer
Leave a Nest Singapore
Timeline
@Singapore Time
13:00～13:30
Opening Ceremony
13:30～16:20
Finalist Presentations
16:20～17:30
Judging, Lightning talks & Poster presentation
17:30～18:00
Awards & Closing
JUDGE
  • Mr. Shohei Michael Maekawa
    Chief judge
    Leave a Nest Singapore Pte. Ltd., Managing Director,
    Mr. Shohei Michael Maekawa
    Born in the United States, raised in Italy, and educated in the United Kingdom, Shohei Michael Maekawa studied Zoology and Evolutionary Anthropology at UCL. Since joining Leave a Nest in 2013, he has supported deep-tech researchers and startups globally through TECH PLANTER, leading cross-border collaborations and ecosystem development across Asia and Europe. He currently serves as Managing Director of Leave a Nest Singapore, while also overseeing collaborations between Europe and Asia as Director of Leave a Nest UK.
  • Mr. Henry Tao
    UntroD Capital Asia Pte. Ltd.,Executive Director
    Mr. Henry Tao
    Henry joined UntroD Capital Asia in 2023 and was appointed Director in 2025. He currently leads investments across Southeast Asia, Japan, and global markets, with a focus on backing and supporting high-growth founders in frontier technology sectors. Before joining UntroD Capital Asia, Henry worked with Bayer AG across Germany, the United States, and Singapore, where he focused on early- and growth-stage investments in the industrial and agri-tech sectors. He went on to earn an MBA from Harvard Business School.
  • Mr. Aylwin Tan
    CapitaLand Investment, Chief Customer Solutions Officer
    Mr. Aylwin Tan
    Mr Aylwin Tan is responsible for formulating and executing industry promotion and development strategies, as well as key customer engagement for CapitaLand. He is also the Chairman of AIRmaker, a co-innovation platform; Director of the Smart Urban Co-Innovation Lab, an industry platform that catalyzes smart cities solutions; and administers the CapitaLand Innovation Fund, a platform that promotes innovation culture and supports piloting of ideas within the Group.
  • Ms. Charlotte LEE
    Enterprise Singapore, Director, Startup Ecosystem and Community
    Ms. Charlotte LEE
    Charlotte is with Enterprise Singapore as Director Startup Ecosystem and Community, where she focuses on startup ecosystem development and strategic innovation initiatives. Her work involves building partnerships across startups, corporates, investors, and government stakeholders, with a particular interest in emerging technologies and global innovation collaboration. She is passionate about connecting Singapore-based companies with global ecosystems, partners, and opportunities for growth
  • Dr. Jasmine Qiu
    SGInnovate, Head of Medtech and biotech Investments
    Dr. Jasmine Qiu
    Dr. Jasmine Qiu leads Medtech and Biotech Investments at SGInnovate, where she identifies and drives early-stage investments. An experienced venture builder, she also
    works closely with SGInnovate’s medtech and biotech portfolio companies to help them grow and scale, guiding them in areas such as commercialisation roadmap
    formulation and implementation, IP licensing negotiation, and product strategy.
  • Mr. Malcolm Chua
    ST Engineering Ventures,Head of Israel and China Offices,
    Mr. Malcolm Chua
    Malcolm Chua is currently the Head of Israel and China Offices for ST Engineering Ventures. In this role, he is responsible for the technology scouting, investments and portfolio management in both geographies. Prior to this appointment, he has over 20 years of experience in deep tech, transformation, and innovation with MNCs and government agencies. Malcolm holds a Masters of Engineering (M.Eng)(1st Class) from Imperial College, London and is a CFA charter holder.
  • Mr. Rayner Ng
    Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Head, Design Factory
    Mr. Rayner Ng
    Rayner Ng is Head of Design Factory at SIT, the design-led innovation platform of the Singapore Institute of Technology. He is dedicated to bringing students, faculty, industry and community partners together to co-create solutions for real-world challenges. Through Design Factory at SIT, he leads initiatives in rapid prototyping, product development and innovation, drawing on his experience in engineering, technology commercialisation and industry collaboration.
  • Ms. Shiori Yamashita
    Glocalink Inc., Catalyzer
    Ms. Shiori Yamashita
    As a business development professional, she explores consumer insights, develops new business hypotheses, and drives commercialization initiatives. At D-0, she connects technology seeds with social challenges and consumer needs. Drawing on overseas TECH PLANTER experience, she evaluates teams through novelty, feasibility, and potential world impact.
  • Mr. Ichiro Nagashima
    Taisei Co., Ltd. ,Senior Managing Executive Officer, Head of Technology Center
    Mr. Ichiro Nagashima
    Mr. Nagashima specialises in structural engineering, with expertise in seismic isolation, active and semi-active control systems, disaster prevention, and ZEB technologies. He contributed to the development of Japan’s first seismic isolation system using sliding bearings and has received numerous prestigious accolades, including the Architectural Institute of Japan Prizes and the MEXT Science and Technology Award. Beyond his professional achievements, Mr. Nagashima is also a distinguished croquet player, having won the Japan Open Croquet Singles Championship multiple times and represented Japan at the World Croquet Championships in the USA and France.
  • Mr. Norio Asahara
    Ezaki Glico Co. Ltd., Regional R&D Director
    Mr. Norio Asahara
    Mr. Asahara is the Director of Research and Development at Glico Asia Pacific, where he leads new business initiatives across the region. Representing a company whose portfolio spans confectionery, ice cream, beverages, dairy, processed foods, and infant milk formula, he is seeking research partners and exploring opportunities for technical collaboration, investment, and ingredient sourcing to drive innovation and expand Glico’s presence in the Asia Pacific market.
FINALIST
  • Neurowyzr Pte Ltd
    Jermyn See
    Accessible, high-sensitivity digital tools for early brain health screening.

    Theme:
    Accessible, high-sensitivity digital tools for early brain health screening.

  • EYO Singapore
    Sho Chen
    Nutrition AI Technology tracks nutrition data and auto customizes drink.

    Theme:
    Nutrition AI Technology tracks nutrition data and auto customizes drink.

  • OrganoBit BioIntelligence Pte. Ltd.
    Dominikus Brian
    In Silico Methods for Organoid Culture

    Theme:
    In Silico Methods for Organoid Culture

  • AtlasRobotics
    Shaun Poon
    AI-Driven Predictive Maritime Asset Management

    Theme:
    AI-Driven Predictive Maritime Asset Management

  • CONNECTIQ PTE LTD
    Kwan Lifeng
    Industrial automation solutions

    Theme:
    Industrial automation solutions

  • XYMA Analytics Private Limited
    Nishanth Raja
    Ultrasonic Waveguide-Based Monitoring for High-Temperature Industrial Assets

    Theme:
    Ultrasonic Waveguide-Based Monitoring for High-Temperature Industrial Assets

  • Another Food Pte. Ltd.
    Stéphane Chen
    Uses plant cell culture technology to produce sustainable, nature-identical coffee.

    Theme:
    Uses plant cell culture technology to produce sustainable, nature-identical coffee.

  • ETAVOLT
    Stanley Wang
    Solar panel regeneration and reycling solutions

    Theme:
    Solar panel regeneration and reycling solutions

  • Aquaviolet
    Tony Wong
    Solid State UVx Germicidal Recipe for targeted inactivation of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARG)

    Theme:
    Solid State UVx Germicidal Recipe for targeted inactivation of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARG)

LIGHTNING TALK
Team Theme Representative
Vcrave Foods Bio-Engineered Precision Nutrition from Moringa Suhail Jindran
ByoMax Pte. Ltd. Quantum Diffusion Renewable Carbon Refinery Luke van Zeller
Vark Technologies Vark Autonomous Storage & Retrieval System (Vark ASRS) Joshua Kiff
Sensing U The Destination Intelligent wayfinding system addressing disorientation and cognitive stress in built environments. Zhang Xirui Asher
Qritive Pte Ltd Qritive AI Modules & Image Management System enable accurate & affordable diagnostics at scale Bruno Occhipinti
Flow Innovation Ventures Pte Ltd To redefine grab-and-go beverages by making barista-grade drinks accessible anywhere through smart, automated retail Chang Wei Sheng
NEWS
BIKI Shines Bright: Grand Winner of TECH PLAN DEMO DAY Asia Final 2025
2025/08/25 BIKI Shines Bright: Grand Winner of TECH PLAN DEMO DAY Asia Final 2025
  • Asia Final
  • English News
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
  • ニュース
TECH PLAN DEMO DAY ASIA FINAL 2025 SET TO TAKE PLACE THIS SATURDAY!
2025/08/21 TECH PLAN DEMO DAY ASIA FINAL 2025 SET TO TAKE PLACE THIS SATURDAY!
  • Asia Final
  • English News
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
ANNOUNCING THE PARTNERS AND ESTEEMED JUDGES FOR TECH PLANTER ASIA FINAL 2025
2025/08/17 ANNOUNCING THE PARTNERS AND ESTEEMED JUDGES FOR TECH PLANTER ASIA FINAL 2025
  • Asia Final
  • English News
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
Pepshield crowned as Grand Winner of TECH PLANTER in Singapore 2025!
2025/05/27 Pepshield crowned as Grand Winner of TECH PLANTER in Singapore 2025!
  • English News
  • Singapore
SINGAPORE5/23
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