The winner of the 2023 singapore prize was unveiled in a glitzy ceremony at the Theatre in Mediacorp tonight, which featured a green carpet and performances by the bands One Republic and Bastille. Prince William, who chairs the Earthshot board, looked coordinated with host Hannah Waddingham, wearing a sharp dark green velour suit and matching dickie bow.
The prize rewards the most promising early-stage ideas and companies that are transforming our world, whether in the area of the environment, food, health, or technology. The winners receive a cash prize of $30,000 and are able to work with mentors from the business community, including global entrepreneurs and investors. The winners also get access to a series of workshops and other resources to help them develop their business plans further.
This year, judges lauded an array of submissions for their innovation and impact, from social enterprises and start-ups to multinational corporations. They also awarded special commendations to several projects, which did not win the top prize. This included an innovative idea for a mobile app to teach kids about the ecosystem in Singapore’s Central Catchment region.
Another highlight was a new award for young writers, the Deborah Rogers writer’s prize. It was won by Sharlene Wen-Ning Teo, for her debut novel Ponti, which features a woman of mixed Asian and European heritage navigating the expectations of family and society in Singapore and Malaysia. Teo, who is in her second year of a PhD in prose fiction at UEA, has previously written for magazines such as Esquire and Magma Poetry.
In other awards, a book about the history of a Singaporean landmark was crowned the winner of the NUS History Prize. Leluhur: Singapore’s Kampong Gelam (2019, available here) by Hidayah Amin shined a light on the history of a place that many only know about as a tourist attraction. This year’s shortlist was also enriched with non-fiction works that have a personal slant, foregoing the traditional view of history as a record of big movers and shakers.
Other notable awards include the President’s Science and Technology Award, which recognises individuals who push the boundaries of research and innovation in Singapore. This is in addition to the MAP awards, which reward SEA, Commonwealth and Asian Games medallists for their achievements.
The winners of the entrepreneurship awards are awarded with a prestigious internship experience in China, where they will be placed with leading Chinese technology companies and venture capital firms, with internship expenses covered by Enterprise Singapore. The successful candidates will also be given entrepreneurship training and invited to build their network with established founders and VCs in the country. Besides the cash prizes, the winning startups will be eligible to apply for funding from the government and private sector through other programmes. They will also have the opportunity to participate in the 2025 Singapore Valley Programme, which provides opportunities to build connections globally.