THE COMPETITION
A DEEP TECH PITCH COMPETITION THAT DOESN'T STOP AT THE PRIZE
Founded by Singapore Management University in 2002 and named after Singapore's founding Prime Minister, the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition is a biennial pitch competition for next-gen founders building urban solutions and sustainability startups. The competition welcomes startups with at least one founder who is currently pursuing an undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate program at any university worldwide or has graduated in the past five years. Selected finalists can also access support through Urban SustaInnovator, an accelerator run by SMU's Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, to build and scale in Asia after the competition.
ONE WEEK IN SINGAPORE. A WORLD OF IDEAS.
WHERE POSSIBILITIES CONVERGE
WHY COMPETE
ACCELERATE YOUR IMPACT
S$2.5M+ IN PRIZES
Cash, investment, grants and professional services - and an opportunity to join our accelerator and keep building after our competition.
1-1 C-SUITE MENTORSHIP
Matched mentorship with operators and corporate leaders, before you ever step on stage.
A DEEP TECH PEER NETWORK
Founders from 1200+ universities, including the world's top 100 - the cohort you keep after week ends.
ACCESS TO VC FUNDS & FAMILY OFFICES
Investors, family offices and corporate partners are in the room throughout Grand Finals Week.
THE URBAN SUSTAINNOVATOR ACCELERATOR
Selected finalists have the opportunity to join SMU IIE's Urban SustaInnovator (USI) accelerator, which offers access to partnerships, pilot projects and our new S$10 million fund.
SINGAPORE'S INNOVATION EDGE
Launch from the world's most livable smart city - a national testbed for urban and sustainability deep tech.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE PART AS A
| Founder or Student Team | Investor or VC | University or Faculty | Partner or Sponsor | Media | Student or Volunteer |
12TH EDITION - 2025
GRAND PRIZE WINNERS
CHANCELLOR'S CUP | BETA INNOVATION
CHEMT BIOTECHNOLOGY
Revolutionizing bio-manufacturing with AI-designed small molecules that enable precise and tunable modulation of cell behaviour. (National University of Singapore/Harvard University)
CHANCELLOR'S CUP | INFINITY IMPACT
ZHEJIANG POLAR CODE
Delivers smart micro-grids powered by AI to optimise performance in renewable-rich power networks. (Tianjin University / Toledo University)
SINGAPORE
GRAND FINALS WEEK
GRAND FINALS
The main stage. Finalists pitch in Category Finals then eight teams advance to the Grand Finals; winners announced live.
CHANGEMAKER CONVERSATIONS
Panels designed to empower young founders and a platform to share their invaluable first-hand experiences.
VC OFFICE HOURS
Curated 1:1 sessions where finalists meet venture investors for focused feedback.
MEET THE CORPORATES
Connect with corporate partners to explore how your solution can address innovation priorities and challenge statements.
TALENT EXCHANGE
Where startups, students and employers meet to explore jobs, internships and other employment opportunities.
NETWORKING NIGHTS
Networking dinners and the Blaze Mixer Night across the Grand Finals week.
JUDGES · MENTORS · ADVISORS
THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM
PARTNERS
BACKED BY THE ECOSYSTEM
12th Edition partners include:
NEWS & STORIES
LATEST
SMU Launches a New Deep Tech Accelerator at the 12th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition.
SMU'S 12th LKYGBPC Spotlights Global Deep Tech Innovators in Sustainability.
Rewind 18 Years: Competition Alumnus Leonard Lin Remembers Overnighters
13TH EDITION
TIMELINE
1
APPLY
Online, with no fee, between Oct 27, 2026 and Mar 31, 2027. Make our early bird deadline of Jan 31 for a chance to win extra perks.
2
SHORTLIST
50 finalists will be selected between April and June 2027 across both tracks and announced in July.
3
MENTOR
Finalists assigned to industry mentors for hands-on help in the months leading up to the competition.
4
COMPETE
A week in Singapore in October 2027: pitches, networking, investor meetups, conference-style sessions and the main stage.
5
WIN
S$2.5M+ awarded on stage. LKYGBPC finalists can apply to SMU IIE's Urban SustaInnovator accelerator program and fund to continue building and scaling after the competition is over.
IDEAS THAT MATTER | IMPACT THAT LASTS | INNOVATION WITH PURPOSE
