Exploit Technologies and IES establish strategic collaboration under Angel Investment Management

Aug. 30, 2009 - PRLog -- A*STAR Chairman Mr Lim Chuan Poh will be putting the spotlight on “Engineering a Sustainable Future” when he presents his Lecture during the 3rd IES Charles Rudd Distinguished Lecture (CRDL).  Organised by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) annually, the CRDL is designed to be a platform for distinguished speakers to give their take on the latest science and technological developments in Singapore and the world.  Past speakers include SPRING Singapore Chairman Mr Philip Yeo and ex-EDB Chairman Mr Lim Siong Guan.

Mr Lim will also present the IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Awards 2009, given annually to outstanding engineers or companies, to seven recipients.  The PEAA recipients will be holding an exhibition of their winning projects before the Lecture.  Please refer to Appendix 1 for more details on the PEAA.

On this occasion, IES and Exploit Technologies will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic collaboration under the Angel Investment Management (AIM) initiative. This collaboration serves to enhance and accelerate Angel networking activity, and enable startups to have greater access to Angel investors in Singapore and the region.

Under the new partnership, IES and Exploit Technologies will collaborate to organise Angel networking events and undertake joint marketing activities to promote investments in local startups.  

IES will set up an “IES Angels Roundtable” to provide the opportunities for its members to jointly invest in high-growth companies and promising start-ups and a platform to network and link up with the Angels community.  The Roundtable will be chaired by Er. Edwin Khew, CEO and Managing Director, IUT Global Pte Ltd, and Chairman, IES Manufacturing Group.  

Exploit Technologies will channel a pipeline of startups from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Technology Transfer network (TTN) to Angel investors during its Angel networking activities.  

Mr Boon Swan Foo, Executive Chairman, Exploit Technologies, said: Mr Boon Swan Foo, Executive Chairman, Exploit Technologies, said: “We have seen many Singapore start-ups with great potential for global success. Often, all they need is an experienced mentor who can guide and advise them to avoid the initial pitfalls. We believe Angel investors could plug this current gap in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, through providing mentorship services, coaching for elevated pitches, shaping of business plans, and of course, helping start-ups with their fundraising efforts. I congratulate IES for coming onboard the Angel Investment Management programme. Recently, with signs that the global economy is looking up, we hope that more of such committed individuals and organisations like IES could partner us in paving the way forward for indigenous start-ups.”

Er. Lee Bee Wah, President, IES, said: “AIM is a good model where ‘inventor-meets-investor’ and ideas are made a reality.  We want to engage our members through the IES Angels Roundtable and enable them to establish networks within the Angels community and pick up interesting investment opportunities along the way.”  

The 3rd IES Charles Rudd Distinguished Lecture will be held on Monday 31 August 2009 at 7.00 pm at The Matrix Auditorium at Biopolis, Singapore.  Media representatives are invited to cover the event.  Please refer to Appendix 2 for the programme.  

Enc:
Appendix 1: About the IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Awards (PEAA)
Appendix 2: Information on 3rd IES Charles Rudd Distinguished Lecture
Appendix 3: 3: Boilerplates of Exploit Technologies and IES

For media enquiries, please contact:

Ms Valerie J. Neo
Manager, External Relations
The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES)
DID   : (65) 6461 1229
Mobile: (65) 9877 9854
Email: valerie@iesnet.org.sg  

Ms Seeto Wei Peng
Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Communications
Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (A member of A*STAR)
DID   : (65) 6478 8443
Mobile: (65) 8375 9474
Email: weipeng@exploit-tech.com  

APPENDIX 1
About the IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Awards (PEAA)

The IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Awards (PEAA) are given annually to an organization or persons responsible for an outstanding engineering project in Singapore.  The PEAA aims to recognize the outstanding achievements of the engineers who have attained engineering achievements which demonstrate outstanding engineering skills and have made a significant contribution to the engineering progress and the quality of life in Singapore.

The most outstanding PEAA project will be awarded the ASEAN Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award during the annual Conference of the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations (CAFEO).

The criterion for the PEAA is as follows:
1.   Contribution to the well being of people and communities;
2.   Resourcefulness in planning and in the solution of design problems,
3.   Pioneering in use of materials and methods;
4.   Innovations in planning, design and construction; and
5.   Unusual aspects and aesthetic values.


The PEAA 2009 recipients are:

1. Keppel FELS Limited: Semi-Submersible Drilling Tender Designs (SSDT) – Breakthrough New Deepwater Concept #

2. Housing & Development Board (HDB) and National Environment Agency (NEA): Enhancing the Sustainability of Singapore Burial Grounds through Innovative Application of Prefabrication Technology – The Precast New Burial System (PNBS)

3. Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R): Brain-Computer Interface

4. Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R): Unleashing Underutilised Spectrum for Sustainable Future Communications

5. Keppel FELS Limited: B-Class Jack-Up Rig – Designed for Environmental Sustainability

6. National University of Singapore, Department of Mechanical Engineering: Absorption Technology for Desalination and Cooling

7.   ST Electronics (Info-Comm Systems Pte Ltd: Expandable Mobile Command HUB


APPENDIX 2
3rd IES Charles Rudd Distinguished Lecture
Monday 31 August 2009, 6.00 pm, The Matrix Auditorium @ Biopolis

Programme

6.00 pm Registration and Exhibition

7.00 pm Welcome Address by Er. Lee Bee Wah, President, The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES)

7.05 pm   MOU Signing Ceremony between ETPL and IES

7.10 pm   Presentation of the IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Awards by Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman, A*STAR

7.25 pm   3rd IES Charles Rudd Distinguished Lecture
by Mr Lim Chuan Poh

8.10 pm   Q&A Session

8.30 pm   End of Event


APPENDIX 3

About The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES)

The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) was formally established in July 1966 as the national society of engineers in Singapore. IES is the premier engineering Institution in Singapore and is called upon by the Government to provide feedback on professional engineering matters.  Corporate membership of IES signifies recognition of professional engineering experience and accomplishments.  

IES is well represented among the faculty members of the major engineering institutions of higher learning in Singapore. Through close collaboration with the local universities and polytechnics, IES organizes courses, seminars and talks for engineers and IES members to advance the continuous development of engineers.  
The Institution also maintains close links with professional organizations of engineers regionally and throughout the world. These include organizations in Australia, China, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States. The Institution also represents Singapore in the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations (AFEO) in promoting goodwill and fellowship among all engineers in ASEAN.

IES Academy (IESA) fulfills the expanding role of the Continuing Education Centre (CEC), set up in 1981.  IESA aims to be the leading provider of practical engineering knowledge and lifelong training for engineers and technical personnel in Singapore.  

For more information, please visit http://www.ies.org.sg.

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Exploit Technologies is the strategic marketing and commercialisation arm of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Its mission is to support A*STAR in transforming the economy through commercialising R&D. Exploit Technologies enhances the research output of A*STAR scientists by translating their inventions into marketable products or processes. Through licensing deals and spinoffs with industry partners, Exploit Technologies is a key driver of technology transfer in Singapore. It actively engages industry leaders and players to commercialise A*STAR's technologies and capabilities, bridging the gap from Mind to Market. Exploit Technologies’ charter is to identify, protect and exploit promising intellectual property (IP) created by A*STAR’s research institutes.

For more information, please visit http://www.exploit-tech.com.