Current Projects

Explore new and differentiated applications for Agora’s real-time conversational AI

Agora is a global real-time engagement platform, providing the APIs and network infrastructure that let developers embed live voice, video, streaming and, increasingly, conversational AI directly into their own applications. Agora built its original business on ultra-low-latency, carrier-grade video and voice calling, which powers in-app calling, live interactive streaming, and virtual events for thousands of applications worldwide. The technology is backed by a global real-time network engineered for reliability and minimal lag.

The company’s more recent and fastest-growing focus is its Conversational AI Engine and Conversational AI Device Kit. This infrastructure is purpose-built for natural, interruption-tolerant, near-instant spoken conversation between a person and an AI agent, together with live, lip-synced AI avatars and a turnkey path for embedding voice AI into physical IoT devices such as toys, robots, wearables and smart-home products. It is the layer where Agora is most differentiated from both commodity video-calling APIs and generic text-based chatbot platforms.

Opportunity Sought

Explore new and differentiated applications for Agora’s Conversational AI Engine and Conversational AI Device Kit. Its technology provides real-time, ultra-low-latency infrastructure for voice-based human-to-AI interaction in contexts where natural, interruption-tolerant, near-instant spoken conversation with an AI agent is the missing capability, not just a chatbot or a smart speaker.

The key question the team should explore is which real-time interaction problem is now solvable because of the shift from human-to-human calling infrastructure to human-to-AI conversational infrastructure, and why Agora’s global low-latency network, reliability, and interruption-handling are decisive compared to a team building this in-house on a generic voice-AI stack.

Promising directions include: real-time simultaneous interpretation for multilingual markets such as Singapore and ASEAN; Call Campaign solutions integrated with SIP Call and PSTN; live-avatar powered AI tutors, AI interviewers and virtual sales assistants; and voice-AI companion functions embedded directly into physical hardware and smart toys via the Conversational AI Device Kit. Teams are encouraged to identify the end user, the app or device owner who would integrate Agora, and the specific reason Agora wins the integration decision over a generic AI chatbot.

The unique differentiation Agora brings is real-time, low-latency, natural spoken conversation, ideally with interruption-handling and near-zero lag that genuinely change the experience.

Some of the questions that the team will be looking at are:

1. What real-time, voice-based human-to-AI interaction needs are currently unmet, and in which contexts does natural spoken conversation clearly outperform a chatbot, IVR or smart speaker?
2. Who would be the potential customers: the app or product owner who integrates Agora, and the end user who experiences the conversational AI agent?
3. Why would that customer choose Agora’s Conversational AI Engine or Device Kit over building on a generic voice-AI stack, a competing real-time platform, or an in-house solution?
4. What would an Agora-based solution look like? Define the product or app concept, the core interaction flow, and how it integrates into a real-world system or device.
5. What are the potential business models?

Agora representatives will be available to provide feedback and validate ideas.

Company representative:

Derek Zheng , Head of Developer Relations, APAC & Director of Global Customer Success

Solutions and Technologies, Agora

Recommended team composition:

Students may come from any field of Engineering, Science or Business. Any one interested in conversational AI, voice interfaces, real-time systems, or technology product-market discovery.

More Information:

https://www.agora.io/en

https://www.agora.io/en/products/convoai-device-kit/

Exploring New Markets and Solutions for Enclustra's low-power and compute/EdgeAI Pluto platform

Enclustra is a leading provider of high-performance FPGA-based systems that enable next-generation intelligent, power-efficient edge computing. By combining advanced FPGA technology with system-level design expertise, Enclustra helps customers integrate AI capabilities directly into products across industries such as industrial automation, communications, medical technology, transportation, and embedded vision.

Its modular system-on-module (SoM) portfolio and engineering know-how support rapid development and scalable deployment of Edge AI/Compute solutions. As computing shifts from the cloud to decentralized edge devices, Enclustra’s platforms deliver the reconfigurability, parallel processing, and low-latency performance required for real-time, privacy-focused, and energy-efficient applications.

Leveraging these strengths, Enclustra is well positioned to drive innovation in Edge AI/Compute acceleration, helping customers build intelligent, responsive, and efficient systems.

Opportunity Sought

The rise of AI-enhanced processing at the edge is unlocking entirely new application domains and market segments. Enclustra, through its SoC-based (ARM + FPGA) platforms such as Pluto XZU20, is a key enabler of this transformation. Pluto is Enclustra’s smallest and lowest-power SoC module, purpose-built for applications where board space and power budget are the binding constraint. -It small size ( 30×30 mm)  and low power consumption (operating down to about 0.1 W), combined with a deterministic, real-time FPGA fabric alongside its ARM processing cores, Pluto makes it possible to embed real-time AI/signal processing into portable, handheld, wearable, or remotely powered devices that could not previously accommodate this level of compute.

Enclustra is seeking innovative ideas -  to explore how Pluto can be positioned to capture value in emerging Edge AI/Compute markets. This includes identifying compelling use cases, designing differentiated solutions, and proposing viable go-to-market strategies and business models.

Key Questions to Address

• Market Opportunities:
  What new market segments or industry needs can Pluto address with Edge AI/Compute capabilities? Consider sectors such as industrial automation, smart infrastructure, healthcare, robotics, mobility, or telecommunications where Pluto’s unique strengths of small size and low-power Edge AI/compute capabilities could enable new applications
• Value Creation:
  How can these solutions create additional value for customers and strengthen Enclustra’s competitive positioning? What unique advantages does Pluto offer compared to alternative technologies?
• Product / Solution Concept:
  What would a Pluto-based Edge AI/Compute solution look like? Define the product architecture, core features, and how it integrates into real-world systems.
• Ecosystem & Partnerships:
  Which industry partners, system integrators, or technology providers would be critical to bring these solutions to market?
• Innovation Requirements:
  What additional technological, software, or ecosystem developments are needed to make these solutions viable and scalable?
• Business Models:
  What new business models could be applied? Consider hardware + software bundling, platform-as-a-service, licensing, or industry-specific vertical solutions.

Company representative:

Christopher Koh, Market Development Director

Enclustra Asia Pte. Ltd. 

Recommended team composition:

All who are interested in this area. Students can be from all disciplines

Reference material

Enclustra FPGA Solutions | Home | FPGA Design Services | FPGA & System-on-Chip (SoC) Modules | System-on-Modules (SoM) | IP Cores

Enclustra FPGA Solutions | Pluto XZU20 |

Short Videos

Enclustra Engineering Design Services

Exploring new markets and solutions for MediaTek EdgeAI

As the industry leader in developing high performance and power-efficient system-on-chip products, MediaTek is already bringing the benefits of our powerful, in-house designed AI processors into their diverse product ecosystem. MediaTek now ship over 2 billion chips in connected devices every year, many of which contain our AI processors, making us one of the world’s leading edge AI suppliers. With a broad market reach, you’ll find MediaTek AI technologies in devices at home, in education, in businesses, in mobile, and in vehicles.

The future of AI-enhanced devices is huge. Imagine using devices tailored perfectly to your needs and habits: a smartphone that keeps track of your health and orders you medicine before you get sick; a smart home that turns on the lights and heat just before you arrive; an autonomous car that drives you where you need to go, the moment you hop in. An innate intelligence that’s so fluid it brings a new level of user experience, and changes your world. That’s where Edge AI comes in.

The rapid evolution of AI-enhanced use cases is changing how devices are being created and used. This shift in demand, as well as the increasing capability of AI technologies, is motivating products to process AI-enhancements ‘at the edge’; in products at home, in vehicle or about person, rather than rely solely on Cloud-connected support.

Advantages of this edge-computing include real-time immediacy, data privacy and overall lower power consumption. For device makers, there’s also no need to roll out supporting Cloud infrastructure into every region a product is sold into, decreasing time to market.

Opportunity Sought

AI-enhancements ‘at the edge’ opens new application possibilities and hence new market segments. MediaTek is a key technology enabler for this and is looking for innovative business ideas, market strategies and business model, for this emerging technology.        

The questions to address are: What are the new markets areas and needs for industries that this technology could address? How could these add further value to the organization? What would the product or solution look like? Who would be relevant industry partners?  What further innovations, if any, would need to happen to make them viable in these new areas. What are the potential new business models?

Company representative:

Wong Sheng Jau

Senior Manager, Innovation Center

MediaTek

Recommended team composition:

All who are interested in this area.  Students can be from all disciplines

Reference material

https://i.mediatek.com/ai

https://www.mediatek.com/technology/artificial-intelligence

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MediaTek at COMPUTEX 2026: From Data Center to Edge Al with MediaTek

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Exploring market opportunities for dissolving multi-microneedle particles in topical application  for chronic pain management

More than 90% drugs and actives have poor absorption into our body. Formulating effective skincare, healthcare and therapeutic products is often complex and requires overcoming significant biological and physicochemical barriers like skin, intestinal mucosal barrier. As a result, many promising drug candidates fail to reach clinical trial or viable treatment stages due to poor absorption and low bioavailability.

Nusmetics offer the simplest way to maximise drug absorption and efficacy using dissolving multi microneedle particles (dissolving microbee or softbee) in the form of powder or pre-mix liquid (primer) that can be easily used or mixed with almost any drug formulation including cream, serum, liquid, paste, gel, etc. as easy as mixing sugar into coffee to enhance active or drug absorption up to 10 times faster and 1000 times higher, unlocking full potential of existing and emerging skincare, haircare products, supplements, and therapeutics. Microbee is available in the form of an oil primer. It can simply be integrated with skin care products in two ways:

Use the primer before applying any skincare or topical products for better absorption of skincare or topical actives

Incorporate actives within the microbee or microbee primer for synergistic effects.

Fore more information visit https://www.nusmetics.com/products (Soft bee)

Opportunity Sought

Nusmetics is seeking to validate potential market opportunities for Softbee, a dissolving microbee made of 100% hyaluronic acid, in skin care, skin disease and pain management applications. We aim to explore the efficacy and adaptability of Softbee in treating various skin conditions and disorders, assessing both its therapeutic benefits and market demand. We need to identify key areas where softbee can make a significant impact in dermatological treatments, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Some of the questions that the team will be looking at are:

• What are the new trends, needs and pain points of the topical treatments in skin care, skin disease and pain management including its market size, growth potential, trends, and challenges? What are the potential activities with high pain points in administration of skin product?
• What are the regulatory hurdles and how could they be addressed ?
• Which skin care applications or skin diseases can be a potential target where softbee can be most beneficial?
• Who are the potential customers and channels? Do consider beauty salons, dermal treatment centres, biotech and pharma companies.
• What are the potential business models and markets?
• Who would be relevant industry partners and alliances?

Nusmetics representative will be available to provide feedback and validate ideas.

Company representative:

Himanshu Kathuria, Director, CTO & Co-Founder

Recommended team composition:

Anyone interested in this area. The ideal team should include individuals with science or engineering backgrounds. Cross-disciplinary skills are ideal

Reference material

https://www.nusmetics.com/products

https://www.nusmetics.com/

Explore new opportunities for PRISM+’s smart-home ecosystem

PRISM+ is a Singapore-grown, direct-to-consumer smart home and electronics brand. Starting in computer monitors, it has expanded into a full portfolio of home appliances: TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators, fans, laundry appliances, smart locks, air purifiers, vacuums and soundbars. These are sold directly to consumers through its own website, 9 offline retail stores and marketplaces such as Lazada, Shopee, TitkTok Shop without a distributor tier in between. PRISM+ has real scale in Singapore: an installed base of over 800,000 users, a strong local-community and affordability-plus-quality brand identity, and a reputation built substantially on its aftersales and warranty support. With a reputation for delivering wallet-friendly products that are packed with features and backed by award-winning customer service, PRISM+ continues to define the future of smart home technology. It also operates its own PRISM+ Connect app, which unifies several of its smart devices such as locks, air conditioners, fans, purifiers into a single connected ecosystem.

Website: https://prismplus.sg/

Opportunity Sought

Explore new customer segments, business models, or service layers that PRISM+ could pursue by leveraging its existing assets, i.e. brand trust, an 800,000+ user installed base, a full smart-home appliance portfolio, and the PRISM+ Connect app.

The question for the team is which adjacent customer, geography, or business model PRISM+ is well positioned to win because its affordability-plus-quality brand, its breadth across appliance categories, its aftersales reputation, and the connected-device relationship it already has through the Connect app.

Directions worth exploring include: a B2B2C property and real estate channel offering bundled smart-home fit-out packages to developers, managing agents, or landlords; regional expansion of PRISM+’s direct-to-consumer playbook into markets such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam or the Philippines; ecosystem and data services built on PRISM+ Connect, such as energy-usage insights, predictive maintenance, or extended-warranty/insurance subscriptions sold to the existing installed base; ageing-in-place smart home safety features (fall or emergency alerts, check-in notifications) aimed at eldercare operators and family caregivers; an appliance-as-a-service or subscription hardware model aimed at renters, expatriates, or co-living residents who prefer flexibility over ownership; and smart-room furnishing packages for hotels, serviced apartments, and co-living operators. Teams are encouraged to identify the customer precisely (who signs the deal, and who the end user is if different), and the specific reason PRISM+  rather than a generic appliance retailer or a global smart-home brand — is positioned to win the opportunity.

Some of the questions that the team will be looking at are:

1. What new customer segments, geographies, or business models could PRISM+ pursue beyond selling individual appliances to individual Singapore households?
2. What are the emerging trends and opportunities in the smart home market? What are the pain points or needs of current smart home product users?
3. Who would be the potential customers — at the buyer/decision-maker level (e.g. developer, landlord, operator, distributor) and at the end-user level, if different?
4. What would a PRISM+-based solution or offering look like, and how would it build on the existing product portfolio and Connect app?
5. What are the potential business models?

PRISM+ representatives will be available to provide feedback and validate ideas.

Company representative:

Adhiraj Mahajan

Associate Director, Product Research and Development

PRISM+

Recommended team composition:

The ideal team should include individuals with knowledge or interest in the smart home industry.  Students can be from all disciplines

Website:

https://prismplus.sg/