INNOVATION DAY 2024

NUS College of Design and Engineering (CDE) warmly invites you to the CDE Innovation Day 2024: Discover Tomorrow's Unicorns. Join us for a day filled with visionary ideas and disruptive solutions poised to shape the future.

CDE Innovation Day is the culmination of Innovus@CDE, a series of workshops and challenges designed to ignite innovation and entrepreneurship among our students. The event's highlight - finalists competing in the Eureka and Impact Accelerator pitch competitions, showcasing the next wave of student-led startups.

What to Expect:

Visionary Keynotes: Hear from two groundbreaking founder CEOs.
Dynamic Startups Pitches: 8 exciting student-led startups spanning AI, robotics, construction tech, and more. Eureka finalists will compete for three S$10k prizes, while Impact Accelerator finalists will compete for S$100k top prize.
Audience Choice Award: Cast your vote for the most promising startup and be part of the decision.
Innovative Exhibits: Explore 20 booths featuring cutting-edge innovations and enterprise-focused initiatives.
Lucky Draws: Students and Staff attending have a chance to win exclusive prizes at 9.25 am and 1.00 pm (registration required).

- 1st prize: 11-inch iPad Pro WiFi 256GB
- 2nd Prize: Oculus Meta Quest 3
- 3rd Prize: SUNLU Terminator 3 T3 3D Printer Kit

Register now to secure your spot. We look forward to seeing you there!

Limited seats available. Breakfast and lunch provided.

PROGRAMME

Time	Activity
9.00 am	Registration & Breakfast
9.25 am	Lucky Draw
9.30 am	Welcome Address by Professor Teo Kie Leong, Dean, College of Design and Engineering
9.40 am	Keynote Address by Mr Teo Swee Ann, Founder and CEO, Espressif Systems
10.10 am	Pitch it Out: Eureka
11.10 am	Pitch it Out: Impact Accelerator
11.40 am	Big Spark Address by Dr Viknish Krishnan-Kutty, Founder and CEO, Cellivate Technologies
12.10 pm	Prize-Giving Ceremony
12.20 pm	Lunch & Exhibition
1.00 pm	Lucky Draw & Audience Choice Award
1.30 pm	End

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Mr Teo Swee Ann

Founder and CEO
Espressif Systems

Self-made multi-millionaire
Forbes’ 50 richest Singaporeans in 2021
IoT market leader (over 1 billion chips shipped)

Dr Viknish Krishnan-Kutty

Founder and CEO
Cellivate Technologies

Winner of CNA 'The Big Spark 2024'
Won $4.15 million in potential funding

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INNOVATION CHALLENGES

Meet the Teams

Click to learn more about Glucodet

Glucodet is an innovative medical solution designed to improve diabetes management for Type I and Type II patients, particularly in Southeast Asia. Traditional continuous glucose monitoring devices are costly and painful, creating barriers for many. Utilizing Graphene Field Effect Transistor (GFET) technology, Glucodet offers a non-invasive method that analyzes saliva for blood sugar levels, providing accurate readings within 5-10 minutes. It can also deliver glucose through a mouthpiece during hypoglycaemia. This unique, painless approach sets Glucodet apart from competitors, aiming to enhance accessibility and quality of life for diabetes patients as rates continue to rise in the region.

Click to learn more about Creo.Works

Creo.Works was founded by architecture students to address frustrations with inefficient machines and repairs, aiming to transform digital ideas into physical creations. Operating as a hardware subscription service, Creo.Works offers machines with interchangeable tool heads for quick repairs and seamless upgrades, supporting 3D printing, laser cutting, and more. The company promotes decentralized manufacturing, allowing makers to produce customized products locally. With early traction from a dozen subscribers using a prototype, Creo.Works is set to empower independent designers by providing tools and a marketplace for collaboration, ensuring they can focus on creation without maintenance concerns.

Click to learn more about Digital Fashion

Maple is an AI Fashion Stylist that offers personalized fashion recommendations based on individual style, personality, and needs. The platform integrates understanding of users’ wardrobes, budgets, and body types to provide tailored styling, rather than just shopping options. The business model includes B2B2C affiliate marketing with fashion brands and a B2C freemium model for additional wardrobe digitalization. Ultimately, Maple aims to promote sustainable fashion by encouraging a circular economy and partnering with slow fashion brands, emphasizing personalized style.

Click to learn more about Safelatch

The main goal is to teach infants with cleft how to suckle by pacifier training so that their muscles can be trained post-surgery, preventing developmental delays.The main hindrance is that the pacifier is unable to safely stay in their mouth throughout the entire duration. Current methods cause facial abrasions on the infants’ face and the use of a blanket to secure the pacifier is dangerous for the infant, leading to greater need for closer supervision. The nurses would also prefer a mould that could ensure faster replication of a pacifier that could easily attach and detach teats of various sizes.

Click to learn more about Chingu

Chingu (친구), meaning "friend" in Korean, is an AI platform designed to enhance language learning by improving conversational proficiency in university classes. It addresses challenges like high teacher-to-student ratios and limited feedback. Chingu enables teachers to create personalized conversational assignments and offers students real-time feedback to boost fluency and confidence. Additionally, it provides a dashboard for educators to track student performance and adjust teaching strategies. Targeting language institutions in Southeast Asia, Chingu plans to launch a pilot in early 2025, catering to languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, which are increasingly relevant in today’s economy.

Meet the Teams

Click to learn more about Underwater Builder

Coastal protection is increasingly crucial due to rising sea levels, prompting Singapore’s former Prime Minister to allocate over SGD 100 billion for protective infrastructure. Traditional breakwaters, while effective in dissipating wave energy, pose challenges due to complex underwater construction and high transport costs for prefabricated components. Our research proposes using underwater 3D concrete printing (3DCP) as a safer, more efficient alternative. This method allows for on-site construction with locally sourced materials, reducing transportation needs and manual underwater labor. It aims to develop a suitable printable material for marine environments, enhancing construction safety and integrating eco-friendly designs.

Click to learn more about Scan2BIM

Scan2BIM aims to advance smart city digitization by developing high-precision digital twins for built environments using innovative robotics and LiDAR/image-based sensing. Addressing challenges in the quality of robotic scan data, the solution integrates sensor perception models and optimized navigation for unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), improving 3D scanning accuracy. Employing AI for semantic segmentation and geometric modeling, Scan2BIM targets an 85% accuracy rate within a 5-10mm tolerance. The approach enhances efficiency, reducing modeling time by up to 200%. Collaborating with Singaporean agencies, Scan2BIM seeks to revolutionize urban construction and management, improving productivity while minimizing manpower needs.

Click to learn more about IncyTech

As cities adapt to climate change, the need for sustainable energy solutions is critical, with over 1.2 billion people lacking access to reliable clean energy. The Thermal Floater addresses this challenge by efficiently converting solar heat into electricity while floating on water, eliminating land use concerns. Its design features a dome-shaped lens, heat collector, Peltier generator, and cooling system, achieving 670W/m² energy production at just $0.64 per watt. This compact, modular device is highly efficient even in extreme temperatures, scalable for various needs, and offers significant advantages over traditional solar panels, making clean energy more accessible for underserved communities.

Meet The Judges

A/Prof Khoo Eng Tat

Assistant Dean
College of Design and Engineering

Mr Alvin Ng

Partner & Director
Farquhar VC

Mr David Sher

Deputy Director
A*STAR Innovation & Enterprise

A/Prof Khoo Eng Tat

Assistant Dean
College of Design and Engineering

Mr Alvin Ng

Partner & Director
Farquhar VC

Mr David Sher

Deputy Director
A*STAR Innovation & Enterprise

Mr Neelesh Bhatia

Senior Associate Director
NUS Enterprise

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EXHIBITORS

CDE Startups

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Innovation and Enterprise Programme Offerings

Innovation Day Finalists

Click here to learn more about our finalists

THE INNOVUS JOURNEY

Open to all NUS students and alumni of classes 2021-2024, workshops and programmes were curated to impart tools, skillsets and knowledge crucial for entrepreneurial success.

Over six months, two innovation challenges were launched. After vigorous rounds of selection, eight teams emerged as the finalists. They will pitch it out for the top prize of S$100k in funding.

InnoAware@CDE

InnoAccelerate (20 May, 23 May, 27 May)

Innovus@CDE Pitch

InnoAWARE@CDE

On 12 April 2024, Innovus@CDE kicked off with the first event of the series, InnoAWARE@CDE. Participants were able to hear from the founders of CDE start-up Cityscapes. The founders shared the challenges they faced in getting their start-up off the ground and gave the participants advice on how to avoid the pitfalls they may encounter in their own start-up journey. View the gallery for a re-cap of the event!

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Innovus@CDE?

Innovus is derived from the Latin root word for Innovation — to make new and novel.

Innovus@CDE is a series of events and challenges aimed at promoting innovation and entrepreneurship among research staff, students and alumni. Organised by the CDE Office of Research and Industry, participants of the innovation challenges will take their ideas from concepts to working products over six months. Talks and workshops will be conducted to equip teams with the knowledge, skills and connections needed to thrive in the business world. Teams will pitch for prizes of up to S$100,000 funding, on Innovation Day, 25 Oct 2024.

2. What is the purpose of the innovation and entrepreneurship programme for CDE students?

3. What are the innovation challenges? How can I submit my idea for the challenge?

4. When is the deadline for the challenge registration?

5. Who is eligible to participate in the innovation challenges?

6. What are the criteria for participation?

7. Can I participate in the programme as an individual or do I need to form a team?

8. Can I still participate in the programme if I have limited knowledge or experience in entrepreneurship or innovation?

9. What are the prizes for the challenges?

Eureka Prizes and Benefits
Three winners will win a cash prize of S$10,000 each and NUS Enterprise HANGAR Incubation (subject to renewal).

Impact Accelerator Prizes and Benefits

1^st Prize	2^nd Prize	3^rd Prize
Up to S$100,000 DeGap Grant	Up to S$80,000 DeGap Grant	Up to S$70,000 DeGap Grant
Six months of NUS Enterprise HANGAR Incubation (subject to renewal)	Six months of NUS Enterprise HANGAR Incubation (subject to renewal)	Six months of NUS Enterprise HANGAR Incubation (subject to renewal)
Potential for the NUS Graduate Research Innovation Programme	Potential for the NUS Graduate Research Innovation Programme	Potential for the NUS Graduate Research Innovation Programme
Exposure opportunities from the CDE Office of Research and Industry	Exposure opportunities from the CDE Office of Research and Industry	Exposure opportunities from the CDE Office of Research and Industry

10. What is the kick off event and when will it take place? Can I attend the kick off event even if I am unsure about participating in the programme?

11. What are the workshops? How will they help in the innovation process and challenges?

Led by industry experts, these workshops will cover a wide range of topics crucial to entrepreneurial success.

InnoACCELERATE covers a comprehensive curriculum in design thinking, value proposition and business model canvassing. Through interactive sessions, case studies and real-world examples, teams will gain hands-on experience and learn how to apply the concepts and strategies directly to their ideas.

InnoNETWORK provides teams with invaluable networking opportunities. Teams will connect with like-minded individuals, mentors and potential investors who can provide guidance, support and collaboration opportunities.

InnoPITCH will equip teams with skills to effectively pitch their ideas or business concepts, present a convincing case and attract support and investment.

12. Are the workshops mandatory or can I choose which ones to attend?

13. How will the finalists for the challenges be selected? Will there be specific criteria for evaluation?

Evaluation criteria for the Eureka Challenge: