SINGAPORE, 20 January 2025 – Mapletree Investments (“Mapletree” or “the Group”) is pleased to continue its sponsorship for UNICON 2025 for the third consecutive year. UNICON 2025 strives to be Asia’s largest student-led entrepreneurship and tech conference, organised by the National University of Singapore’s (“NUS”) Entrepreneurship Society (“NES”) to promote entrepreneurship among students.

Held at Mapletree Business City on 17 and 18 January 2025, the conference drew over 400 participants, including students, professionals and industry leaders across Singapore.

The two-day event featured panel discussions, fireside chats, keynote speeches and master classes, offering participants opportunities to network and share insights. Topics discussed during the conference spanned from artificial intelligence (AI) to sustainable finance, with speakers comprising startup founders, C-suite executives and venture capitalists, presenting expert perspectives on key industry trends.

Speaking as the Guest-of-Honour at UNICON 2025, Ms Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of Health said: “Whether you are a student wondering about jobs when you graduate, or an entrepreneur building your business, you know that technology will keep evolving and the world will change with it. Only by continually learning the skills that new technology requires, will you develop your fullest potential in life.”

Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree, added: “We are proud to renew our support for UNICON 2025 for the third consecutive year. This sponsorship reflects Mapletree’s ongoing commitment to investing in the future leaders in our community. By supporting UNICON 2025, we seek to ignite entrepreneurship, nurture emerging talent and provide opportunities for youths to pitch and turn their innovative business ideas into reality.”

UNICON 2025 also hosted the Asia leg of TigerLaunch, the world’s largest student-led pitching competition, organised by Princeton Entrepreneurship Club in partnership with NES. As part of the sponsorship, Mapletree presented cash prizes of S$3,000, S$2,000 and S$1,000 to the top three finalists for their innovative business ideas, and a S$500 cash prize for the Highest Social Impact Startup. 

The first-place winner of the Asia leg of TigerLaunch, Pili AdheSeal Inc., a green technology company that transforms the potential of agricultural waste to provide high-value and sustainable sealant and adhesive solutions, will be competing at the TigerLaunch finals at Princeton University in the United States in April 2025. They will vie for the coveted combined prize money of US$60,000 and gain access to exclusive accelerator programmes such as the prestigious Y Combinator. The first and second runners-up were Takachar, which uses small-scale, decentralised technologies to help rural, underserved communities turn trash into cash, and Anomaly Bio, which harnesses the power of filamentous fungi and fermentation to advance food security, respectively. A total of 10 finalists presented their business proposals in TigerLaunch Asia.

Last year, UNICON 2024 saw a solid line-up of 37 industry speakers from well-known companies such as Visa, Grab and Shopback. Mapletree’s support for UNICON is aligned to its Corporate Social Responsibility pillar of education.

(Photo credits: Mapletree Investments)

 
(From left) Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree; Ms Mahayu Rahzam, Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of Health; Ms Yoonseo Ko, Head of NES Startup Global (UNICON); Mr Hiew Yoon Khong, Group Chief Executive Officer; Mapletree; and Mr Heng Wui-Liang, Head of BLOCK71 Singapore, NUS Enterprise; at the opening ceremony of UNICON 2025 held at Mapletree Business City on 17 January.

 
Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree, delivering the Welcome Remarks at UNICON 2025 on 17 January. 

(From left) Mr Heng Wui-Liang, Head of BLOCK71 Singapore, NUS Enterprise; Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree; Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; and Ms Mahayu Rahzam, Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of Health; touring the startup showcase booths and speaking to booth representatives.

   
(From left) Ms Mahayu Rahzam, Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of Health; Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree; Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; and Mr Heng Wui-Liang, Head of BLOCK71 Singapore, NUS Enterprise; visiting a startup booth specialising in 3D-printed products.

 
Participants visiting the startup showcase booths featuring products and services from various industries.