Organizations were honored at the 2019 Singapore Digital (SG:D) Techblazer Awards for their efforts in transforming Singapore’s digital economy.
For their efforts to transform the economy and strengthen Singapore’s digital readiness, in support of the digital economy, 16 organizations were honored at the 2019 Singapore Digital (SG:D) Techblazer Awards.
Also, 10 organizations were recognised in the ceremony. The companies received their awards from the Minister for Communications and Information, Mr. S. Iswaran at the Tech Industry Night Gala dinner, jointly organized by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (“IMDA”) and SGTech.
Now in its second year, the SG:D Techblazer Awards is the nation’s highest accolade for tech innovation. In addition to corporate participants, three student teams received awards in the new Student Techblazer category, which seeks to recognize and encourage the next generation of tech innovators.
Innovating in technology also requires the community to also be equipped with digital skills so as to be able to enjoy the benefits in the digital economy. As part of the Gala Night, organizations that pledged to help businesses, employees, customers and the community acquire skills and adopt technology were honored in the inaugural Digital Participation Pledge (“DPP”) Awards. The DPP Awards is the nation’s highest recognition for organizations that made a positive impact on Singapore’s digital readiness.
Recognizing Singapore’s most innovative firms
This year’s Awards saw close to 300 applicants. Seven companies and three student organizations emerged as winners in three categories—Most Promising Innovation, Best Adoption and Student Techblazer.
Deep learning and AI were a common theme with applications ranging from medtech to fintech. BioMind clinched the Gold award in the Most Promising Innovation category, for its deep learning diagnostic support system that helps doctors review MRI and CT images. In the same category, CashShield’s fraud-detection product and Tookitaki Holdings’ anti-money laundering solution both won the Silver award. Students from Singapore University of Technology and Design won the Gold award in the Student Techblazer category for their simulated data platform, Bifrost.
The public sector also demonstrated the impact of digitalization, as the National Parks Board won Best Adoption (Public) category for its new digital tree management system that helps effectively manage its database of all the trees in Singapore.
Said Wong Wai Meng, Chairman of SGTech, “We are in an era of unprecedented disruptions and changes, both in technology and by technology. Through their innovative solutions, the winners have demonstrated how to lead the way to address today’s challenges by exploiting technology. With the Student Techblazer category, it is our wish that participating in the Awards would spur our students to leverage their learning and experience from the competition, and inspire them in using tech disruptions to better lives.”
According to Raymond Choong, Partner at FocusTech Ventures and an SGTech judge, “There was a general improvement in the quality of submissions this year. What stood out was a handful of Singaporean entrepreneurs who demonstrated courage and foresight. They grew their start-ups in an unconventional direction—starting overseas to leverage favorable conditions such as easy access to large data sets, before bringing their solutions home. I look forward to seeing more deep-tech solutions competing in the field next year.”
Digital readiness efforts: The Digital Participation Pledge
Since the launch of DPP in March, administered by Singapore’s Ministry of Communications and Information and IMDA, close to 900 organizations from the private, people and public sectors have taken the pledge to help equip everyone with digital skills and adopt technology.
The DPP Awards was introduced to recognize Singapore-based organizations that have exemplified the spirit of digital readiness and made a significant impact in equipping Singaporeans with digital skills, to enable them to tap on the opportunities offered by technology to improve their quality of life.
The awards saw about 70 nominations entered for two award categories. Six organizations received the nation’s highest accolade today for their outstanding digital readiness efforts. Said Tan Kiat How, Chief Executive Officer, IMDA, “I would like to offer my heartiest congratulations to all our award recipients. The SG:Digital Techblazer Awards and the Digital Participation Pledge Awards are our nation’s highest honors in their respective spheres. Through these awards, we celebrate the indomitable spirit of tech innovation as well as the heart shown by our industry to help the community better use technology. It is my hope that these awards will serve as a beacon to all as the industry continues to blaze the trail in Singapore’s journey towards a digital economy and a smart nation.”
