SINGAPORE: The TiE Global Summit 2023 (TGS) recently concluded its eighth edition flagship event, gathering over 2,000 attendees for a pivotal moment in global collaboration and knowledge exchange among entrepreneurs. The event, with the theme #GoodForTheWorld, emphasised the role of entrepreneurship in propelling innovative solutions.
In collaboration with the Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF), TGS 2023 brought together international investors, entrepreneurs, and enterprise innovators for discussions on sustainability, technology trends, and social impact, as reported by Taiwan News.
Singapore, which was celebrated as a hub for venture activity and tech growth in Asia, provided the ideal setting for TGS 2023’s mission to drive global economic and social impact from Singapore and Southeast Asia. The summit featured diverse sessions, including thought leadership and panel discussions led by industry titans, to create ample networking opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
Guest-of-honours at TGS 2023 included Alvin Tan, Singapore Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Minister of State for Culture, who attended the TGS Inauguration Gala & Awards Dinner. The closing day headline session featured Minister Nadiem Makarim from the Republic of Indonesia, who discussed the transformative power of technology in delivering education to millions.
The event showcased over 100 speakers from various sectors, including Ant Group, GitHub, Microsoft, DBS Bank, and more. Notable figures such as acclaimed Film Director and Producer Shekhar Kapur, sports legends Stephen Fleming, Geoff Allott, Prakash Padukone, and Dr Deng Yaping, as well as renowned investors Jack Selby, Tim Draper, and Vinod Khosla, shared insights and perspectives.
Amit Gupta, President of TiE Singapore and a Singapore FinTech Festival Ambassador, expressed enthusiasm about Singapore’s growing entrepreneur network. Mr Gupta stated, “Each year, TGS brings the global epicentre of entrepreneurship to the brightest ecosystems, with Singapore being the launchpad to the rest of the world.”
TGS 2023 focused on strengthening innovation capabilities and driving cross-border collaborations. Key highlights included the TiE Women Global Pitch Competition, awarded USD 50,000 in equity-free cash grants and USD 450,000 in in-kind grants. The competition received over 1,600 applications, with the winner being Akshita Sachdeva, Co-Founder of Trestle Labs | Kibo.
The TiE-KPMG SEA Entrepreneur of the Year Awards honoured top business leaders from Southeast Asia. The Entrepreneur of the Year award was a tie between Hari V Krishnan, Group CEO & MD, Property Guru, and Lim Wai Mun, Founder & CEO, Doctor Anywhere. Gregory Van, CEO of Endowus, received the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, while Kamarulazman Muhamed, CEO and co-founder of Aerodyne Group, was named High Impact Entrepreneur of the Year.
TGS 2023, proudly sponsored by leading organisations such as Microsoft, We Founder Circle, Investt, and Avinya, also featured “The Big Spark,” an episodic show spotlighting Southeast Asia’s most promising startups.
Reflecting TiE’s commitment to supporting “early-stage companies”, the TiE Singapore Angels programme provides funding support for 63 startups. Additionally, TiE launched the TiE Indonesia Chapter to foster entrepreneurship in one of the region’s most promising markets.
Looking ahead, TGS will be hosted in Bangalore next year. In the meantime, TiE Singapore will continue to hold regular innovation-centric initiatives and programmes, driving collaboration among global and local innovators throughout the year./TISG