SMU Social Impact Catalyst’s Post

Attending the Africa Ignite Startup Marketplace at the Africa Tech Festival was an insightful experience, aligning perfectly with Lingostech’s mission to empower businesses and individuals through technology. The event highlighted Africa’s growing tech and telecommunications sectors, with startups disrupting industries like fintech, e-commerce, and mobile connectivity—all of which resonate with Lingostech’s focus on delivering innovative IT solutions. At Lingostech, we understand how critical, affordable technology and connectivity are for businesses, especially in remote areas. The festival emphasized the role of tech in bridging infrastructure gaps and improving access to essential services, which mirrors our own commitment to providing efficient, accessible tech solutions for enterprises and communities. The discussions around 5G technology and its potential to revolutionize industries like healthcare, education, and agriculture were particularly exciting, aligning with our vision of fostering innovation and digital transformation across Africa. Just as the event stressed the importance of collaboration and ecosystem-building, Lingostech thrives on creating partnerships with businesses to drive growth and success through the latest technology. Overall, the insights gained at the Africa Ignite Startup Marketplace reaffirmed Lingostech’s belief that technology is the key to Africa’s future, and we are excited to be part of the journey toward innovation and economic development across the continent.

StrategEast and Sabah Hub have signed an MoU to enhance IT development in Azerbaijan. Together, we'll focus on developing IT talent, supporting startups, and integrating Azerbaijani tech companies into the global market. This collaboration aims to create a thriving IT sector, benefiting Azerbaijan and the entire region. #digitaleconomy #digitalizationstrategy #digitaltransformation

The countdown is on for She Loves Tech Global Startup Competition 2024, celebrating a decade of women-led innovations. This isn't just any competition – it's a high-octane celebration of women and technology, where dreams become reality and game-changing startups emerge victorious. 🚀 Here’s what awaits you: ✅ Mentorship opportunity to prepare you for this big day ✅ Country representatives will fast-track to the regional semifinals. ✅ Regional winners will embark on an all-expenses-paid journey to Singapore for the Global Bootcamp and Global Finals. An opportunity to network with top investors, corporates, and thought leaders. ✅ Regional winners will receive a complimentary All-Access Pass (valued up to 300 SGD) to the She Loves Tech Global Conference, providing access to a wealth of knowledge and connections. ✅ Grand Winners stand to receive a meteoric shower of prizes worth up to US$500,000, including direct investments, cash rewards, and an array of exclusive perks and benefits! Apply now if you are: ✅ An early-stage startup seeking Seed, Angel, or Round A funding (under US$5M) with at least a minimum viable product or past the conceptual stage. ✅ Have at least one female founder or majority female consumers/end-users. Hurry! Registration is almost closed! Secure your spot now at buff.ly/3JLioZZ

Hong Kong’s position as a bridge between the East and West makes it an exciting destination for startups on their growth journeys. However, navigating a new market comes with its fair share of challenges. Fortunately, companies looking to make their forays into the city can get help from the HKSTP - Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Sandbox Programme. The program aims to facilitate the successful entry of overseas startups into Hong Kong by pairing each business with a group of university students to help conduct market entry and market validation studies, bringing a local perspective. Companies in the program will also receive US$12,000 in milestone-based funding, online training, connections to ecosystem players, and other assistance to get a head start. Plus, the HK Sandbox Programme does not take equity or charge a program fee. Applications close on January 3, so sign up today: https://bit.ly/3P6Uzyk

A Project Close to My Heart I’m very excited to share that on 31 December 2024, we successfully completed the Fostering Development of Local Tech Startups technical assistance (TA) project in Azerbaijan. This wasn’t just another project—it was my very first project with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as a team leader, making it incredibly special to me. During the past four years, this TA—implemented in collaboration with the State Agency for Public Services and Social Innovations (SAPSSI) and financed by the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund (EAKPF)—has been a journey of growth, learning, and inspiration.  What Made It So Special? The Startup Competitions hosted by universities in Ganja and Nakhchivan were incredible. Seeing young minds dream big and pitch innovative ideas was so rewarding. Some of winners even got to visit Istanbul Technology Valley, broadening their horizons and sparking even more creativity. Our capacity-building efforts through workshops and strategy development sessions helped strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystems in local universities. Collaborations with institutions like Boston University created unique opportunities for knowledge-sharing and global partnerships. This project was also truly rewarding because of the chance to work closely with young innovators—their creativity, energy, and resilience were so inspiring. Supporting their journey toward building a brighter future for themselves and our country reminded me why I do what I do. A big thank you goes to: Our partners in government institutions and universities, who worked tirelessly to make this a success. My amazing ADB colleagues, whose guidance and support made it all possible. The incredible youth and startup teams who continue to push boundaries and redefine what’s possible. This journey has been more than just work—it’s been a privilege. Here’s to many more projects that empower communities and transform lives. #TechStartups #Innovation #ADB #Azerbaijan #Entrepreneurship #YouthEmpowerment #ProudMoment Some incredible moments from our tech startup competitions in Ganja and Nakhchivan, and Green Hackathon held in Baku are in the video below.

🌍🚀 Exciting Launch: Startup Nations Association! 🚀🌍 📌 Europe is falling behind global leaders like the U.S. and China, as highlighted in The Future of European Competitiveness report. It outlines a troubling productivity gap, sluggish growth, and struggles in commercializing innovation. But Europe is not alone - regions like Latin America and Asia face similar challenges, with local companies often unable to scale and compete globally. 💡 Introducing the Startup Nations Association: a global platform uniting startups, investors, corporations, universities and governments. Using the Lean Innovation 3.0 methodology, we provide a collaborative approach to overcome these challenges, driving sustainable growth and innovation worldwide. Our mission is to empower local and regional companies, creating a unified market for innovation that can rival the U.S. and China. 🤝 Be part of this transformative journey and co-create impactful global solutions! ➡️ Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dW9QENiu

Rally Accelerate Welcomes GITP Asia: Powering Egyptian Tech Startups Globally! We are Excited to welcome GITP Asia to Rally Accelerate Network as a new internationalization partner. Partnering with GITP Asia, unlocking an unmatched opportunities for technology leaders to connects and access to overseas markets, especially in China. Together, we'll provide strategic guidance, a wider network, and impactful investment opportunities to Egyptian tech leaders to the global stage! This new addition to Rally Accelerate investment Community is a next step in the Egypt's Strongest Program fostering Internationalization and Investment Excellence for Egyptian Tech Startups. #Rally_Accelerate #Investment_Partner #End_to_End_Fundraising

🌟 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓.𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓 2024! 🌟 Kicking off in 2022, MUST.CONNECT has been a key global innovation roadshow, connecting Korean tech startups with the APAC market. Organised by MUST Accelerator, this initiative offers unparalleled opportunities for business partnerships, including technology R&D, business development, investment, and networking. This year's edition, held at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, on October 23-24, will focus on 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 & 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬—two pivotal sectors shaping the future of technology and innovation. If you’re an MNC, SME, government agency, nonprofit, VC, or AC, this is your chance to collaborate with some of the most promising Korean startups driving transformative change. Be part of MUST.CONNECT 2024 and witness innovation in action! https://lnkd.in/gp5PMQJN #GrowthBeyondBoundaries #Innovation #TechStartups #Sustainability #LifeSciences #GlobalPartnerships

Poland-Japan Connect: Your Gateway to Global Opportunities! Join the Poland-Japan Foundation's hybrid event to explore business expansion between Poland and Japan on November 14, 18:00–20:00 JST (10:00–12:00 Warsaw) at CIC Tokyo, CIC Warsaw, or via Zoom. The theme, "Global Gateways: Exploring Opportunities for Polish Startups in Japan & Connecting Japanese Startups with Poland," aims to foster meaningful insights and partnerships for innovative ventures. Event Overview: Discover Japan’s innovation landscape as experts reveal strategic advantages for startups. The keynote will highlight Japan's technological advances and government support, offering attendees a roadmap to enter this promising market. A panel discussion will explore crucial elements for success in Japan, including incentives, funding, cultural insights, and effective partnerships. A cross-border expansion session will also showcase success stories and strategies for Polish and Japanese companies, focusing on regulatory, cultural, and business insights. Whether you're a startup founder or an investor, this event provides invaluable guidance and connections to navigate new markets. Register today and embark on your global journey! Link: https://lnkd.in/grj_wfRu

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 2024 has been a year of significant strides for Singapore Deep-Tech Alliance (SDTA) 💼  #1 - Our portfolio thrived with 9 additional venture teams graduating in 2024, half of which passed the review of our investment committee and secured funding. Today, our portfolio stands at 20 ventures and most notably, Aprisium’s Series A round closed at a US$31mn valuation. 🤝  #2 - We renewed and deepened our long-term partnership with Enterprise Singapore Startup SG, expanded our cross border collaborations with Innovate UK, EIS (Enterprise Estonia), Vinnova (Sweden's Innovation Agency), and launched the Dutch-Singapore Deep-Tech Expansion Programme with HighTechXL (https://lnkd.in/eWSy7Fib) 🥼 #3 - We broadened our Scientific Council and implemented a refined tech due diligence framework for successful tech commercialisation and venture creation. 🔬 #4 - We increased our research partnerships, with a total of 9 research institutions providing 76 technologies to our new portfolio ventures in 2025. 🫂 #5 - Our community flourished, with Sustainable Innovation Asia 2024 attracting 231 attendees, growing our overall community to 2,265. 📊 #6 - We are excited to end the year with a new corporate structure to multiply the value we are adding to the ecosystem. In addition to our venture building division, we launched our investment vehicle to support SDTA portfolio ventures and created a nonprofit arm to uplift marginalised communities by unlocking catalytic capital for grassroots innovations. We are grateful to our Alliance Partners and the entire ecosystem for your unwavering support and look forward to building upon these achievements and continuing to drive impactful innovation with you in 2025! #sustainableinnovation #venturebuilding #deeptech #impact #community