7 companies from S’pore, Malaysia and Hong Kong bag top honours at 2025 Emerging Enterprise Awards

SINGAPORE - Seven young companies from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong bagged top honours for their innovative and sustainable solutions at the 2025 Emerging Enterprise Awards on Nov 20.

Now in its 18th year, the annual awards recognise the innovation, resilience and excellence of businesses under 10 years old across the region. It is jointly organised by The Business Times and OCBC Bank.

Nearly 600 applications from a range of industries were received in 2025, with over a third from Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia. Thirty companies made the cut as finalists.

Singapore-based Evo Commerce and Mesh Bio, together with Malaysia-based Dodo Ventures, were the three winners of the Emerging Enterprise Award.

The category celebrates early-stage enterprises with enterprising mindsets that drive consistent, significant and sustainable growth, leading to excellent business performance. These businesses also displayed the ability to scale and expand overseas.

Evo Commerce offers premium but affordable grooming and beauty products under its flagship brand, Stryv. These include hairstyling tools, grooming devices, oral-care solutions and co-branded products with brands such as Disney and Sanrio.

Stryv has 17 retail stores in Singapore and Malaysia, along with an online presence in these markets and in Hong Kong. It plans to expand into Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and beyond.

Mesh Bio is a health tech company specialising in clinical decision support and automation for the management of chronic diseases. It serves the markets of Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong.

Its flagship product, the Dara Health Intelligence Platform, integrates patient data to deliver predictive analytics and personalised care. It has also developed HealthVector Diabetes, a medical device using proprietary digital twin technology to predict chronic kidney disease in diabetic patients.

Malaysia-based Dodo Ventures has rolled out skincare brand Dododots, which makes pimple patches. Operating in a niche acne-care segment, the company has redefined acne care with effective and stylish skincare solutions.

It currently serves markets in the Asia-Pacific, the Gulf Cooperation Council, North America and Latin America through direct operations and distributor partnerships.

At the awards ceremony held at the JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach on the evening of Nov 20, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling said the awards are a launchpad for visionary, early-stage enterprises that are ready to scale, and that the winners benefit from financing, media publicity and consultancy support.

Ms Low, who is also Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, noted that Singapore enterprises have continued to seize opportunities abroad, reinforcing the Republic’s reputation “as a dynamic hub for innovation and enterprise”.

Their internationalisation efforts will propel them to “the next bound of growth”, especially as regional markets mature, she said.

It is also inspiring to see young enterprises making sustainability a core part of their business, she added, noting that many have adopted circular-economy models, low-carbon technologies and responsible sourcing.

The Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award was conferred on three companies: Singapore-based Hydroleap, Malaysia-based Green Environmental Engineering and Hong Kong-based My Care Healthcare.

The award recognises emerging enterprises that are capitalising on growth opportunities in the green economy. These businesses have prioritised sustainability and leveraged technology and innovative solutions to make the transition towards becoming low-carbon.

Hydroleap is a Singapore green tech company that offers sustainable and cost-effective wastewater treatment solutions. Using electro-coagulation and electro-oxidation technologies, it delivers chemical-free, automated, plug-and-play systems for industrial wastewater, cooling towers and desalination processes.

Malaysia’s Green Environmental Engineering delivers integrated sustainability solutions for environmental challenges such as renewable energy integration, wastewater treatment and air pollution.

Its offerings include activated carbon manufacturing and reactivation, dust collectors, scrubbers, biomass, waste-to-energy facilities, as well as the proprietary PureFlux Carbon Capture and Storage System.

Hong Kong’s My Care Healthcare manufactures food for patients with difficulty swallowing and for those with diabetes and kidney disease, as well as innovative eating utensils for those with swallowing disorders.

The company primarily caters to seniors aged 65 and over, especially patients with chronic illnesses. It operates food factories that focus on reducing waste, lowering consumption and maximising recycling.

The Most Promising Start-up Award was handed to Hivebotics, a Singapore start-up in the field of artificial intelligence-driven facility management robotics. The award recognises start-ups that have developed a unique and commercially viable idea with the potential to be sustained in the long run.

Hivebotics has developed Abluo, an autonomous restroom cleaning robot that handles complex cleaning tasks traditionally performed by humans. It can clean toilets in just five minutes, enabling significant cost savings. Beyond toilet cleaning, the company offers multifunctional facility-management solutions such as advanced chemical water jets and high-pressure steam systems.

All six winners of the Emerging Enterprise Award and Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award categories will receive a two-year interest-free term loan of up to $200,000 – or their local currency equivalent – from OCBC, on top of a consulting package from RSM Singapore worth $15,000.

The winner of the Most Promising Start-up Award will receive a two-year interest-free term loan of up to $100,000 from OCBC. All will be featured in BT’s print, digital, social media, radio and podcast channels in Singapore and the region.

BT editor Chen Huifen said: “The quality of entries this year – both in innovation and growth potential – reaffirms why this award remains one of the most prestigious benchmarks for emerging enterprises in the region.”

Ms Christie Chu, head of emerging business, international and global commercial banking at OCBC, lauded the courage of these entrepreneurs “to push boundaries and take bold steps” in the name of progress.

“Their achievements reflect unwavering dedication, disciplined execution and courage to pursue excellence – even in uncertain times,” she said.

The 2025 Emerging Enterprise Awards is supported by A*Star, Enterprise Singapore, Mastercard, Paia Consulting, Rajah & Tann Asia and RSM Singapore.

THE BUSINESS TIMES