The Industry Engagement and Enterprise Development (IEED) Office at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) organised the Startup Induction Grant (SIG) Pitching Competition at the Inspiring Hub, UBD.
The event provided an invaluable platform for UBD’s incubates, researchers and innovative entrepreneurs to present their business ideas to a distinguished panel of industry experts. Designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, the competition offered participants valuable feedback and access to initial funding, further strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem within the university.
Dr Annie Dayani Ahad, the Deputy Director of Enterprise Ecosystem Development, emphasised in her welcoming address that the UBD strategic Entrepreneurship Blueprint is designed to cultivate a greater number of high-quality graduate entrepreneurs whilst equipping them with essential entrepreneurial skills through the 16-week Incubation programme. She also highlighted the importance of fostering an innovative mindset and resilience amongst students, which are crucial for success in today’s competitive business landscape.
The SIG Pitching Competition featured participants selected through rigorous internal assessments during INCUFEST 2024, held earlier from 4th to 7th November. These included students from the Discovery Year Incubation Programme, students from the School of Digital Science (ZC 4202 module), and academic-researchers from various faculties.
The competition featured two categories. The Pre-Seed category awarded six grants of $300 each to Hijrah, Hasil, BlueWave, SmartFresh, NetJaga and HyperChain. Meanwhile the Seed Category awarded three grants of $1,000 each to SmartFresh, Netjaga and Hasil.
The event featured prominent leaders from the business and technology sectors in its panel of judges. Also present during the competition was Dr Haji Masairol Haji Masri, Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Industry Engagement and Enterprise Development).
The SIG Pitching Competition represents a pivotal moment in UBD’s commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial talent and innovation. This initiative exemplifies UBD’s mission to empower students and researchers in transforming visionary ideas into impactful ventures, contributing to the economic and technological advancement of Brunei Darussalam.