Building Connections, Shaping Futures: SMART Founder's Club Welcomes Over 70 Attendees

As part of its mission to foster a vibrant ecosystem where researchers and collaborators can come together to drive innovation and commercialise groundbreaking research, the SMART Innovation Centre (IC) hosted a dynamic Founder’s Club talk and networking session at CREATE on 22 January 2025. Welcoming over 70 attendees, the event was a platform where researchers, mentors, founders, investors, and collaborators collaborated to drive innovation and commercialise groundbreaking research.

The event featured insightful sharings by two distinguished speakers, Prof Rajeev Ram, Principal Investigator at SMART’s Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) interdisciplinary research group (IRG) and Partner at Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and Dr Chen Zhi, Chief Executive Officer of Citybot Technology.

Prof Rajeev shared more about Breakthrough Energy’s vision for the future, highlighting the company's commitment to sustainable technologies and innovation, and underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts in driving innovations forward. Dr Chen shared personal perspectives on his entrepreneurial journey and emphasised the value of perseverance in the startup ecosystem.

Prof Rajeev Ram and Dr Chen Zhi presenting during the event

A well-attended networking session concluded the event, providing attendees a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships and explore potential avenues for future collaboration. 

Continuing the legacy of innovation

Since 2009, the SMART Innovation Centre has played a pivotal role in Singapore’s research and innovation landscape. Through events such as these, it continues to grow and connect Singapore's thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem forward, to shape the future of innovation in Singapore and beyond.