SG, MY, and HK companies shine in 2025 Emerging Enterprise Awards

Seven young companies from Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong bagged top honors for their innovative and sustainable solutions at the 2025 Emerging Enterprise Awards.

Now in its 18th run, the annual Emerging Enterprise Awards recognizes the innovation, resilience, and excellence of Southeast Asian businesses under 10 years old. Jointly organized by The Business Times and OCBC Bank, it has three categories: the Emerging Enterprise Award, the Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award, and the Most Promising Startup Award.

The seven winners of the 2025 Emerging Enterprise Awards / Photo credit: Tay Chu Yi, The Business Times

This year, nearly 600 companies from a range of industries sent their applications, with over a third from Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Only 30 of them made the cut as finalists.

The Emerging Enterprise Award was given to Singapore’s Evo Commerce and Mesh Bio, as well as Malaysia’s Dodo Ventures.

The category celebrates early-stage businesses with enterprising mindsets that drive consistent, significant, and sustainable growth, leading to excellent business performance. The award also spotlights companies that display an ability to scale and expand overseas.

Evo Commerce provides premium yet affordable grooming and beauty products under its flagship brand, Stryv. Its offerings include hairstyling tools, grooming devices, oral care solutions, and co-branded products with brands like Disney and Sanrio.

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

Mesh Bio is a healthtech company specializing in clinical decision support and automation for chronic disease management. It serves Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.

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

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

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

Winners of the Emerging Enterprise Award category (from left): Roy Ang, CEO of Evo Commerce; Esther Erin, founder and CMO of Dododots; and Andrew Wu, co-founder and CEO of Mesh Bio. / Photo credit: Tay Chu Yi, The Business Times

At the awards ceremony held at the JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach on November 20, guest of honor Low Yen Ling, the city-state’s senior minister of state for trade and industry, said the recognitions are a launchpad for visionary, early-stage enterprises that are ready to scale.

She added that winners at the 2025 Emerging Enterprise Awards will benefit from financing, media publicity, and consultancy support.

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 city-state’s reputation “as a dynamic hub for innovation and enterprise.”

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

Low also shared how inspiring it’s been to see young enterprises making sustainability a core part of their business, noting that many have adopted circular-economy models, low-carbon technologies, and responsible sourcing.

Low Yen Ling, Singapore’s senior minister of state for trade and industry, was the guest of honor at the awards ceremony held at the JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach on November 20. / Photo credit: Tay Chu Yi, The Business Times

Meanwhile, the Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award was given to three companies: Singapore’s Hydroleap, Malaysia’s Green Environmental Engineering, and Hong Kong’s My Care Healthcare.

The category recognizes young businesses that capitalize on growth opportunities in the green economy. Being selected for the award means a company has prioritized sustainability and leveraged tech and innovative solutions in its transition toward becoming low-carbon.

Hydroleap is a greentech company that offers sustainable and cost-effective wastewater treatment solutions.

Using electrocoagulation and electro-oxidation technologies, it delivers chemical-free, automated, plug-and-play systems for industrial wastewater, cooling towers, and desalination processes.

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, and the proprietary PureFlux Carbon Capture and Storage System.

My Care Healthcare manufactures food for patients with difficulty swallowing and those with diabetes and kidney disease. It’s also known for its innovative eating utensils for swallowing disorders.

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

Winners of the Emerging Enterprise Sustainability Award category (from left): Francis Ho, founder of My Care Healthcare; Kailash Nichani, CFO of Hydroleap; and Eddy Wee, managing director of Green Environmental Engineering. / Photo credit: Tay Chu Yi, The Business Times

As for the Most Promising Startup Award, it was handed to Hivebotics, a Singapore startup in the field of AI-driven facility management robotics.

The award recognizes startups that come up with unique and commercially viable ideas with the potential to be sustained in the long run.

Hivebotics, in particular, 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, cutting costs significantly.

Beyond toilet cleaning, the company offers multifunctional facility management solutions such as advanced chemical water jets and high-pressure steam systems.

Winner of the Most Promising Startup Award: Rishab Patwari, founder and CEO of Hivebotics. / Photo credit: Tay Chu Yi, The Business Times

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 S$200,000 (US$154,000) – or their local currency equivalent – from OCBC, on top of a consulting package from RSM Singapore worth S$15,000 (US$11,550).

The winner of the Most Promising Startup Award, meanwhile, will receive a two-year interest-free term loan of up to S$100,000 (US$77,000) from OCBC.

These winning companies will all be featured in The Business Times’ print, digital, social media, radio, and podcast channels in Singapore and across Southeast Asia.

“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,” said The Business Times editor Chen Huifen.

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 the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, alongside Enterprise Singapore, Mastercard, Paia Consulting, Rajah & Tann Asia, and RSM Singapore.

Currency converted from Singapore dollar to US dollar: US$1 = S$1.30

This story was republished with permission from The Business Times. It was moderately edited to reflect Tech in Asia’s editorial guidelines.