YOUNG entrepreneurs in Singapore are capable of carving their niche in a wide range of businesses, from being successful event makers, to match-makers, to even ice-cream makers.
Just look at this year's winners of the Shell LiveWIRE award, which recognises young budding entrepreneurs with innovative and promising business ideas.
Mr Alex Tan, 35, is founder of Perfectus AV, provides audio-visual, design and staging technologies services.
Mr Hu Yinghan, 25, is the founder of www.hitchoo.com, a match-making and networking website which since its launch in May, has amassed 1,300 members.
And Mr Philip Wong, 34, came up with a recipe of ice cream with liquor and sells it in his cafe ICE3.
The grand winner who walked away with $10,000 on Thursday is Mr Amit Sujan, 34, who started an IT solutions and services consultancy firm in 2004, helping clients to implement solutions to resolve business and operational issues.
To date, ITCAN has clinched customers from the financial services industry, including insurance companies and investment banks.
"Winning the award helps us to be more recognized, we've got some mode of appreciation and glad that people recognize our work, not age," he said.
Ms Sandra Neo, 25, is the only rose among the thorns.
She set up Media Associated Displays (M.A.D) about three years ago with the aim of bringing visual communications to life.
Her business involves producing illuminated advertisements, which uses moving lights to attract the attention of passers-by, which are placed in bus stops, coffeeshops and other flat spaces. Clients include those in the beverage industry such as Fraser & Neave and Asia Pacific Breweries, and a popular jeans label.
"It's something I can call my own," said Ms Neo, 25, who currently has a team of 16 people and hopes to recruit more young people into the business so she can bounce ideas off one another and share the positive energy.
M.A.D is one of the first in the industry to bring large-size posters to bus shelters, and will soon lead the way in launching animated advertisements on taxi tops.
Minister of Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan, who presented the awards to the young and budding enterpreneurs, said on Thursday that "they have shown drive, grit and determination to venture into new fields" and encouraged others to "see opportunities to add value where others miss."
The competition is organised by Shell Companies in Singapore, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), the ITE Alumni Association and Singapore Press Holdings' Chinese Newspapers Division. Shell LiveWIRE is in 27 countries around the world to promote innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship among young people.
