SIX months ago, right in the heart of the global economic downturn, Singaporean scientist Adrian Yeo still took the plunge to set up his own company.

Called Membrane Instruments and Technology (Mint), the specialist firm aims to develop strategies for water treatment plants that use membrane technology.

But if the 32-year-old research fellow at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) ever worried about financing, he need not fret anymore.

Yesterday, Dr Yeo was named the inaugural recipient of the Don Quixote Fund award, a US$100,000 prize set up by Andrew Benedek, the winner of last year's Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize.

The new award provides start-up venture capital to enable graduate students and early-career scientists to develop new technology ideas that could impact the global water industry in future.

Speaking after receiving his award as part of the festivities at the ongoing Singapore International Water Week, Dr Yeo said he plans to use the money as seed funding to start commercialising his invention, the Membrane Integrity Sensor.

The device provides real-time information on the state of membranes used in the water purification process. It has already undergone pilot plant testing and Dr Yeo will use the prize money to install the sensor in water treatment plants.

'I've had good support from NTU, and they are providing my team with some office space to incubate. I have been able to tap on their business advice and things are moving along smoothly so far,' he said.

This will not be the first product that Dr Yeo has conceptualised. He previously invented a simple membrane-based water filter for the Indonesian market.

When the tsunami hit Aceh in December 2004, he trained locals there on the use and maintenance of the filters and personally delivered some 8,000 litres of drinking water to needy people.

Dr Benedek told BT that Dr Yeo stood out from the other applicants because 'his technology was interesting, the requirement was real, and he displayed entrepreneurial qualities'.

'He is a worthy recipient and he will receive the necessary coaching and mentoring to be successful. He is young and hungry and will go far,' he said.

Meanwhile, the National Research Foundation gave out 12 environmental and water technologies PhD scholarships yesterday to deserving students with a strong passion in clean water and energy research.

They received their scholarships at a lunch event from Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim.

Two of the winners will head to Cambridge University in the UK and Cornell University in the US, while the other 10 will pursue their research locally at NTU and the National University of Singapore.