Media OutReach
HKSTP Crowns EPIC 2025 Winner: Champion of HKSTP EPIC 2025 NEU Battery Materials from Singapore Triumphs at Hong Kong’s Flagship I&T Mega Event
A fresh roster of innovators, and increased sums of investment, had global innovators eyeing Hong Kong’s I&T capabilities
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 November 2025 – Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has successfully concluded EPIC 2025 Presented by Cathay and HSBC. Ideas took flight at today’s Grand Finale; NEU Battery Materials brought home the Overall Championship and won the Green Tech track with the world’s first patented electrochemical recycling of lithium batteries. The flagship startup competition is an annual innovation and technology (I&T) mega event in Asia hosted at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal — once a gateway to the skies and now a launchpad for tomorrow’s tech pioneers.
This year’s EPIC has set multiple new precedents. Investment funding for the competition doubled, totalling US $105M with US $240,000 in cash prizes. Additionally, a record-breaking 1,200+ applications were submitted, with a remarkable 87% from non-local startups spanning over 70 economies. The top 100 tech companies were featured at the Grand Finale, with 28 economies represented and 85% of the top 100 being non-local, this year’s competition was the most globally diverse to date.
Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong SAR, said, “One thing is crystal clear, EPIC has grown into an iconic global innovation event. And the beauty of EPIC isn’t just about crowning winners. It’s about giving founders and dreamers a stage to share their ideas, ambitions, and vision for the future.”
Dr Sunny Chai, Chairman of HKSTP said “We are turning Hong Kong’s connectivity into momentum, helping ideas move and scale across borders. EPIC 2025 is a testament to this where entrepreneurs get to connect with emerging markets and business opportunities, enthusiastic investors and partners, as well as the future of world-class I&T ecosystems.”
NEU Battery Materials claimed the title of Overall Champion, also winning the Green Tech track. Founder & CEO Bryan Oh expressed excitement and gratitude, saying: “It’s really 60 seconds that changes your life. The network that EPIC has brought us is immense, as is the ecosystem that they’ve introduced.” The Singaporean startup focuses on climatech solutions, introduces the world’s first patented electrochemical recycling of lithium batteries.
KA Imaging Inc from Canada was named the winner for Digital Health Tech track, for their Spectral X-ray system that identifies and separates soft tissues and bones, the first of its kind.
Belli was crowned for its FinTech track solution, the Singaporean startup focuses on aviation software that addresses the issue of 85% of airline flights wasting cargo space.
The ninth edition of EPIC was supported by Co-Title Sponsors Cathay, Hong Kong’s world-leading airline and premium lifestyle brand, and HSBC, global bank for innovators, with Digital Health Tech Sponsor Takeda, a multinational pharmaceutical company, and Hospitality Sponsor Regal Hotels International, a distinguished hotel group.
EPIC Week facilitated over 200 business and investment matching sessions, empowering startups to engage with visionary partners and investors. These matching sessions allow participants to explore and pursue the many opportunities across Asia’s dynamic markets. Prior to pitching at the Grand Finale, semi-finalists were greeted with the EPIC Week, consisting of a Tech Spotlight showcase and a Greater Bay Area Exploration tour, helping foster a better understanding of the capabilities, markets, and opportunities in the GBA.
Hong Kong has firmly established itself as a global hub for innovation. Together with Shenzhen and Guangzhou, the city has been ranked the World’s no. 1 Innovation Cluster in the 2025 Global Innovation Index, according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem provides the ideal launchpad for Chinese startups to go global. It also allows international startups to access the formidable markets of the Greater Bay Area, which boast world-class technology, supply chain, and manufacturing capabilities.
Winners List and Prizes:
| Overall Champion: NEU Battery Materials | US$60,000 cash prize |
| Digital Heath Tech Winner: KA Imaging Inc | US$20,000 cash prize |
| FinTech Winner: Belli | US$20,000 cash prize |
| Green Tech Winner: NEU Battery Materials | US$20,000 cash prize |
Top 12 Finalists (each received US$10,000 cash prize):
| Company Name | Economics |
| Digital Health Tech | |
| E-Sense Innovation & Technology Limited | Hong Kong |
| Eyerising international | Australia |
| KA Imaging Inc | Canada |
| Re:Pair Genomics Inc. | Canada |
| FinTech | |
| Bankuish | United States |
| Belli | Singapore |
| Cambio Limited (Energent.AI) | United Arab Emirates |
| RealKey | United States |
| Green Tech | |
| CERT Systems | Canada |
| NEU Battery Materials | Singapore |
| Soteria Battery Innovation Group | United States |
| YSL&C Ltd (OKOsix) | Hong Kong |
Top 100 Semi-Finalists Breakdown:
| By Tech Track | Percentage |
| Digital Health Tech | 34% |
| FinTech | 33% |
| Green Tech | 33% |
| By Region | Percentage |
| America | 24% |
| APAC | 26% |
| Europe | 30% |
| Hong Kong | 15% |
| Mainland China | 5% |
Visit epic.hkstp.org for more information on EPIC 2025.
Hashtag: #HKSTP
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
HKSTP
More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.
The decision was announced during the discussion “Competition Development in Global Grain Trade: Joint Efforts of BRICS Countries”, organized by the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre on the sidelines of the 23rd Session of the UNCTAD Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy in Geneva.
The event included a closed meeting of BRICS competition authorities and a public panel featuring researchers, academics and representatives of international organizations.
Discussions focused on competition in global grain markets, the growing influence of financialization and digitalization across agricultural value chains, and policy tools to improve market transparency. Participants also reviewed the findings of a joint report prepared by the BRICS Competition Centre and UNCTAD (link: https://www.bricscompetition.org/ru/grainreport) , first presented at the 9th BRICS International Competition Conference in Cape Town in 2025.
A coordinated market study
The central outcome of the meeting was the establishment of a BRICS task force that will coordinate a joint sector inquiry into global grain trade within the framework of the BRICS Working Group on Food Markets.
The task force will be co-chaired by Diogo Thomson, President of Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), and Mahmoud Momtaz, Chairperson of the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA).
Thomson welcomed the initiative and proposed making competition in global grain trade a key topic at the next BRICS International Competition Conference, scheduled to take place in Brazil in 2027.
“Brazil is the only jurisdiction that has launched an investigation into digital grain trading platforms such as Covantis. I therefore strongly welcome this sector inquiry, which will help us better understand the impact of digitalization across grain supply chains and the risks it may create for competition. I also support using the BRICS Competition Centre as the coordination platform for this work,” he said.
Momtaz said one of the main conclusions of the BRICS-UNCTAD report was the significant role speculative activity plays in global grain markets.
“One of the key findings of the report presented by the BRICS Competition Centre is the extent to which speculative factors influence global grain trade. The most effective response is greater market transparency. We should not accept a situation where farmers receive only a small share of the value they create while consumers in Egypt pay excessively high prices for bread. Where does this margin accumulate, and who ultimately benefits from it? These are the questions our sector inquiry should answer,” he said.
He also proposed that the task force develop a common AI-powered price monitoring tool covering BRICS grain markets.
“Such a tool would provide the information needed for market analysis and become an important complement to the joint sector inquiry,” Momtaz added.
From analysis to policy recommendations
Hardin Ratshisusu, Deputy Commissioner of the Competition Commission of South Africa, said the study should contribute to the implementation of the BRICS Grain Exchange initiative endorsed by BRICS leaders in the Kazan Declaration (2024) and the Rio de Janeiro Declaration (2025).
“The proposal to establish a BRICS Grain Exchange should become one of the key recommendations of the sector inquiry as an innovative mechanism for restoring competition in global grain trade. Our objective is not merely to identify market problems but to develop practical recommendations that can ultimately be submitted to the leaders of our countries,” he said.
Alexey Ivanov, Director of the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre, said competition authorities should play a central role in designing the institutional framework of the future exchange.
“The BRICS Grain Exchange should not become another formal institution. It must serve as a practical mechanism for improving competition and market transparency. Competition authorities are uniquely positioned to identify the institutional features that will allow the exchange to achieve these objectives,” he said.
Growing international role
Frédéric Jenny, Chairmanof the OECD Competition Committee, said the initiative demonstrated the growing international role of BRICS competition authorities.
“This project illustrates how BRICS competition authorities are becoming drivers of the global competition agenda. In the past, they largely followed the lead of developed jurisdictions. That is no longer the case. There are very few examples worldwide of such close cooperation between competition authorities. This applies not only to joint market studies, but also to enforcement cooperation and competition advocacy. Rather than acting individually, you have found both the mechanisms and the political will to work together,” Jenny said.
The task force will now begin developing the methodology and work plan for the joint inquiry. Its findings are expected to provide policy recommendations aimed at strengthening competition, improving transparency in global grain trade, and supporting future BRICS initiatives in agricultural markets.
Hashtag: #BRICSCompetition
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Today’s premium SUVs are expected to do more than ever before. For EVs, that expectation increasingly extends beyond the drive itself to the ownership experience that comes with it.
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 July 2026 – There’s a reason premium SUVs remain the vehicle of choice across much of the Middle East. People here spend a lot of time in their cars, commuting between cities, shuttling between meetings, while thinking nothing of driving hundreds of kilometers over a long weekend.
A vehicle is where conference calls are taken between appointments, where children fall asleep in the back seat on the drive home, and where many of the ordinary moments of daily life quietly unfold. That is also why buyers in the region tend to value both performance and convenience, rather than simply paying for horsepower or a premium badge.
Electric vehicles have made those decisions even more nuanced. Not long ago, conversations about EVs were largely centered on battery size, driving range and charging times. Those questions still matter, but increasingly, buyers also demand a clear picture of their post-delivery ownership experience, specifically requiring convenient charging, straightforward servicing, and long-term support.
Viewed through that lens, perhaps the most interesting thing about the VinFast VF 8 isn’t any single specification. Rather, it is the way the company has approached the ownership experience around it.
Designed by the legendary Italian design house Pininfarina, the all-electric D-segment SUV combines premium styling with everyday practicality. With up to 493 km of NEDC driving range and up to 402 horsepower through its dual-motor AWD system, the VF 8 is equally at home navigating city traffic or tackling longer journeys across the region. Its spacious cabin, Level 2 driver assistance technologies and 15.6-inch infotainment display are designed with comfort in mind, whether the journey lasts twenty minutes or two hours.
In the UAE, buyers also benefit from a 10-year vehicle warranty, a 10-year unlimited-mileage battery warranty, 24/7 roadside assistance and five years of free maintenance up to 100,000 km. These benefits strike at the heart of the EV ownership experience, especially for first-time buyers. Running low on charge before an important meeting or worrying about finding support on a long drive are precisely the kinds of concerns that can make consumers hesitate about making the switch.
Globally, VinFast has been investing heavily in the ecosystem surrounding its vehicles. Earlier this year, the company signed agreements with 29 international aftersales partners as part of its plan to expand its global service network to more than 1,100 workshops across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia during 2026. The initiative includes globally standardized technician training alongside software updates, battery inspections and technical support throughout the ownership journey.
In the UAE, VinFast works with Al Tayer Motors to provide local aftersales support while continuing to strengthen its regional service network through experienced local partners. Earlier this year, the company also signed an MoU with PlusX Electric, a DEWA-approved charging provider, to complement its charging ecosystem with portable charging pods, on-demand mobile charging and emergency roadside charging services.
In many ways, the Middle East’s EV market is still writing its next chapter. Buyers have more choices than ever before, but expectations are rising just as quickly. Developing a competitive electric SUV addresses only part of the equation; ensuring a seamless ownership experience may ultimately prove equally decisive.
Hashtag: #VinFast
https://me.vinfast.com/enThe issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Media OutReach
Alpro Launches Subsidised RM1 Ferritin Checks to Help Women Understand, Prepare and Live Well Through the Transition to Menopause
Before Menopause, Many Women Are Already Struggling in Silence
While menopause is becoming more widely discussed, the years leading up to it often receive far less attention. During perimenopause, women may experience changes in their menstrual cycle, energy levels, concentration, sleep, mood and overall well-being. These changes may begin several years before menopause and can gradually affect a woman’s daily life, work and family responsibilities.
The fatigue women are expected to live with
Women in their late thirties, forties, and early fifties often carry multiple responsibilities at home, at work, and within their communities. Persistent exhaustion or difficulty concentrating may therefore be dismissed as stress, lack of sleep, ageing or simply part of having a busy life.
Representing the Faculty of Pharmacy, UiTM, Associate Professor Dr Mahmathi Karuppannan said:
Hashtag: #Alpro
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Alpro Group
Founded in 2002, Alpro Group’s ecosystem has grown to include Alpro Pharmacy, Apotek Alpro, Alpro スギ (Sugi) Pharmacy, Alpro Physio, Alpro Clinic, Alpro Baby, Alpro OptiSaver, Alpro Audiology, Alpro Health, and Alpro Foundation. Supported by a team of more than 1,000 healthcare professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, nutritionists, dietitians, physiotherapists, optometrist and many others, Alpro serves over 5 million families in Malaysia and Indonesia through its extensive network of 500 physical outlets.
Alpro Pharmacy is the first and only community pharmacy in the region to offer product liability insurance of MYR 1 million in Malaysia and IDR 3 billion in Indonesia, ensuring the supply of genuine medications and enhancing consumer trust.
With the vision of a healthy and vibrant world, Alpro Group aims to become the No. 1 prescription pharmacy chain in Southeast Asia.
