Overview
Sustainability startups today face persistent growth challenges — from idea to product translation, market-fit and pathfinding to become a market-leading solution, while addressing the UN SDGs. Evolving climate also creates complexities, from access to resources for initiative support or avenues to accelerate growth.
As part of the FIRST programme, this session is designed to guide early-stage startup founders with key insights and tools needed for an effective scaling journey. Join us and learn from seasoned founders, investors, and industry experts on how to navigate your scale-up journey in this fast-evolving landscape.
NOTE: This workshop is a closed-door event; attendance is available upon invitation or enrolment to FIRST Programme, with successful registration. Please approach Rachel ([email protected]) or Patrick ([email protected]) for event enquiries.
Introduction:
Energy Research Institute @ NTU - Energy Centre of Innovation (ERI@N-ECOI) is a strategic collaboration between NTU, ESG, and SEAS. As the ninth innovation centre in Singapore and the first for the energy sector, ERI@N-ECOI serves as a one-stop hub to help SMEs and start-ups innovate, grow and thrive in the competitive energy sector. ECOI aims to enable these companies to further develop and commercialise their clean-energy related innovations and business ideas, by providing them support in product acceleration and business acceleration.
Launched in Jan 2025, Fostering Innovation and Resources in Sustainable Tech-Translation (FIRST) is a joint initiative between SGInnovate and ERI@N-ECOI to aggregate start-ups and partners in the sustainability sector. Through support from both systems, start-ups may gain access to resources and strategic partnerships to de-risk their entrepreneurship journey. Sign-ups to the FIRST is available on rolling basis: (https://www.sginnovate.com/event/call-applications-first-fostering-innovation-and-resources-sustainable-tech-translation-0)
Workshop Agenda:
5:30pm to 6:00pm: Registration
6:00pm to 6:15pm: Introduction by NTU ERI@N-ECOI and SGInnovate
6:15pm to 7:00pm: Presentation - How do I Map, Validate and Win my Customers?
Presented by Parag Kotak, Advisor & Venture Builder in Sustainability
7:00pm to 7:40pm: Panel Discussion - Scaling Up Technologies in Sustainability Landscape: Essentials and Progression
Panelists:
Pareen Chaudari, Investor, Openspace Capital
Henrik Ljungcrantz, CEO, Goldcreast 1008
Gabriel Lim, Founder, Blue Whale Energy
Moderator: Patrick Zhang, Project Officer, NTU ERI@N-ECOI
7:45pm to 8:30pm: Networking Evening (Light Bites Provided)
Schedule
Date: 04 Dec 2025, Thursday
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM (GMT +8:00) Kuala Lumpur, Singapore
Location: 32 Carpenter Street, 059911
Speakers
Speaker's Profile:
Parag Kotak, Advisor & Venture Builder , Sustainability
Parag Kotak brings over 18 years of global energy experience in key international markets. At Shell Energy Asia, he led Renewables Business Development and Industrial Decarbonisation Solutions, spearheading key M&A transactions in Utility and C&I renewable power development. He is a co-inventor on five patented system designs in Biofuels, H2 and Chemicals. Parag is also actively involved in advising and building in sustainability Deep Tech Startups across Singapore and India through programmes like the NGRIP, Shell Startup Engine.
Speaker's Profile:
Pareen Chaudhari, Investor, Openspace Capital
Pareen is an Investor at Openspace Capital, where she drives sourcing, due diligence, and deal execution across high-growth sectors in Southeast Asia. Her work spans early-stage investing and strategic support for portfolio companies as they scale across the region.
Speaker's Profile:
Dr Henrik Ljungcrantz , CEO, Goldcreast 1008
Henrik is a serial entrepreneur who gathered cumulative experiences from both startup and corporate environments, serving up to C-suite positions. A person of action, he has led ventures from university spin-offs through the IPO stage. He now serves as a mentor to A*STAR, NTU and NGRIP start-ups to help them scale, develop and diversify, sustainably.
Speaker's Profile:
Gabriel Lim, Founder, Blue Whale Energy
Gabriel is the founder and CEO of Blue Whale Energy, a Singapore-based battery virtual power plant. Blue Whale Energy aggregates battery energy storage systems to provide grid flexibility and ancillary services. Previously, Gabriel founded Saleswhale (YC S16), an AI startup acquired by Silicon Valley unicorn 6sense in December 2021.
Moderator's Profile:
Patrick Zhang, Project Officer, NTU ERI@N-ECOI
Patrick Zhang is a projects officer at ERI@N-ECOI (previously Ecolabs), where he also serves as the programme coordinator at FIRST, a joint initiative with SGInnovate to aggregate players in the sustainability space. A recent doctoral graduate in photovoltaic materials, he is always keen to derive value in green technologies and to push for wider test-cases
