The Singapore Prize recognises exceptional homegrown businesses and their projects, products and services. Nominations are open to companies headquartered in Singapore and they’ll be judged on a range of criteria including uniqueness and innovation, and internal practices and strategies. There are various categories to choose from including tech and business-focused industries like food, travel and insurance.
The winners of the Singapore Prize were announced in an extravagant ceremony at Mediacorp’s Theatre, where Prince William himself made a guest appearance. The Prince rolled up in a green carpet-matching suit and dickie bow, while the event’s host Hannah Waddingham looked stunning in a sparkling ball gown.
The winner of the prize was Daryl Pei Xiang Koh, a player nicknamed ‘iceiceice’, who earned about 1.8 million U.S dollars for winning the contest. He has since risen to become one of the most influential players in the Dota 2 world. Dota 2 is an award-winning multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It’s played by millions of players worldwide.
Established in memory of Christopher Bathurst KC, Viscount Bledisloe, the Singapore prize was first awarded in 2014. Launched by the Department of History at NUS, it was designed to stimulate engagement with Singapore’s history broadly understood (this could include pre-1819) and to encourage the study of Singapore’s place in the world.
The prize was conceived by former diplomat Kishore Mahbubani, who has long championed the development of a national identity. He noted that the biggest challenge facing Singapore is no longer economic, but developing a sense of shared history.
A panel of judges selected the winner from six publications, and the public will be able to vote for their favourite until October 2, 2023. The winning author receives a cash prize of S$50,000, while the runners-up get S$20,000. The prize is administered by NUS Press and the Department of History.
The judging panel included renowned Singaporean academics, historians and public figures. Professor Joey Long, a scholar of Chinese and Japanese history, was on the panel along with Foo Hai Fellow in Buddhist Studies and Associate Professor Jack Meng-Tat Chia from NUS’ Department of History. Other members are historian and educator Dr Angeline Yeo, senior curator Ms Seng Yu Jin from the National Gallery of Singapore and playwright Ms Jean Tay.
The prize was also given to Objectifs, a visual arts center that promotes regional film and art, for its contribution to Singapore’s cultural landscape. The festival’s cinema honour was given to Taiwanese actors Lee Kang-sheng and Yang Kuei-mei, while Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who recently walked free from his 14-year travel ban, received the cinema honorary award. Lastly, the NUS-based charity, Project Smile, was recognised for its work in bringing dental care to underprivileged children.
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