The sixth edition of the Asian Entrepreneurship Award (2017 edition) was held on the Kashiwanoha campus in Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo, Japan from October 25th to October 27th 2017.
21 technology startups were selected from 15 countries and regions, mainly in Asia. They competed under the criteria of innovative business models, potential economic and social impacts, and business feasibility. Despite many worthy competitors, with truly disruptive solutions, CLARO Energy was selected as top of the crop for our work in developing an innovating in the rural agricultural sector in India.
Apart from CLARO Energy there were five other companies who were awarded. In addition to various cash prizes, winning companies will be given an unlimited plan to use the 31 VENTURES office’s co-working space managed by Mitsui Fudosan, and they can also receive support for deploying business in Japan.
AEA 2017 Winners List
| First Prize | Claro Energy（India）/KARTIK WAHI, Co-Founder |
| Second Prize | ViSenze（Singapore）/OLIVER TAN, CEO and Co-founder |
| Third Prize Japan New Business Conferences President Prize | Webgears WGT（Russia）/LARISA DYDYKINA, CEO |
| Kashiwa-no-ha Award | Genome Clinic（Japan）/HIROKI SONEHARA, Director |
| Nanocarrier Kashiwa-no-ha Award | AIM GLOBAL INNOVATION（Thailand）/PANRASEE RITTHIPRAVAT, Cofounder |
| Audience Award | ViSenze（Singapore）/OLIVER TAN, CEO and Co-founder |
Mr. Michael Arafant, founding chairman of Fusion Systems Japan, said, “Claro has had a great social impact, trying to deliver a simple solution to many people, the entrepreneurial spirit being demonstrated. The winning company can use the co-working space of “31 Ventures”, a venture exchange base handled by Mitsui Fudosan co-hosting AEA for 2 years free of charge.
CLARO Energy emerged as a winner as because of its commitment to innovate for rural Indian farmers with irrigation solutions that rely on renewable energy. CLARO, over the years, has brought significant change in the lives of farmers and others affected by water scarcity. The installation of more than 3000 solar pumps across 16 states speaks for itself.
About AEA
The Asian Entrepreneurship Award was set up to reward and encourage young entrepreneurs who make the best use of technology and creativity to solve various problem. This award was introduced by the Japanese government in 2012, and since then the award function brings big and small, private and public enterprises, government and educational institutions together in one single frame to propagate a transformation in Asia. AEA aims to construct an ecosystem which will bring innovation to the entire world. It is a platform which help young entrepreneurs from all over the world to meet and inspire each other.
Important links:
https://japan.cnet.com/article/35109586/