FROM detecting cancer to helping the elderly age well, these five companies offer solutions to make health and wellness more accessible.
They are among 15 finalists of this year’s Emerging Enterprise Awards. Established in 2008, the awards recognise startups and young businesses across Singapore and Asia, providing resources to boost their growth.
Such high-performing businesses have an enterprising mindset, consistently pursue growth and are always on the lookout for new markets.
This year’s awards are co-presented by The Business Times and OCBC, and supported by Mastercard, Rajah & Tann Asia, RSM Singapore, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Enterprise Singapore and Paia Consulting.
Healing women and saving babies around the world
E3A Healthcare develops medical devices for newborns and women, serving over 250,000 families since 2019
We develop devices for newborns and women, using our expertise in biosignal processing and biosensors. Our current flagship products are devices to measure neonatal jaundice and monitor fetal heart rates.
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Since we began in 2019 as a spin-off from the National University of Singapore (NUS), we have raised three rounds of venture capital financing, served over 250,000 families globally and saved hundreds of newborns.
Our investors include NUS, Enterprise Singapore, Hong Kong X Fund (Sequoia China), Capital Asia Investments and the City University of Hong Kong.
In the near future, one focus is accelerating our market penetration. We will leverage our existing presence and partnerships in Austria and the European Union to expand further into the European market. At the same time, we’re aiming to enter and expand in South-east Asia and North America.
All this will involve navigating regulatory pathways, establishing distribution networks and adapting products and services to market needs.
E3A Healthcare is also committed to developing new first-in-class solutions for the unmet health needs of women, such as in non-invasive pelvic floor rehabilitation. We will do this through continued research and development (R&D), a growing patent portfolio and a network of global experts.
Beyond new geographies and products, E3A Healthcare will support existing flagship products, such as by pursuing US and EU certifications for broader market access.
We have more than doubled our team size in the past year, growing from 20 to over 50 employees. This is across our offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen, as well as R&D and operational centres in Singapore Science Park and Hong Kong Science Park.
Lunch break facials and skincare essentials
Skin solutions provider Kskin Management has brought its “no appointments”, “no packages” facials to Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines
Our core business is providing accessible, affordable and effective skincare solutions. Our mission is to democratise the beauty industry by making professional-grade facials available to a wider audience.
Kskin disrupts the time-consuming, package-driven model of facials by offering a pay-per-visit option. We ditched complex bookings and long treatments, replacing them with express yet effective facials.
Beyond our express facials, we’re committed to expanding our product offerings such as skincare essentials.
We envision Kskin becoming a global leader in skincare within three years, offering accessible expert skin advice, pharmacist-standard products and a seamless customer experience. We aim to serve more than 10 million customers, both physically and online.
Kskin has rapidly expanded to over 80 outlets globally within just four years. We’re in talks with partners in different markets to grow the Kskin presence through physical locations and localised marketing campaigns.
Beyond South-east Asia, we’re strategically entering the US market with our first location in Atlanta, Georgia late this year. We’re also ready to go into Indonesia, with cosmetic product registration there.
Last year, we embarked on an Operation and Technology Roadmap project with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research to plot out our growth in the next five years. This also sparked conversations of working on research projects and co-developing skincare solutions.
We’ve also started our digitisation efforts with the Kskin App. This will serve as a digital skincare companion for customers, providing artificial-intelligence-driven skin analysis and product recommendations. This will help therapists by providing real-time data, allow for further personalisation of treatments and optimise the customer experience.
Catching and countering cancer
Oncode aims to make vital diagnostic tools for cancer accessible to people everywhere
We offer patients and healthcare providers accurate, timely, and actionable information that was once beyond reach – helping to detect, monitor, and manage cancer in ways that were previously unimaginable. This is thanks to our cutting-edge technologies in advanced molecular diagnostic solutions.
Beyond diagnostics, we aim to transform lives by ensuring that high-quality, personalised healthcare solutions – tailored to individuals’ unique genetic profile – are accessible to everyone, regardless of location or economic situation.
We believe that with our solutions, we can help build a future where healthcare is not just reactive but proactive, where diseases are detected early and risks are managed more effectively.
In the near future, we are excited to expand our reach beyond Malaysia and into new markets across Asia. We plan to establish regional offices, collaborate with local healthcare providers and form strategic partnerships to extend the reach of our innovative technology and comprehensive services, ultimately impacting more lives.
We have a dedicated team of scientists, pathologists, pharmacists, bioinformaticians and clinicians who continuously refine our diagnostic technologies and processes, keeping us at the forefront of innovation in molecular diagnostics and precision medicine.
Our team also works closely with pharmaceutical companies to develop tailor-made companion diagnostic tests, designed to diagnose and target newly discovered molecules.
This ensures that patients receive the most effective and personalised treatments available. By aligning our efforts with the latest pharmaceutical advancements, we provide more precise healthcare solutions, leading to better outcomes and improved quality of life for patients.
We are also exploring the integration of artificial intelligence and big data analytics to develop predictive models for patient responses to specific treatments, minimising trial and error and enhancing treatment efficacy.
For eldercare, there’s no place like home
Pancare Medical promotes healthy ageing by providing comprehensive, compassionate and customised care for the elderly
Our primary focus is on family medicine clinics, where we provide holistic healthcare services tailored to elderly patients. We also specialise in healthcare projects of national importance, including Covid-19 testing and vaccination centres, and transitional care facilities.
For clinics, we aim to be a community hub, integrating medical, social and allied health services. Working with specialists, we bring services traditionally found in hospitals into the heartlands, allowing patients to stay within their familiar communities for longer.
We are strategically opening more clinics in heartland areas, bringing our comprehensive care model closer to the communities that require it most.
The services that we’re bringing to the heartlands include physiotherapy, dietician services, counselling and specialised wound care. This is for a more holistic approach that addresses not just medical but also functional, mental health and nutritional needs.
Unlike traditional general practices that primarily focus on acute care and rely on patients to visit, we actively seek new ways to enhance care, including through partnerships with elder care centres, social service organisations and public healthcare institutions.
By offering right-sited care in collaboration with public hospitals, we ensure patients receive appropriate, timely treatment in the most effective settings. This also eases the load on the healthcare system, allowing it to focus on more complex cases.
We are also working with community partners to expand home visit and telemedicine services for isolated, frail or mobility-challenged seniors. The focus is on delivering targeted, personalised care to their homes, instead of the market’s standardised offerings.
We plan to expand into inpatient care settings such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, building on our transitional care experience in managing long-term care for elderly patients. With this expansion, we will offer a seamless continuum of care, from outpatient services to inpatient care.
Outsourcing admin for healthier outcomes
Indonesian healthcare technology company Zi.Care provides tools that improve patient care, streamline operations, and support the adoption of global standards
Zi.Care was born out of my collaboration with Indonesia’s three largest government hospitals to improve their medical records systems. It develops and implements electronic medical record (EMR) systems.
Since its inception, Zi.Care has expanded rapidly, now supporting over 130 healthcare facilities nationwide. The company’s flagship EMR system is a comprehensive platform that digitises patient records – enabling real-time access to data, improving communication and reducing errors.
Beyond EMR, we have developed an enterprise resource planning system for hospitals, allowing them to manage processes such as finance, human resources, supply chain and patient care.
Zi.Care is a pioneer in adopting international healthcare standards. By aligning our systems with these standards, we ensure that healthcare providers can deliver accurate, standardised care. This also improves interoperability across different healthcare providers, facilitating better collaboration and data exchange.
Zi.Care has also developed an advanced inventory management system for healthcare facilities, providing real-time visibility into medical supplies, from stock levels and expiry dates to usage patterns. This can reduce waste and avoid shortages of essential supplies.
The company is investing in AI-driven solutions, focusing on improving diagnostic accuracy, supporting clinical decision-making and automating administrative tasks.
One major area of development is using AI to simplify the complex claims process, reducing the administrative burden on hospitals and ensuring timely reimbursements. This not only improves hospital financial performance but also allows healthcare professionals to dedicate more time to patient care.
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