UNLEASH is going to Singapore in 2018!

During his visit to Singapore, Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen handed over UNLEASH to Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. UNLEASH is a global innovation lab, bringing together 1,000 carefully selected young talents from across the world, to collaborate on ideas and solutions for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

“Denmark kick-started this great initiative, and there is no better partner than Singapore to take over. The global SDGs carry the ambition to bring the world we live in closer to the world in which we wish to live. Singapore is known for its foresight, drive, and ability to take action. By passing on the host country torch to Singapore, I am sure that UNLEASH will take yet another important step forward,” said Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who was on his first official visit to Singapore.

 

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is delighted that Singapore will be the next host. “We each have a valuable contribution to make to sustainable development. We must fulfill the goals of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, for the next generation to have a brighter and more resilient future. I am happy that Singapore’s private sector will be hosting UNLEASH 2018, and doing their part for the Sustainable Development Agenda. This gathering of young, creative and innovative minds will harness the power of human ingenuity, to create imaginative solutions that achieve the SDGs,” says Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

 

The UNLEASH program will integrate Singaporean business strongholds, and local ways of living, thinking, and working: “Singapore embodies UNLEASH’s values of innovation, multi-culturalism, and cross-sector partnerships. Singapore has been quick to adopt new technologies and has been noted for its sustainable urban planning, as well as being the greenest metropolis in Asia, making it a perfect location for UNLEASH 2018” says Flemming Besenbacher, chairman of UNLEASH, Carlsberg Group, and the Carlsberg Foundation.

 

UNLEASH 2018 will be a reality due to support from the private sector in Singapore. One of the founding partners for 2018 is DBS Bank. ”At DBS, we are committed to shaping positive change.  This includes contributing towards a better future, such as by championing sustainable development and social entrepreneurship. We’re excited about UNLEASH – its ambitious undertaking, bringing together creative young minds passionate about the future, will no doubt spur fresh perspectives and thinking that will further advance the SDGs,” says Sim S. Lim, Country Head for DBS Singapore.

 

UNLEASH has also partnered with Temasek and will held alongside the Ecosperity Conference on June 5. “We are pleased to welcome UNLEASH as a partner in conjunction with our Ecosperity Conference. Ecosperity brings together CEOs, innovators and thought leaders globally to discuss the latest issues on sustainable growth. We look forward to the many innovative solutions arising from UNLEASH which will bring us a step closer in translating the SDGs into reality,” says Robin Hu, Head of Sustainability & Stewardship Group at Temasek.

 

Deloitte was a partner in the first UNLEASH and will continue its commitment in 2018. Deloitte’s Nordic CEO, Anders Dons, stated “It is a great honor for Deloitte to continue as lead innovation partner and help bring UNLEASH to Singapore. Deloitte will again gather a global team of facilitators to help the talents advance their ideas. To create an impact the world needs to rethink how we do business and leverage the power of innovation – this is exactly what UNLEASH is about and why we are proud to contribute.”

 

During the inaugural UNLEASH in Denmark, 1,000 talents from 129 countries worked on solutions within themes relating to the SDGs. Over the course of nine days, 197 solutions were created and are now being supported by the UNLEASH ecosystem of investors, experts, mentors and more than 200 partner organizations from all over the world. From May 30-June 6, 2018, another 1,000 talents will work on new themes and new challenges. “Just like Denmark influenced the structure and mindset of UNLEASH in 2017, Singapore will inspire new kinds of innovation, new insights, and influence how the talents will work on creating scalable solutions,” says director of UNLEASH and chairman of Dalberg, Henrik Skovby.

 

The execution partners are the Carlsberg Foundation, Dalberg, Deloitte, and UNDP.

 

 

 

Applications are open from January 15 – February 15, 2018.

 

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