Amplifier: Launching New Tracks to Support High-Impact Startups

The Amplifier 2025 — a year-long global mentorship programme by Temasek Trust ecosystem entities Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP) and the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA) — has launched with three new tracks: 

•  Innovation and Circularity in the Textile Value Chain

•  Sustainability Transformation for SME Suppliers in Tourism

•  Unlocking Opportunities and Breaking Down Barriers to Employment

Backed by more than 70 partners, the programme adopts a whole-of-ecosystem approach to support high-potential, impact-driven businesses from Asia and beyond. Mentees gain access to deep mentorship, sector and market insights, access to professional services, and catalytic capital to scale their impact and accelerate commercial outcomes. 

Read on for launch highlights and an introduction to the mentee cohorts across each track.

Textiles Track: Pioneering Circularity Across the Value Chain

Mentees from the Textiles track during their launch at SFC’s Be the Change Summit.

The textile track launch week ran from 22–26 September 2025, featuring training sessions led by Campaign for Good, CIIP, Deloitte, and PwC on topics such as impact storytelling, strategy and market expansion, fundraising, IP and licensing, and operationalising impact.

Meet the Mentees

From left to right: Ms. Beyza Baykan of Baytech, which developed a sustainable alternative to pumice stones for denim washing; Mr. Gediminas Mikutis of Haelixa, which uses DNA markers to give textile fibres a unique, traceable identity; Ms. Jeanny Yao of Novoloop, Inc., which turns plastic waste into performance materials; and Mr. Walden Lam of unspun, which developed a 3D weaving technology for apparel.

•  Baytech (Turkey): Developer of sustainable, high-performance denim washing alternatives that reduce environmental impact while maintaining quality

•  Haelixa (Switzerland): Provider of DNA-based traceability solution that helps brands verify material authenticity, trace product origins, and enhance supply chain transparency

•  Novoloop, Inc. (United States): Innovator in circular chemistry, using its proprietary Lifecycling™ process to upcycle post-consumer polyethylene waste into virgin-quality, low-carbon, waste-derived polyols and polyurethanes without green premiums

•  unspun (United States): Creator of Vega, a 3D weaving and automated garment assembly technology that streamlines apparel production from yarn to finished garment, cutting lead times, costs, and waste

 

Tourism Track: Unlocking Solutions for Asia's Hospitality Ecosystem

 

 

Tourism track mentees at the Mastercard ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit.

 

 

Supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth as Impact Innovation Partner, the Tourism track aims to advance sustainable growth and resilience across the region’s tourism sector. The cohort was announced on 23 October 2025, ahead of the inaugural Mastercard ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit in Kuala Lumpur. 

Each mentee will receive up to S$100,000 in catalytic capital and a year of tailored support, including mentorship from partners across sectors, workshops, and market insights to strengthen commercial viability and long-term sustainability.

Meet the Mentees

Clockwise from left: Mr. Sean Lew and Mr. Darioush Kottke of N&E Innovations, which upcycles food waste into an antimicrobial substance; Ms. Karen Cheah and Mr. Steven Tan of Alterpacks, which creates packaging from agricultural waste; and Mr. Max Mandias and Ms. Helga Tjahjadi of Green Rebel, a plant-based food-tech company.

•  Alterpacks (Singapore): An advanced materials start-up transforming agricultural waste into high-performance, compostable packaging alternatives

•  Green Rebel (Indonesia): A food-tech venture democratising sustainable protein through plant-based meats and dairy-free cheeseof DNA-based traceability solution that helps brands verify material authenticity, trace product origins, and enhance supply chain transparency

•  N&E Innovations (Singapore): A biotechnology company converting food waste into sustainable solutions, including antibacterial food packaging and agriculture post-harvest coatings

Employment Track: Enabling Inclusive Growth and Long-Term Employability

The Employment track focuses on improving inclusive access to quality jobs and building workforce resilience across Asia. It is supported by the Macquarie Group Foundation as Impact Innovation Partner, and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and Generation Hong Kong as Strategic Partners.

Each mentee will receive up to S$100,000 in catalytic funding, along with 12 months of deep support. This includes mentorship from cross-sector partners, industry insights, market navigation strategies, workshops, and access to the broader ecosystem of Amplifier partners.

The launch of the Employment cohort at the Global Impact Chapter 2025.

The cohort was unveiled on 19 November 2025 at the Global Impact Chapter (GIC) 2025, an annual gathering of changemakers across Asia co-organised by CIIP, MYSC, JLIN LLC, and Extra-Mile Ventures SG. This year’s edition, Risking Boldly, Building Bravely, spotlighted cross-border innovation and collaborative leadership in shaping a more inclusive economy.

Meet the Mentees

Clockwise from left: Mr. Shaun Tan of Inclus, which empowers people with disabilities with gainful employment; Mr. Wamiq Hasan, Mr. Abdul Qadeer, and Mr. Ali Shabbar of Deaftawk, which delivers seamless digital sign language interpretation services; and Ms. Tippi Fernandez, Mr. Zhihan Lee, and Mr. Ellwyn Tan of BagoSphere, which equips frontline workers with essential job and skills training.

•  BagoSphere (Singapore): Builds human capability ecosystems that help frontline workers progress from jobseekers to leaders through structured, future-ready career pathways

•  DeafTawk (Singapore): A tech-based social enterprise empowering the deaf community through real-time interpretation services, digital inclusion tools, and pathways to employment and financial independence

•  Inclus (Singapore): Advances disability inclusion by offering training, employment placement, and lifelong learning opportunities for persons with disabilities

Highlights from the launch and training weeks across the three new Amplifier tracks.

By bringing together catalytic capital, cross-sector expertise, and a strong network of partners, Amplifier continues to serve as a launchpad for impact-driven ventures ready to accelerate meaningful change and scale in Asia. We look forward to sharing more updates as the mentees progress through their year-long journey.

Partnerships are at the heart of the Amplifier programme. Success is underpinned by organisations and individuals committed to make a difference by contributing their expertise, influence, and resources. To partner with the Amplifier, please reach out to [email protected]. 

This article was originally published by Temasek Trust on 3 December 2025.