FedEx has announced the winners of its 2025 Small Business Grant Contest in the Asia Pacific, awarding a total of $69,000 to four innovative startups. The contest, held in collaboration with Forbes Asia, highlighted the achievements of Aliena and NEU Battery Materials from Singapore, Digantara from India, and McEasy from Indonesia. These companies were selected for their pioneering work in manufacturing, energy, construction and logistics, and space technology.
Digantara, founded by Anirudh Sharma in 2018, emerged as the grand prize winner, receiving $30,000. The company is developing a ‘Google Maps’ for space, providing space surveillance and intelligence to help manage satellite traffic. “This year’s winners demonstrate how technology-driven entrepreneurship is delivering real-world solutions,” said Kawal Preet, president of Asia Pacific, FedEx.
The three other startups received Special Mentions and $13,000 each. Aliena, co-founded by Mark Lim, creates electric-propulsion engines for satellites, enhancing operations in low Earth orbits. McEasy, led by Raymond Sutjiono, offers fleet monitoring solutions using AI and IoT technologies. NEU Battery Materials, founded by Bryan Oh, focuses on lithium recovery from waste batteries, aiming to reduce environmental impact.
The FedEx Small Business Grant Contest, launched in the US in 2012, now spans 31 international markets, supporting startups with innovative and scalable business ideas.