FedEx awards four startups as part of its small business grant contest

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FedEx awards four startups as part of its small business grant contest

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John A. Smith FedEx Express Leadership President and Chief Executive Officer U.S. & Canada Ground Operations | FedEx

By Sky Industry News

May 20, 2025

Federal Express Corporation, a leading express transportation company, has announced the winner of its annual Small Business Grant Contest (SBGC) in the Asia Pacific region. Four companies, including Aliena from Singapore, Digantara from India, McEasy from Indonesia, and NEU Battery Materials also from Singapore, have been recognized for their innovative contributions across various industries. These startups will share a total prize pool of $69,000 to help accelerate their business growth.

The contest marks its fourth year of collaboration between FedEx and Forbes Asia to spotlight emerging startups from the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list. Judges from both organizations selected finalists based on their innovative approaches in manufacturing, energy, construction and logistics, and space technology.

Digantara emerged as the grand prize winner with a $30,000 award. Founded by CEO Anirudh Sharma in 2018, this Indian startup aims to create a 'Google Maps' for space by providing space surveillance and intelligence capabilities to manage satellite traffic securely.

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Three other companies received Special Mentions along with $13,000 each:

- Aliena: Co-founded by CEO Mark Lim in 2018 in Singapore, Aliena specializes in electric-propulsion engines for satellites. Their flagship product is the MUSIC thruster that enhances satellite operations at very low Earth orbits.

- McEasy: Established in 2017 by CEO Raymond Sutjiono in Indonesia, McEasy provides transportation companies with fleet monitoring solutions using software and IoT technologies like AI cameras and GPS sensors.

- NEU Battery Materials: Led by CEO Bryan Oh since its founding in 2021 in Singapore, this company focuses on lithium recovery from waste LFP batteries through an electrochemical redox targeting system aimed at reducing environmental impact.

Kawal Preet, president of Asia Pacific at FedEx stated: “This year’s winners demonstrate how technology-driven entrepreneurship is delivering real-world solutions — from battery recycling and carbon tracking to satellite propulsion and space safety.” She emphasized that these innovations are addressing current challenges while shaping a more connected future.

FedEx first launched the SBGC in the U.S. back in 2012. It now spans 31 international markets across regions including Asia Pacific.