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SINGAPORE: Secretlab CEO and Co-Founder Ian Ang was named EY Singapore Entrepreneur of the Year on Monday (November 9), beating two other contenders to be crowned the overall winner.
The victory was announced during a virtual awards ceremony on Monday night. Ang, 28, will be Singapore’s representative at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year award in June next year, where he will compete with contenders from more than 60 countries.
“Winning this award among so many other great and seasoned entrepreneurs is an absolute honor. There is still much to learn and it is still early days for Secretlab,” Ang said.
He added that the company “will continue to put soul into our products” and will invest millions in research and development.
“We will not be complacent,” Ang said.
LEE: The CEO of Secretlab awarded the entrepreneur gong, the youngest in the history of the awards
Ang co-founded Secretlab, a gaming chair company, with Alaric Choo in 2014.
The company has the United States, Canada and Europe as some of its main markets and is backed by Heliconia Capital Management of Temasek Holdings.
The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is an annual awards program that honors Singapore’s top entrepreneurs for their contributions to the economy and society, highlighting local innovators and brands who have made a mark in the global marketplace.
Ang was named EY Consumer Products Entrepreneur of the Year in September, making him the youngest winner in the history of the awards since they began 18 years ago.
The other two contenders were: Richard Koh, founder and CEO of M-DAQ, who won in the fintech category; and Eric Leong, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Mlion Corporation, who got the nod in the Industrial Solutions category.
READ: ‘I was definitely not a good student’ – Secretlab co-founder Ian Ang
Mr. Png Cheong Boon, CEO of Enterprise Singapore, said that the success of Mr. Ang, who dropped out of university to pursue his business venture, demonstrates multiple paths to success.
“Despite his youth, Ian embodies the entrepreneurial spirit and displays the business acumen of a seasoned entrepreneur. He discovered a niche in the ergonomic gaming chairs market and went on to make Secretlab a global commercial success,” Png said, who is also president of the panel of judges.
“With the courage to drop out of college to pursue his dreams and the perseverance to build a product from scratch, Ian demonstrates how there are multiple paths to success, the power of ideas, and the value of continued hard work,” added Png. .
Derek Lau, CEO of Heliconia Capital, said he was proud of Ang’s accomplishments.
“Building a successful global brand and sales channel in this digital age is not really easy. I can see how the ‘Go Big or Go Home’ mentality drives Ian and his team in everything they do, from product design to customer involvement, “said Mr. Lau said.
