TECH EXPERTS

Cheong Siah Chong has 31 years’ experience in product creation process, product costing, financial control and the running of manufacturing, design house and technology start-ups from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). His company, MDesign Solutions, was a recipient of the President's Design Award 2009 for a medical device co-designed with Philips Design Singapore. Siah Chong is also a mentor in PIER71, Vice President of the Singapore Industrial Automation Association, committee member of the IOT Asia programme and review panellist in the Diagnostic Development Hub. In addition, he is the Co-chair for Singapore International Robo Expo 2018 (SIRE). Since 2014, he has been mentoring in NUS-Lean Launch Pad, Jump-start for seven seasons with eight teams from NUS, A*STAR and NTU. Siah Chong also has five patents filed under his name up till to date.

Garrick Soon is the founder of Protoking. He began his career as an apprentice in a tool and die making company, and later mastered plastic injection moulding from a veteran moulder. He grew to become a prototyping and Design for Manufacturing specialist. Garrick is familiar with different industry standards, as well as various materials and advanced manufacturing techniques. Today, Garrick leads an international team of designers and engineers which seeks to "Empower Ideas". Through Protoking, he offers a range of services from product conceptualisation, industrial design, R&D, to prototyping and manufacturing. His work is based on a practical approach to applying design thinking.