From nanotech to big data, winners of this year’s Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF) Awards exemplified innovation across a wide spectrum of technology domains and business applications.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, which took place during the SiTF’s ICT Industry Gala Dinner on 10 October, Mr Aubeck Kam, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication and Information, noted that the ICT industry is built upon invention and innovation, and that “it is only through innovation that we can realise sustainable growth”.

Now into its 5th year, the SiTF Awards provides a platform for local ICT companies to showcase their solutions and receive professional feedback from a panel of judges comprising business and IT sector leaders, members of academia and venture capitalists (VCs).

This year, more than 290 submissions were received and awards were presented to over 40 innovative solutions across 11 categories which included best start-up, cloud solution, digital media, e-government, infocomm productivity, student innovations, and more.

One of the big winners of the night was Nanoveu Pte Ltd, which won the Judges’ Choice award and topped the Emerging Technology and Start-up categories with EyeFly3D, a “screen protector” which, when affixed to a high-resolution mobile display, turns a 2D device into a glasses-free 3D viewing platform. Manufactured through a patent-pending process, EyeFly3D comprises thin, film-based nano structures which deliver distortion-free 2D/3D video, photos and games on smartphones and tablets.

“EyeFly3D demonstrates how we can turn innovative research into products that benefit consumers,” said Mr Alfred Chong, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Nanoveu. “The win is also a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of a commercial entity working with A*STAR’s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) and Temasek Polytechnic scientists in turning lab research into a viable consumer product.”

Other winners in the Emerging Technology category were ViSenze Pte Ltd, which won the Silver Award for its cloud-based, multi-platform contextual visual search, and Fusionex Pte Ltd, which won Bronze for its Big Data Solution that enables business users to construct new dimensions for viewing their existing big data stack.

In the Start-up category, other winners were TradeHero (Silver), for its eponymous stock market simulation app; and Aquila Media Pte Ltd (Bronze) for Aquila Style, a digital magazine that combines digital publishing with analytics to provide a unique content proposition via the web and mobile devices.

A new category was also created this year for the Most Popular Mobile App, to help raise awareness of locally-developed apps. After public SMS voting, which garnered more than 47,000 votes, the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) MyTransport.SG emerged from amongst the 20 contenders to clinch top spot.

The LTA app offers a wide range of information for all modes of land transport, empowering commuters, motorists and cyclists in Singapore to make informed decisions and better plan their journey. “Increasingly people turn to mobile apps to manage various aspects of their lives, and we feel honoured to be recognised as the most popular mobile app in Singapore,” said Mr Chew Hock Yong, Chief Executive of LTA. “By profiling and recognising useful and creative apps, SiTF helps to strengthen the culture of innovation in Singapore.”