TECH EXPERTS

Cheong Siah Chong has 39 years’ experience in technology translation, product development, product design, manufacturing, product costing and financial control. He has been involved in three iterations of high-tech start-ups since 2000 and has filed more than five successful patents under his name. His company, MDS+, previously known as 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 the Vice President & Robotics Lead of AutomationSG and a mentor for NUS Lean LaunchPad and National GRIP. He has been a project evaluation panelist in National Robotic Program since 2022 and a board member for NTU Graduate College Advisory Board since 2023. Siah Chong is a member of IoT Asia program committee and a review panelist in the Diagnostic Development Hub. He was the co-chair of the Organizing Committee for Singapore International Robo Expo (SIRE). Siah Chong is passionate about sharing his knowledge and translating more Singapore-developed IP's into successful global products. 

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.