Singapore start-up founded by SUTD graduate wins prestigious US$1m Hult Prize
Stick ’Em1, an education technology start-up co-founded in 2021 by Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) alumnus Adam Huh Dam, 22-year-old Singapore Polytechnic graduate Chong Ing Kai, and 22-year-old National University of Singapore students Tew Jing An and Chong Kai Jie, has been named Global Champion of the 2025 Hult Prize on 6 September 2025.
(Image credit: Hult Prize Foundation) From left to right: Lori Van Dam, CEO of Hult Prize Foundation, Adam Huh Dam, Chong Ing Kai, Philip Hult, Chairman of EF Education First
The Singapore-based team triumphed at the global finals held at Tate Modern, London, winning US$1 million in seed funding to advance its mission of making Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education more affordable and accessible to schools worldwide.
Stick ’Em provides intuitive and affordable STEAM kits paired with an online learning platform designed for teachers. Since its founding, the start-up has expanded into 11 markets worldwide, reaching more than 12,000 students, empowering over 1,200 teachers, and working with close to 100 schools and organisations. Stick ’Em has set its sights on impacting 860,000 students by 2030.
Over the years, Stick ’Em received venture support and grant funding from SUTD’s innovation and entrepreneurship programmes including the Create4Good Innovation Fund, Baby Shark Fund and the Entrepreneurship Capstone programme. These contributions helped kick-start its product development and early market entry. In 2022, the start-up also won S$88,000 at the Youth Action Challenge Season 3.
The rigorous judging criteria of the prestigious Hult Prize is all-encompassing, and takes into consideration areas such as a team’s commitment and expertise, idea effectiveness and sustainability, adherence to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal targets, and business scalability.
On winning, co-founder Adam, a graduate of SUTD’s Engineering Product Development pillar and a Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia honouree, said: “When we first applied for the competition, I honestly thought there was no way we could win. To be crowned global champion still feels surreal. But this win isn’t just about us. It’s about every student who deserves the chance to learn, build, and innovate regardless of background. We’re excited to use this momentum to create a lasting difference in the lives of millions of students worldwide.”
The Hult Prize competition involved multiple rounds, starting from the Singapore Nationals held at the National University of Singapore, where Stick ’Em secured second place and subsequently applied for the global digital incubator phase. The team then progressed through the Digital Global Incubator Stage, which narrowed down the teams to the top 24 semi-finalists. This was followed by the finalist selection at Google Headquarters in London, which determined the top eight teams, before culminating in the global finals at Tate Modern, London2. Throughout the competition, the team faced the challenge of balancing progress in product development with refining their pitch and delivery skills under tight time constraints.
Adam attributed the ability to overcome this challenge to SUTD. The 27-year-old added: “I am thankful that SUTD’s holistic education helped me, especially in my ability to present and speak well, on top of being very systematic and rational about the projections and assumptions that supported our plans.”
Congratulating Stick ’Em, SUTD President Professor Phoon Kok Kwang said: “We are immensely proud of Adam’s achievement. His work with Ing Kai and Jing An and Kai Jie has helped make STEAM education more affordable and accessible to tens of thousands of students. It also showcases the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit we nurture at SUTD, where Design AI empowers our SUTD community to create transformative solutions that build a better world through entrepreneurship. This success at the Hult Prize highlights how our students and alumni can drive meaningful global impact by combining design, technology and purpose. With the USD 1 million prize serving as a catalyst for growth, I look forward to witnessing the impact Stick ’Em will continue to make in the years to come.”
The Hult Prize, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize for students”, is the world’s largest platform for social impact start-ups, attracting over 100,000 applicants annually. Stick ’Em’s win marks a milestone for Singapore’s innovation and start-up ecosystem.
2 Road to Million (Credit: Hult Prize Foundation)