Singapore: Singapore-based Awak Technologies has bagged Promising NUS Start-up Award at Innovation & Enterprise (I&E) Awards for developing world's first wearable, artificial kidney based and sorbent regenerative technology, to address end-stage renal disease. As the winner, Awak Technologies received a trophy and $79,605 (S$100,000) in prize money.

Innovation & Enterprise (I&E) Awards ceremony is organized by NUS Enterprise and National University of Singapore Society (NUSS). The annual awards, supported by the National Research Foundation's University Innovation Fund, recognize individuals and companies within the NUS community, who have achieved significant accomplishments or contributed towards entrepreneurship and innovation.

Awak Technologies has developed the world's first peritoneal-dialysis. The company has developed an innovative sorbent-based dialysate regeneration technology platform with licenses and collaboration with University of California, Los Angeles and Temasek Polytechnic. The technology is able to perform more efficient dialysis with minimum fluid. This allows the device to be much smaller and use 90 percent less peritoneal dialysis fluid than conventional peritoneal dialysis machines

"Awak Technologies aims to change the landscape of the kidney dialysis industry, by shifting current in-centre dialysis to home-based dialysis that can be performed anywhere, anytime. It will have a tremendous impact on the quality of life for end-stage renal disease patients. Our platform technology also allows us to support home-based hemodialysis," said Mr Neo Kok Beng, president and CEO, Awak Technologies. 

"This is the third year running that we have organised the I&E Awards, together with NUSS. Previous I&E Awards winners have gone on to make further achievements of their own, including winning international awards, bringing their products into global markets and carrying on cutting-edge research. This has helped to inspire and motivate other young entrepreneurs and innovators within our NUS community, which is one of the key objectives of the I&E Award," said Professor Wong Poh Kam, director of the NUS Entrepreneurship Center, and co-chair of the I&E Awards organizing committee.