The newly launched Makers & Shapers Awards, founded by Singapore-based business leaders Rebecca Downie and Megha Singh, seek to shift the focus of entrepreneurship from exposure to impact. Entries are now open, with Beyond the Boardroom’s Rahat Kapur among a cross-industry judging panel assessing founders shaping Singapore’s evolving business and culture landscape.
A new awards platform aimed at reframing how entrepreneurial leadership is recognised has launched in Singapore, positioning purpose, integrity and community impact at the centre of its judging criteria. The Makers & Shapers Awards, founded by Rebecca Downie and Megha Singh officially opened entries on 23 February 2026, inviting female founders to be recognised for the influence and values shaping their businesses.
The initiative builds on the work of two founders closely connected to Singapore’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Downie, a personal brand photographer and visibility strategist, works with founders on storytelling and professional presence, and leads The Athena Network Singapore, a community focused on collaboration and peer support among solo female entrepreneurs. Singh brings nearly two decades of experience across startups, SMEs and multinational organisations including Shell, Sephora, Meta and Publicis Groupe. Through Megha Singh Consultancy and Launchpad, a membership-based community supporting early-stage entrepreneurs across Southeast Asia, she has focused on coaching, community-building and founder education, with Launchpad expanding regionally into markets such as Kuala Lumpur and Manila.
Positioned as a merit-led programme, Makers & Shapers aims to move away from recognition models built around popularity voting or paid exposure. Instead, organisers say the judging process centres on leadership, creativity and impact, with categories designed to reflect a wide spectrum of contributions rather than direct competition within the same field. The inaugural edition is supported by venue partner The Nanson, with Portfolio as official media partner, while Beyond the Boardroom joins the initiative as a content partner.
Honours span across the following categories:
- Innovation
- Artificial Intelligence
- Creative Use of Social Media
- Community & Collaboration
- Voice of Influence
- Impact
- Customer Excellence
- Podcast for Impact
- Overcoming Adversity
Alongside these, two broader distinctions—Maker of the Year and Shaper of the Year—recognise product-based founders and service-led change-makers respectively.
The inaugural judging panel brings together leaders across business, technology and creative industries, including Beyond the Boardroom Editorial Director for APAC & Middle East, Rahat Kapur, alongside Vicky Wang (CEO, Chyau Fwu Wine & Spirits, Atlas Bar), Elaine Kim (CEO & co-founder, Trehaus), Ee Ling Lim (CEO and co-founder, Wavesparks), Guan Hin Tay (APAC regional director, One Club), Pratima Amonkar (APAC leader, Cloud and AI Business Strategy, Microsoft), Emily Yang (Head of Human-Centered AI at Standard Chartered), Kaajal Shivdasani (CEO, The Nanson), Amy Bell (Founder, The Meat Club; co-founder, Yo-Chi Singapore) and Nim Sivakumaran (Head of Strategic Partnerships, Arcc Spaces).
Applications are open to female founders, including individuals identifying as female, whose businesses are registered in Singapore and have been operating for at least one year. The timeline for the inaugural programme is as follows:
- Applications open: 23 February 2026
- Applications close: 20 March 2026
- Evaluation period: 20 March – 20 April 2026
- Live judging and final interviews: 21 and 23 April 2026
- Awards gala night: 14 May 2026
Together, Downie and Singh position Makers & Shapers as more than a traditional awards programme, framing it instead as a platform intended to amplify founders whose leadership reflects the evolving intersection of business, culture and community in Singapore’s entrepreneurial landscape. Founders can submit their applications here, where the full awards criteria and downloadable entry kit outline the categories, judging process and submission requirements ahead of the 20 March 2026 deadline.