After receiving applications from more than 200 entrepreneurs, 70 up-and-coming innovators from 45 countries have joined the inaugural 2025 Exponeur Academy fellowship.
Exponeur Academy is a global entrepreneurship training program empowering the next generation of young innovators. It is led by Exponeur, the Global Entrepreneurship Network and SBI Holdings, and is supported by the Saudi Ministry of Investment and Vision Leadership Association.
Participants are young entrepreneurs who are building solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Three top-scoring applicants will pitch to investors and potential partners at Expo 2025 Osaka.
Exponeur Academy leverages the international stage of World Expos—from Expo 2025 Osaka to Expo 2030 Riyadh—to connect high-potential entrepreneurs with world-class mentorship, strategic networks, and a chance to showcase their ventures on a global stage.
Meet the Three Entrepreneurs Pitching in Osaka, Japan
Willie Ng (Malaysia) is the founder of Global Cerah, a climate tech startup that integrates organic waste management and production of alternative protein supported by IoT. This allows the company to convert the waste from treatment into fertilizers and feed meals to lower farmers' production costs, improve animal nutrition, and promote environmental sustainability.
Carmen Paredes (Paraguay) is the founder of Ruruka, a startup promoting the circular economy in industry. The company recycles industrial sludge into sustainable building materials such as ceramic bricks. The company is also developing a technology platform that allows industries to measure the environmental impact of their waste management with real-time data.
Ludvig Klasman (Sweden) is the co-founder of Net Zero Build, a B2B SaaS prop-tech startup developing an AI-powered platform to streamline and automate green building compliance. The company’s AI-powered solution simplifies the certification process, enabling real estate companies to implement sustainable practices more easily.