FedEx Celebrates Innovative Asia Pacific Startups, Empowering Businesses to Scale through its Small Business Grant Contest

L-R - Su Yang, Cofounder, Linkerbot; Conor Madigan, Cofounder and CEO, Aether Fuels; Salil Chari, President, Asia Pacific, FedEx; Heidi Wyle, Founder and CEO, Venti Technologies and Andrew Minett, Cofounder and CTO, Sicona Battery Technologies and Salil Chari, President, Asia Pacific, FedEx with Heidi Wyle, Founder and CEO, Venti Technologies, the winner of 2026 FedEx Small Business Grant Contest

SINGAPORE, April 9, 2026 -Federal Express Corporation, one of the world's largest express transportation companies, today announced the Winner of the 2026 FedEx Small Business Grant Contest (SBGC) in Asia Pacific.

The Winner, Venti Technologies (Singapore), and three special mention recipients, Aether Fuels (Singapore), Linkerbot (China), and Sicona Battery Technologies (Australia), will share a combined prize pool of US$69,000. Each company receiving funding to support the next phase of growth across the region and beyond.

Now in its fifth year in Asia Pacific, the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest, in collaboration with Forbes Asia, spotlights emerging companies from the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list. A panel of judges from FedEx and Forbes Asia selected this year's finalists from a diverse field of startups and small businesses, recognizing ventures with scalable business models, strong innovation, and the potential to compete globally.

The Winner received a grand prize worth US$30,000:

• Venti Technologies (Singapore) - Founded in 2018, Venti Technologies develops Physical AI-powered autonomous vehicle solutions for moving goods in enclosed heavy logistics yards such as ports, airports, factories, warehouses, and railyards.

The following three small businesses were accorded Special Mentions and awarded a cash prize of US$13,000 each:

• Aether Fuels (Singapore) - Founded in 2022, Aether Fuels is a sustainable fuels technology company that converts waste carbon feedstock into sustainable aviation and marine fuels.
• Linkerbot (China) - Founded in 2023, Linkerbot makes dexterous robot hands emulating the movement and function of human hands, that can be fitted on humanoid robots or industrial robotic arms to perform complex tasks or reproduce human skills.
• Sicona Battery Technologies (Australia) - Founded in 2019, Sicona Battery Technologies is a next-generation battery materials company commercialising silicon carbon anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

"The entrepreneurs recognized this year reflect the extraordinary pace of innovation across Asia Pacific," said Salil Chari, president of Asia Pacific, FedEx. "From clean energy, robotics, to autonomous mobility, these companies are solving real-world challenges with scalable, technology-driven solutions. At FedEx, we support businesses not only through funding, but by enabling smarter, data-enabled supply chains and reliable cross-border logistics that help them reach new markets with confidence. This contest reflects our commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders as they grow beyond local borders and compete on the global stage."

Launched in the U.S. in 2012, the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest now spans 31 international markets across Asia Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. For more information about the contest, please visit.