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Porsche is supporting this ambitious project as part of its new ‘Start-up Your Dream’ initiative, which supports fledgling companies worldwide with outstanding innovations specifically intended to improve living and working conditions in the Global South. ‘Start-up Your Dream’ is also aimed at founders who create opportunities for others through innovations relating to climate change, integration and education.

Atera Water is the first company supported by Porsche as part of its initiative. The start-up was founded in 2021 with technology co-development with Nanyang Technological University (NTU). The founders Tai Kee and Dr Adrian Yeo aim to transform access to clean water through the development of advanced water treatment technologies that are both sustainable and economically viable. Their filtration system will be used in areas where water is scarce or where drinking water is exposed to severe environmental pollution. The first step is to deploy the technology in South East Asia, where water scarcity and pollution demand sustainable solutions.

“For more than seven decades, Porsche has been fulfilling the dreams of its customers with its sports cars worldwide. We have always taken care to be a responsible partner to society – this includes helping people make their dreams become reality in various ways,” says Dr Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board at Porsche AG. “With ‘Start-up Your Dream’, we are aiming to increase the market opportunities of newer companies who want to use their innovations to improve people’s lives. We want to strengthen their pioneering spirit and connect them with experts who will support them in building their company in this particularly challenging phase.”

To kick off the ‘Start-up Your Dream’ programme, Atera Water founders Tai Kee and Dr Adrian Yeo visited Porsche’s headquarters in Zuffenhausen. Their schedule included an opportunity to present their business model to members of the Executive Board. The sports car manufacturer’s Sustainability Council also had an in-depth discussion with the founders. Further talks with experts and guided tours of the Porsche production site and the Porsche Museum provided comprehensive insights into the company and its corporate culture.

In the course of the programme, Tai Kee and Dr Adrian Yeo participate in a wide range of training modules to further strengthen their company’s development. Among other things, they benefit from mentoring and targeted relationship-building within relevant networks. In addition, the founders participate in a training programme for entrepreneurs at the University of Cambridge and an intensive training week in Singapore. Financial support will also be provided at the end of the training, based on the results of the programme.

With Plug and Play, the initiative has gained an experienced and internationally operating partner. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, with an office in Stuttgart, the company is one of the biggest venture capital fund and accelerators in the world. Plug and Play is specialized in providing tailored support to young and innovative companies in the tech sector, connecting them and providing new opportunities with its own network.

About Atera Water

Atera Water is developing water filtration technology designed to make clean drinking water available even in regions where water is scarce or polluted – with minimal use of chemicals. The start-up combines scientific excellence with practical use and sees itself as a partner to help solve global water problems. Atera Water combines innovation from membrane research with applied engineering to bring a cost effective and energy efficient filtration system to market maturity. Initial pilot deployments have shown promising results.

Porsche: ‘Start-up Your Dream’

With ‘Start-up Your Dream”, Porsche is implementing a flagship project to provide support for start-ups. The initiative aims to reach as many people as possible in important social areas. The funding is based on the four pillars of education, networking, mentoring and financing and is individually tailored to the needs of the courageous and creative founders.

Porsche: Partner to Society

‘Partner to Society’ is a strategy field in sustainability at Porsche. With various initiatives, donations and CSR activities, the sports car manufacturer aims to assist regions around the world in preserving the environment, guaranteeing good working and living conditions and strengthening social cohesion. Under the motto ‘Creating Chances’, Porsche is particularly committed to self-help projects designed to empower people in their living and working environment – and to help make their very personal dreams come true.

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, they’re in 60+ locations across five continents. They offer corporate innovation programs and help their corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. They also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house venture capital fund to drive innovation across multiple industries where they have invested in hundreds of successful companies, including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi.