Inaugural competition organised by Enterprise Singapore and CapitaLand Investment drew interest from over 200 retailers from diverse industries
February 3, 2026 -- Maison Q and Mighty Jaxx have emerged as winners of the inaugural Retail Maverick Challenge organised by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and CapitaLand Investment (CLI). Launched in June 2025, the open competition sought to identify local retail brands with innovative store concepts.
The competition saw strong industry engagement within its 9-week application period, drawing interest from over 200 Singapore retailers across diverse industries, including food and beverage, fashion, and health. The two brands stood out for their differentiated store concepts that reimagine the in-store experience through immersive design, customer co-creation, and innovative use of digital technology.
Maison Q, founded in Singapore by former magazine editor Suhana Ab in 2015, is known for its signature reversible children’s apparel and thoughtfully crafted original prints featuring whimsical designs. Together with her husband, Fadhil Abdat, who is also her business partner, the couple will introduce an immersive, sensory and design-led concept in its first permanent store – inviting families to co-create custom designs for their clothing and redefining the kidswear retail experience.
Mighty Jaxx, founded in 2012 by Singaporean entrepreneur Jackson Aw, is known globally for its pop culture collectibles. The homegrown brand will debut its first phygital store with innovative experiential features including AI-enabled self-service payment systems and immersive large format displays that provide personalised, interactive content, creating a unique visual experience that transforms customer discovery and engagement.
The winners will receive a one-year rental waiver from CLI for retail spaces in Raffles City Singapore and Bugis Junction respectively, allowing them to pilot and showcase their innovative concepts. In addition, EnterpriseSG will provide pilot implementation support for up to 50% of the supportable costs1, capped at S$300,000.
In brief
Enterprise Singapore and CapitaLand Investment named Maison Q and Mighty Jaxx winners of the inaugural Retail Maverick Challenge, which sought innovative store concepts from Singapore retailers. The organizers said the competition attracted interest from over 200 retailers across sectors including food and beverage, fashion and health. Maison Q plans a permanent store where families can help create custom clothing designs. Mighty Jaxx will launch a phygital store featuring AI-enabled self-service payments and interactive digital displays. CapitaLand Investment will provide each winner with a one-year rental waiver for retail space at Raffles City Singapore and Bugis Junction, respectively. Enterprise Singapore will offer implementation support for up to 50% of supportable costs, capped at S$300,000, subject to further assessment. The organizations also said they would continue engaging other participating brands on capability development.
Key takeaways
- Maison Q and Mighty Jaxx won the first Retail Maverick Challenge for their proposed store concepts.
- Maison Q plans a permanent store focused on immersive design and customer co-creation.
- Mighty Jaxx’s planned phygital store will include AI-enabled self-service payment and interactive displays.
- Winners will receive a one-year rental waiver and may qualify for implementation support capped at S$300,000.
Beyond the winning concepts, the Retail Maverick Challenge also surfaced a range of compelling experiential concepts from various sectors that enhance consumer engagement and optimise operational efficiency. EnterpriseSG will continue engaging these brands to provide ongoing support for their capability development in these areas.
Ms Jeannie Lim, Assistant Managing Director, Services & Growth Enterprises, EnterpriseSG, said, “Through the Retail Maverick Challenge, we aimed to encourage retailers to create more meaningful shopping experiences and engagement in-store with customers; and enhance retail vibrancy. The positive response from over 200 retailers reflects the industry's drive to elevate the retail landscape in Singapore. We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts with industry partners and brands to sustain this momentum and drive further innovation in our retail landscape.”
Ms Tan Mui Neo, Managing Director, Retail Management, Commercial Management (Singapore), CLI said, “The Retail Maverick Challenge is a unique initiative that champions local initiative and promotes innovation across the retail sector. Throughout the judging process, we encountered many bold and inventive concepts that reimagine the retail experience, and we are keen to explore how we can work with these brands to help bring their ideas to fruition. We also look forward to collaborating closely with the winners to turn their visions into vibrant retail experiences that excite our shoppers and inject fresh energy into Singapore’s shopping and dining scene.”
EnterpriseSG’s collaboration with corporates like CLI are part of ongoing efforts to embed innovation within industry ecosystems. These partnerships provide enterprises with opportunities to test, refine and deploy solutions in real-world settings, supporting capability-building, market innovation and longer-term commercial outcomes. EnterpriseSG will continue to advance more of such collaborations with key ecosystem stakeholders to support innovative retail concepts in Singapore.
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Notes:
[1] The support is subject to further assessment based on the proposed proof-of-concept and key performance indicators. The grant can be used for various cost categories, including but not limited to hardware, software and integration costs for innovative technologies; innovation/experiential-focused store fit-out elements and manpower; and PR marketing costs.
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Questions around this news
Who won the Retail Maverick Challenge 2025, and what store concepts will they introduce?
Maison Q and Mighty Jaxx were named winners. Maison Q plans a permanent, design-led store where families can co-create custom clothing designs. Mighty Jaxx plans its first phygital store, featuring AI-enabled self-service payments and large-format displays with personalised, interactive content.
What support will the Retail Maverick Challenge winners receive?
The winners will each receive a one-year rental waiver from CapitaLand Investment for retail space: Maison Q at Raffles City Singapore and Mighty Jaxx at Bugis Junction. Enterprise Singapore will also provide pilot implementation support for up to 50% of supportable costs, capped at S$300,000, subject to further assessment of the proposed proof of concept and key performance indicators.
What does “phygital” mean in a retail store?
Phygital describes an experience that combines physical retail with digital features. In a store, this might include interactive screens, digital content or connected payment tools alongside in-person shopping. The aim is to link online-style convenience or personalisation with the sensory and social aspects of visiting a physical location.
What is a proof of concept in a retail innovation project?
A proof of concept is a limited test used to check whether an idea or technology can work in practice. In retail, a pilot might trial a new store layout, service or digital tool with real users. The findings can help a business assess feasibility and refine the idea before deciding whether to expand it.
