Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship

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Innovation Academy
Our Innovation Academy offers the SMU Entrepreneur Experience (SEE). We develop the next generation of entrepreneurs through immersive educational programmes, mentorship, and incubation.

Incubator
IIE's Incubator, the Business Innovations Generator (BIG) was established in 2009 to support big ideas. It aims to guide aspiring entrepreneurs in their startup journey by helping them to navigate the process of taking their idea to market.

The 11th Lee Kuan Yew Business Plan Competition
Step into the future at the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition where the young and daring from all over the world gather to demonstrate technologies for a better world. Finals Week happening on 11-14 September 2023!

454 STARTUPS INCUBATED

S$498M

FUNDING RAISED

We encourage our community to Explore, Experiment & Enrich themselves and the world at large.

Hear from the IIE Community

Personal feedback straight from the Community

"The GII experience instilled in me the importance of cultural agility, adaptability, and a global mindset. Interacting with diverse individuals, navigating cultural nuances, and working in a dynamic startup environment equipped me with the skills to thrive in any global setting. Moreover, the exposure to different business practices and methodologies broadened my perspective, making me more receptive to new ideas and approaches."

Woon Rae, SOSS - Year 2,
Marketing Intern, Draper Startup House
GII Manila (SEA) 2023
"Interning in China has opened my eyes to the wealth of opportunities available to me, especially in my unique position as a Singaporean. My GII experience has solidified my desire to pursue a global career, and equipped me with the tools and knowledge to bring me one step closer to realising this goal.

I learned that connections are just as important as one’s ability to get you where you want to be. GII students are all linked up with mentors familiar with the specific region, and my mentor made sure that we made use of our summer in China to network with working professionals in the region. Furthermore, not only can knowing the right people open doors to new opportunities, I believe that being exposed to as many perspectives as possible has shaped my thinking into becoming more nuanced and mature"

Rae-Anne Ho, LKCSB - Year 2,
Social Media Intern, Orbit Startups
GII Shanghai (CHINA) 2023
"On a personal level, GII has developed my self-learning initiatives. On a professional level, I have developed the acumen to critically discuss new material and information that could be implemented in my work. I have become more adaptable and flexible with integrating new elements in my work and personal life that prepares me more an increasingly globalized and interconnected world."

Soh Zi Hao, SOE - Year 2,
Crypto Analysis Tech Research, Bitkub Capital
GII Bangkok (SEA) 2023
"I signed up for GII with the objective to nurture my independence and live in a new and unfamiliar environment. I readied myself for the good and the bad. Being overseas and thrusted out of my comfort zone fostered my personal growth in so many unexpected ways, and I was rewarded beyond my expectations. However, my most invaluable takeaway has been the relationships I forged with colleagues and friends in Seoul I interacted with daily. Despite palpable language and cultural barriers, I formed significant relationships that I truly cherish."

Mabel Chen Yiting, LKCSB Year 4,
Product Manager Intern, Tictag
GII Seoul (ROW) 2023
"What an amazing summer! When I signed up for GII, I underestimated how much I would learn and have fun in Thailand. Throughout my internship, I felt very involved in the workplace and rarely had any downtime at work. Beyond the great support networks from GII and gaining professional connections, I have also made lifelong friends. I have loved every moment of this experience and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I would recommend GII to anyone who wants to gain internship experience while discovering a new city!"

Kathy Tay Hui Yin, SOE Year 2
Digital Marketing Intern, Orange Cap Innovative Company Limited
GII Thailand 2022
"Throughout the summer of 2022, I had the opportunity to take the role of a Product Management Intern at Pomelo Fashion in Bangkok City, Thailand. Interning overseas at a fast-moving fashion-tech company was a new and daunting experience at first. Nevertheless, I found myself coming back to Singapore with abundant learning experiences, amazing mentors, and wonderful friends all around."

James Tee, SCIS Year 3
Product Management Intern, Pomelo Fashion
GII Thailand 2022
"Joining GII was undoubtedly one of the best decisions I've made at SMU, and I am still grateful for the opportunity that GII has provided me. I've had the opportunity to work with a diversity of talented engineers during my time at Workstream. At the same time, I was able to immerse myself in the day-to-day operations of an international start-up (wild yet fulfilling)."

Felix Li, SCIS Year 2,
Software Engineering Intern, Workstream
GII USA 2022
"Working in an overseas startup was truly a treasure trove of learning opportunities and experiences. I have been exposed to different working cultures worked with colleagues from diverse industry backgrounds, and came in contact with high-level executives. GII was truly enjoyable, and has provided me with new perspectives and possibilites for my future career."

Darren Chan Jun Kit, LKCSB Year 1,
Business Operations Intern, FreeD Group
GII China 2022
"I have benefited tremendously because of the excellent infrastructure, excellent location and good working space. We are able to soak in the atmosphere of many aspiring start-up entrepreneurs. Plus, there are many SMU seminars by local and foreign Professors for us to attend. The incubation is well-structured and we are assigned to a mentor who is expert in the particular areas/stages. A great platform to reach out to industry leaders and investors too!"

Benjamin

Transwap
"The IIE Incubation program has provided a great environment and support for the herbidex team. The condusive workspace and various support in the administrative and business setup allows new entrepreneurs like us to focus on our innovation process."

Hayden

Herbidex