30 startups selected into the BIG incubation programme 20 per cent of startups in this cohort focused on creating social/environmental impact January 2023 cohort will propel the total number of startups nurtured by BIG programme to over 420…
Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate love, and what better way to do so than to highlight some of the inspiring BIG startups founded by those who share a special bond? Whether it's siblings, couples, or friends, the dynamic duo behind these…
Press Release Kajima Asia Pacific Holdings Pte. Ltd. (a wholly-owned Singaporean regional subsidiary of Kajima Corporation, Japan’ leading construction and real estate firm) hereinafter referred to as “Kajima” will provide sponsorship of $300,000,…
Here's How I Am Revolutionising Fracture Care with 4D Printed Cast
Meeting The Right People at The Right Time to Start Castomize At the beginning of 2022, I had just graduated from Singapore Management University (SMU) with a business degree and I was developing a social venture which I co-founded while managing…
Have you ever wondered what it's like to travel the world as an international ambassador for The Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition? Hear from three special members of our pioneer Student Executive Committee who shared their stories…
Before we bid 👋🏻 Adios to 2022, we want to share how our #IIEnovative communities made a difference despite all the changes we've faced. For the last two years, events were held virtually or in a hybrid setting. This year, physical…
For Immediate Release Local Universities Collaborate with SMU Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Asia’s Premier University, Singapore Management University - to boost Indonesia’s startup economy Roadshows conducted across two…
Mentorship matters. Through our Meet the Mentor series, learn more about the mentors in our network and the role mentoring could play in your startup. In today’s feature, we will be spotlighting Lynette Lee, Venture Lead, Standard Chartered Ventures…
Mentorship matters. Learn more about the mentors in our network and the role mentoring could play in your startup through our Meet the Mentor series. In today’s feature, we will be spotlighting David Yin, President of Web 3 Gaming at iCandy and CEO…
This Startup Taps Robots to Revive the Lost Art of Handwritten Cards
Inspiration may strike us at any moment in life. But what sets entrepreneurs apart is the ability to execute an idea and make it happen. Hng Yi Lim was in his final year at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) when he had an…
For Immediate Release The 11th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition Seeks Student Innovators from Around the World to Reimagine a Deep-Tech Enabled Future One of the world’s largest global university start-up competitions, the Lee…
Embracing rejection and failing fearlessly
By Foo Yong Li, Year 2, School of Accountancy & Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Sales Development Analyst at Devoteam Cloud Services, GII Indonesia 2022 “Marking this as spam”, “I’m not interested, stop emailing me”, “Your message has…
A chance encounter, a dream pursued, and the internship of a lifetime
By Felix Li, Year 2, School of Computing and Information Systems, Software Engineering Intern at Workstream, GII USA 2022 Being part of the Global Innovation Immersion (GII) programme is the best decision I’ve made since joining SMU. Before…
The programme received more than 100 applications, of which 37 were accepted (Image: A Gathering of Business Innovations Generator (BIG) August 2022 Cohort at The Greenhouse located at the SMU Connexion) Singapore, 14 September 2022 -…
By Abdullah Khurshid, Year 3, School of Economics; UEH-UII Incubator Intern, Global Innovation Immersion (GII) Photo 1: Abdullah Khurshid (front row, 4th from left) at the International Innovators Award co-organised by UEH-UII Working in…
Introducing Global Innovation Immersion Overseas Work-Study Elective Come May 2023, undergraduates of Singapore Management University (SMU) will be able to enhance their education journey and increase future employability at the same time with a…
GII Feature: Jo Adam Saiful Mirza
THRIVING AS A GEN Z FOR MY REMOTE INTERNSHIP IN THE USA By Jo-Adam Saiful Mirza When my peers begin to unwind at 9.30pm, I begin my workday as a business intern at US-based Iterative Scopes, sieving through numerous documents that…
Mentorship matters. Through our Meet the Mentor series, learn more about the mentors in our network and the role mentoring could play in your startup. In today’s feature, we will be spotlighting Andrew Yin, the Head (Asia) of Digital Marketing,…
Mentorship matters. Through our Meet the Mentor series, learn more about the mentors in our network and the role mentoring could play in your startup. In today’s feature, we will be spotlighting Raen Lim, Splunk’s Group Vice President of Asia.…
Happy International Women’s Day: Celebrating BIG female founders!
Women are increasingly blazing the entrepreneurial trail and making significant strides in all walks of society. In this spirit and to honor International Women’s Day, we’ve rounded up five inspiring female founders who were incubated at Business…
SMU’s Business Innovations Generator welcomes its January 2022 cohort
28 start-ups across multiple industries have been accepted into BIG’s January 2022 cohort This cohort attracts serial entrepreneurs Singapore, 17 February 2022 - Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Institute of Innovation and…
Remote Internship in Jakarta, Indonesia: Hua Jie Min Over the summer of 2021, Hua Jie Min joined the SMU Global Innovation Immersion (GII) programme and had the opportunity to intern at Sociolla, the leading beauty-tech company in Indonesia. Read…
Two Student Clubs with an Eye on Sustainability Come Under the Wings of the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) With the conclusion of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), it is evident that youths are…
Home to many unicorn start-ups, China has become one of the leading innovation hubs in the world. Growing at an unprecedented speed and scale to cater to the demands of its hyper-adaptive consumers, read on to find out what it is like to work in…
Unplugged with: Prof. Hady Lauw
Unplugged with Associate Professor Hady Lauw Decoding What It Takes to Commercialise Your Research “Seeing our research efforts translate to useful things is a gratifying experience,” said Associate Professor Hady Lauw, Associate Professor…
Bryan Bramaskara was a Data Science and AI Intern at Unionbank in Philippines. Read on to find out about his GII experience! Hi everyone, I am Bryan. I am currently in my final year as a SCIS student majoring in Information Systems with a…
SMU’s Business Innovations Generator welcomes the largest cohort ever
43 innovative start-ups accepted in BIG’s August 2021 cohort, the largest in its history Notable mentors who are veterans in their own industries to help start-ups drive the next phase of growth Founders from the 43 start-ups in the August 2021…
Kwanpen Postgraduate Summer Venture Awardee: Vania Wijaya Gunawan
Name: Vania Wijaya Gunawan Major / Course of Study: Masters of Science in Innovation (MI) at SMU Tell us a little bit more about your startup & what you were working on this summer. KASEE is an activewear brand focusing on merging the…
Kwanpen Postgraduate Summer Venture Awardee: Adeline Chua
Name: Adeline Chua Major / Course of Study: Masters of Science in Innovation (MI) at SMU Tell us a little bit more about your startup & what you were working on this summer. "Imagine when you are in the middle of the night and suddenly…
Andy Chua And Family Undergraduate Summer Venture Awardee: Kee Cheng Heng
Name: Kee Cheng Heng Major / Course of Study: Digitalisation & Cloud Solutions(School of Computing and Information Systems) Tell us a little bit more about your startup & what you were working on this summer. HelloHolo is an Immersive…
Kwanpen Postgraduate Summer Venture Awardee: Wei Qiluo
Name: Wei Qiluo Major / Course of Study: Masters of Science in Innovation (MI) at SMU Tell us a little bit more about your startup & what you were working on this summer. My start-up Lokotopia is dedicated to help local brands get ready…
A (Potentially) Life-Changing Experience with Global Innovation Immersion
Hello everyone, my name is Lida but I’m usually known as Zach in school. I am currently a Year 2 student at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business. As someone that is currently in the process of building my own company, I am extremely grateful…
Unplugged with Donna Daritan The Realities of an Incubation Manager When Donna joined the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) at Singapore Management University in January 2020, she did not expect that as an Incubation…
Adam Afiq was a First Mile Associate at Ninja Van in Bangkok, Thailand in 2019. He is currently an Operations Analyst at Goldman Sachs. Read on to find out about his GII experience! Hey guys, I’m Adam and I'm extremely passionate about how…
Si Hui was a Marketplace Intern at Pomelo Fashion in Bangkok, Thailand in 2019. Read on to find out about her GII experience! What are some important skills/mindsets that are important for an overseas internship? Personally, I think it is…
Jamie Si Tho was a Operations & Strategy Analyst at Zinier in San Francisco in 2019. She is currently a Sales Operations Associate at Integral Ad Science. Read on to find out about her GII experience! Firstly, I think everyone should try to…
Terence Yeo was a Growth Marketing Intern at Ru9 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and a Programs Intern at HUBBA in Bangkok, Thailand - both in 2019. He is currently a Digital Marketing Associate at Cloudflare. Read on to find out about his GII…
Founder Feature: Nirali Zaveri, CEO and Co-Founder, Friz
Nirali Zaveri is the CEO and Co-Founder of Friz, a fintech start-up that aims to provide Southeast Asian freelancers with tailored financial services. Friz, previously known as Feige, was incubated at SMU IIE’s Business Innovations Generator in…
10 BIG questions with 3 Startups
A quick-fire interview with 3 of our incubated startups at BIG. Find out what keeps their entrepreneurial spirit alive! Featuring Startups: Christopher Ng, Founder of Tree of Prosperity Bryan Koh, Founder of Sekoni Original Adriel Ng, Co-…
Brand Hackathon Paves the Way for Co-creation between Startups and Designers
Attendees at Brand Hackathon. 2 panelists seated (from left): Jorg Dietzel, SMU Adjunct Faculty, and Sharon Koh, Director at Asia PR Werkz. Middle (standing in black): Christina Lim, Chief Marketing Officer in Residence at SMU IIE The Business…
In this article, BIG interviews a brother-sister duo, Maryann & Bryan Se To as they embark on their entrepreneurship journey. Together, they are working on Lexly, a pain relief solutions marketplace: http://www.lexly.tech/ Introducing the…
SMU sets the stage for the Grand Finals of the 10th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition Introduces the Venture Capital (VC) Office Hours – A platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to connect with senior VCs Attracts entries from over 850…
The Worthy Adventure of a Lifetime
In this article, Valerie Chua speaks about her entrepreneurship journey thus far by connecting the dots in her non-linear path. FTxBocconi Challenge 2021 Valerie's team comprising 6 other diverse talents from Greece, Italy, United Kingdom,…
Meet the 23 New Startups Accepted into SMU Business Innovations Generator's First Cohort of 2021 Technology enablers and marketplaces remain popular as business ideas for aspiring entrepreneurs SINGAPORE, 18 February 2021 - The Business…
To Succeed, Make Hard Choices
To Succeed, Make Hard Choices By Jeff Tung, Founder, Chairman and Executive Director at Sheng Ye Capital Limited, shares his entrepreneurship journey in the world of supply chain and financial services. What made you want to become an…
Educating the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Educating the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs By Huo Yasi COVID-19 has changed many things for the worse, but it’s provided us with an opportunity to educate future leaders in entrepreneurship, agility, and innovation. 2019 was a watershed…
Before we say goodbye to 2020, we wanted to share how our community made a difference despite the hard times we've all faced. 2020 will always be the year that changed us all, but it is also the year that made us stronger. Let's #throwback and…
Meet the 27 New Incubatees of Sep 2020 Cohort
Download the cohort info of the startups here. Description Pitch BabyBoxBabyBox is a convenience-focused subscription box that aims to help new parents have an easier transition into parenthood by providing the necessary…
Highest record of 27 New Startups Accepted into SMU Business Innovations Generator's Latest Cohort Technology enablers and smart city innovations remain popular as business ideas for aspiring entrepreneurs Shirley Wong, Entrepreneur-in-…
SMU IIE recently collaborated with True Digital Park to organize the Biz Wiz Challenge teams of SMU students had the chance to pitch their business proposals to 2 Thai startups based in TDPK. Girish Menon, a Year 2 Business student commented that…
Brandon Ong is a Year 4 Business Student. He joined Workstream in San Francisco, USA as an Data Analyst Intern through a self-sourced internship - a first in GII to go for a year-long, off-cycle. He had started his extended internship…
Zhao Yunyi is a Year 4 Business Student. She joined Kejora Ventures as an Investment Analyst Intern as part of GII Indonesia in 2019. In this interview, we ask her more on her experience at Kejora Ventures, an early-to-growth stage…
Steering Startups: From Adviser to Director [ By Paul Santos & Hau Koh Foo]
Startups are facing hard times and need all the help they can get. Directors with diverse skillsets, good networks, and a strong grounding in corporate governance can steer the company through turbulent times to emerge stronger on the other side of…
Vera Sun is a Year 4 School of Law student. She was part of GII China 2019 where she interned at neoBay, a start-up accelerator based in Shanghai, China. What was your motivation for a GII internship in summer? I have always wanted to pursue…
Eldon Tan is a Year 3 School of Accountancy student. He had a remote internship at Get All Myanmar Co in Myanmar in 2020. What was your motivation for a GII internship in summer? Overseas exposure coupled with the opportunity to work with…
Foo Yong Long joined Beijing Global View Technology Incubator (BJGVTI) as an Operations Intern as part of GII China in 2019. What was your motivation for a GII internship in summer? There were 3 driving forces behind my…
Jason Lin is a Year 4 Business Student. He joined People Squared as a Marketing Specialist Intern as part of GII China in 2019. He was motivated to join the GII internship programme because he wanted to explore working in another…
Razzaq Reyal is a Year 4 Economics Student. He joined Health at Home as a Business Analyst Intern as part of GII Thailand in 2019. Being interested in entrepreneurship, he aspires to work in the startup scene or have his own startup someday.…
I Quit My Day Job to Start a New Business Amidst COVID-19
J.R.R. Tolkien was right when he once said that “Courage is found in unlikely places”. For SMU Business alumna Crystal Cheng (BBM 2019), she finds that there is no room for courage in safe places, where the odds were not stacked against her. …
Inspiring Women, One Cup At A Time
Are you ready for a topic that will leave you feeling inspired? We had the pleasure to interview SMU alumna, Vanessa Paranjothy, Founder of Freedom Cups. We have to say, the topic of our interview opened our minds and left us feeling free. The topic…
Solving the Issue of Plastic Waste
Plastic waste is a growing problem and according to the Singapore NEA website, Singapore generated 949,300 tons of plastic in 2019 itself. With only a 4% rate of that being recycled, the remainder of that plastic is shipped out to be dumped, which…
Addressing the Digital Skills Gap with Marcoll
With its international reputation for economic growth and high salaries, it’s no surprise that Singapore is a top destination for young professionals entering the world of business. However, according to a 2018 survey by international firm,…
TurtleTree Labs: Milking the Environment for Good
Max Rye (left) and Lin Fengru (right) - Co-founders of TurtleTree Labs There is nothing bad about dairy. What is bad is the industry’s impact on the environment and the systemic cruelty to dairy cows. The perception how milk is integral to social…
Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) - Hear it from our Experts-In-Residence
(From left to Right), Ms Christina Lim, Ms Shirley Wong, Mr Wang Yao Ping TODAY WE HAVE WITH US OUR EXPERTS-IN-RESIDENCE OF OUR BIG PROGRAMME. IN THIS INTERVIEW, WE’LL BE PICKING THEIR BRAINS ON WHAT THEY LOOK OUT FOR IN ENTREPRENEURS -- BOTH THE…
Fluidlytix: Making Waves in Water and on Ground
Mr. Ang Wan Loong (left), Darren Cheng (centre) and Adriel Ng (right) - Co-founders of Fluidlytix Asia It all began with the respect for water. A decade of friendship rooted in water polo brought the trio of SMU student founders and members of SMU…
TranSwap: On track to thrive in midst of uncertainty
Mr. Benjamin Wong (centre, in white shirt) and his team at TranSwap While 2020 has been a difficult year for many companies and startups, it presented new opportunities for growth for TranSwap - a FinTech company that offers a suite of innovative…
Meet the 18 New BIG Incubatees of May 2020
Download the cohort info of the startups here. Description Pitch Atsell eCommerce Atsell is an e-Commerce enabler that helps merchants and brands supercharge their online sales with a team of 30 across 2 cities in…
Press Release:19 New Startups Accepted into SMU Incubator June 2020
Meet the 19 New Startups Accepted into SMU Business Innovations Generator’s Second Cohort of 2020 Equity-free incubator hits record high applications and welcomes its largest cohort SINGAPORE, 2 July 2020 - Business Innovations Generator (BIG),…
Being a part of Protege Ventures opens you to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities abroad where you will get unique international exposure. Find out what our students had to say about their experience at SLUSH, a leading startup and tech event held…
Mr Lee Kheng Nam (top left), Mr Paul Santos (top right), Dr Jeff Chi (bottom left), Dr Jeremy Loh (bottom right) TODAY WE HAVE THE RARE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH FOUR DISTINGUISHED VCS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. A GOOD DAY TO…
Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition Lite Edition
SMU launches the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition Lite Edition to Inspire Creative Solutions for New Normal The winning team who can demonstrate its innovative solutions relating to the COVID-19 situation can develop its ideas in the…
A day in the life of Dennis Ye at Reality Detector
I still look back with great fondness of time I spent doing my MBA summer internship at the Gates Foundation. Working at the Health, Innovation and Partnerships team, I was immersed in research and development and deep technology. Internships to…
Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) - Clewyn P
Clewyn is the Co-founder of UglyGood, a social enterprise that specialises in B2B organic waste recycling by transforming food waste into valuable resources and products such as animal feed, natural cleaners and essential oils. UglyGood was…
Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) - Yong Sheng Le
A former startup founder-turned-VC-turned government officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Sheng Le has unique insights and knowledge in the entrepreneur & innovation space. His wealth of experience and career progress serves as an…
A day in the life of Desirene Neo at Workstream
The decision that changed the course of my life I was a semester away from graduating and being thrown into the corporate world when I chanced upon the GII program. I jumped at the opportunity and landed myself in a marketing internship with a…
Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) - Leon Qiu
Leon Qiu is the founder of Daung Capital, a financial service provider empowering the working class of Myanmar. Daung Capital was one of SMU IIE's incubatees and was acquired by GET All Myanmar early this year and Leon currently acts as its CEO.…
Want a Resilient City? Start by Building a Resilient Business
"Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records" - William Arthur Ward. Human civilisation has gone through many disasters since the beginning of time - Black Death, Spanish Flu, Ebola and the list goes on. It is nature's way of…
The idea started in Cuba. As an avid traveler, Jun took a trip to Cayo Coco in search of an amazing native colony of pink flamingos. roaming next to pristine beaches and turquoise water. While perspiring in the heat, a rash appeared on her…
What could we learn from China’s National AI Team (国家队) Strategy
The notion of a national team is usually associated with sports teams representing the nation on the global stage for a shot at glory. These days, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments all the rage, nations are creating national teams for…
An Interview with Randy Tan (CEO & Founder, Red Dot Paymemt)
Randy Tan of Red Dot Payment is a self-made man. A graduate of Singapore Management University, he spent the majority of his corporate career in the financial sector, calling financial giants such as Citibank and Visa his previous learning…
Global Innovation Immersion (GII) - China
China. What comes to mind when one thinks of China are Great Walls, tradition, culture and history. While that is certainly in abundance in China, what many seem to not realise is the tech ecosystem in China is a thriving and booming economy.…
Global Innovation Immersion (GII) - USA
The Global Innovation Immersion (GII) programme was developed by Singapore Management University Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to give students at SMU a chance to have a different internship experience than the norm. Aiming to equip…
Global Innovation Immersion (GII) - Thailand
First things first, what is Global Innovation Immersion (GII)? The Global Innovation Immersion (GII) programme is a 3-month overseas internship programme developed by the Singapore Management University Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship…
SMU-PEELI Rural Entrepreneurship Programme 2019
China is thriving with a host of opportunities in a myriad of industries, and is now one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world. Keen to develop your entrepreneurial thinking and broaden your horizons? Looking for an opportunity…
A Solution to Food Waste - An Interview with Treedots
“By 2050, there will be over 10 billion people living on the planet. We will need to increase production capacity by around 60% to feed everyone on the globe, and we believe innovation is very much a solution,” - Mark Van Binsbergen, CEO, Rabobank…
Pushing the Boundaries - An interview with Vera Sun of KpopKart
Let’s start this off with some data. According to Techcrunch, only 17% of startups in 2017 have a female founder. Similarly, a study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group and MassChallenge showed that venture capital investment to startups with…
Breaking the cycle of poverty with Daung Capital
What is the cycle of poverty? It is defined as a cycle where families living in poverty remain impoverished for more than 3 generations. This cycle begins when a child is born into a poor family whose parents do not have the ability or resources…
Compare successful founders; what do they have in common? It might be wishful thinking, wanting the secret to success, but unfortunately, it is an instinct that can’t be trained. You either have it or you don’t, it’s the spark and this spark is…
Here are some of our entrepreneurs who've already set their gears in motion even before they're out of school! They have proven that they do not hesitate in the face of uncertainty even though entrepreneurship comes with many challenges. Find out…
Can Blockchain Impact the Environment? SMU Blockchain Club Sheds Some Light
Can blockchain technology truly impact climate action and socially responsible practices for the greater good, or is just marketing spiel by industry insiders hoping to put a positive spin on the tech? We speak to SMU Blockchain Club member and SMU…
Our startup, Cudy, raises seed round
Congratulations to our start-up, Cudy! They have recently announced an undisclosed “six-figure” seed funding round, and plans to use the new funding to launch new services, develop their back-end technology, and support go-to-market initiatives…
Lean LaunchPad Final Presentation Day
Held at SMU on 21 May, the Lean LaunchPad (LLP) Final Presentation Day was filled with new and innovative ideas aimed at solving real world challenges. 12 teams had presented their research on a wide range of technologies under the ICT and…
UEH launches Innovation Hub in partnership with SMU IIE
Ho Chi Minh City, 17 April 2019 (Wednesday) – To support entrepreneurial students and start-ups based in Singapore and Vietnam and connect them to new networks, partners, and overseas markets, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), in…
Our BIG Founders, an interview with Jeremy Low of OMNA
Entrepreneurs are a curious breed of people. Taking risks where others play it safe, seeing solutions to problems where others see the status quo. We sit down with Jeremy Low, the founder of OMNA, as he dissects the entrepreneurial spirit and what…
SMU to set up Global Centres in ASEAN cities, and expand Global Innovation Immersion Programme
Our flagship programme, Global Innovation Immersion, has been featured recently in Lian He Zao Bao. Since 2015, the Global Innovation Immersion programme has sent 136 students to 67 participating cities in 11 countries. Some of the cities which…
Nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit - a Straits Times interview with our Director, Mr Hau Koh Foo
We've been featured in the Straits Times recently on the article 'Nurturing the entrepeneurial spirit'. Here're the key takeaways from our director, Mr Hau Koh Foo, on the factors driving would-be young entrepreneurs: 1. The wealth of…
Inaugural Case Competition hones the skills of budding Venture Capitalists
Southeast Asia’s first case competition focused on venture capital held its final at SMU Campus on 22 December 2018. Organised by the Asia Private Equity Club @ SMU (APECS), an interest club for students to learn about the private equity and…
Conversations with Lim Siong Guan
Co-organised with Harvard University Association of Alumni in Singapore (HUAAS) on 19 November 2018, SMU had the opportunity to host Mr Lim Siong Guan to speak and share about his latest book.
Entrepreneurship Lessons from James McBride
Notes from Find out how to take a hotel nobody ever heard of, in a place nobody ever heard of, and turn it into the #1 Hotel in The World Recognised in 2017 as “One to Watch” by Bloomberg Businessweek’s Bloomberg 50 and awarded Independent…
MOU with Singapore-Sichuan Hi-Tech Innovation Park (SSCIP)
IIE signed an MOU with the Singapore-Sichuan Hi-Tech Innovation Park (SSCIP) at the 19th Singapore-Sichuan Trade and Investment Committee (SSTIC) meeting in Chengdu on 14 Sep 2018. SSCIP and IIE intend to work together to…
IIE-QBO Signs Partnership at SWITCH 2018
Singapore Management University, through its Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE), and QBO, an innovation hub dedicated to developing a globally competitive startup ecosystem in the Philippines, have today signed a Memorandum…
Global Innovation Immersion: My experience in the Philippines
This article is contributed by Lee Kong Chian School of Business student Alicia Teo. As part of SMU’s Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IIE)'s Global Innovation Immersion (GII) programme - I was able to spend…
Founders Sharing by Red Dot Payment
Mr. Randy Tan, Founder of Red Dot Payment recently visited SMU in September to share about his startup journey, particularly the fundraising aspects with IIE's BIG founders. Randy created Red Dot Payment and is one of IIE's incubated…
Startup Global Programme - Calls For Applications!
Garage+, Asia’s largest zero-equity incubator supported by the key players in the global supply chain, just kicked off the 7th batch of Startup Global Program (SGP). Application is open for growth-stage startups in AI & Big Data, IoT…
SMU Blockchain Club Event Launch #GenesisNight
Founded by a group of students in SMU, SMU Blockchain Club (SMUB) is the latest addition to the student clubs that Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IIE) manages
RISE Conference 2018 through the Eyes of 6 SMU Students
This article is contributed by SMU students - Ron Mak, Timothy Lim, Yong Zhu Cheng, Han Yuding, Alicia Teo, Marcus Seah, who attended RISE Conference in Hong Kong. While Hong Kong is widely-known for its unique cuisine and towering…
Carblicity puts a spin on transit advertising
While running his previous start-up, Endru looked into advertising on taxis—a sight often seen in Singapore. To his surprise, taxi firms were charging unaffordable amounts that he could not afford. While he was not able to advertise his services,…
On 22 June 2018, SMU Eagles Inc organized the 3rd PAK Challenge 2018 that serves to help aspiring entrepreneurs make their start-up dreams a reality. The event was successfully concluded with 5 teams walking away with a total of $50,000 to further…
Reflections on Innovation Ecosystems: My Journey from Theory Research to USD26 Billion
Join us for a talk by Professor Alberto Sangiovanni Vincentelli from the University of California, Berkeley.
SMU LKCSB, the only business univiersity in singapore to be ranked top 48 in the FT Global MBA Rankings 2018.
Recruitment for the Young Creative Academy is now open!
Students selected to attend the Academy will receive a 3-day pass (worth SGD$305) to Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity in Singapore with flight and accommodation fully paid-for.
Moovaz Raises US$1 Million Seed Round
The logistics industry is shaping up to be a key driver in the fourth industrial revolution with the industry reaching a cumulative value of US $14.4 billion. Even with the rise of logistics startups, the co-founder and CEO, Lee Junxian started…
EdTech startup Cudy takes a new spin on tuition classes
Cudy aims to provide a platform that not only provides quality educational content online, but also connecting passionate tutors to students from around the world, regardless of physical boundaries. By leveraging technology and the internet, they…
Treedots - The Fight for Less Wastage - From Waste to Treasure
Treedot's mission is to minimise the amount of food waste starting with Singapore, and eventually the World through a self-sustaining ecosystem via their aggregation of F&B businesses on different points of the value chain within TreeDots to…
blu: Here to Revolutionise Retail Logistics
blu is one of Singapore’s largest networks of automated parcel terminals. It is currently the second largest automated self-collection network in Singapore. Combining technology and automation, it is the saving grace for retailers—providing an…
Flying Chalks, the Startup that will change the experience of studying abroad
Image credits: Flying Chalks team in SMU Business Innovations Generator (BIG) With a mission to enhance the study abroad experience of international students worldwide, Flying Chalks was conceived by Melvin, who had difficulties with his…
Hayden Leow, an SMU alumni of 2015, is a familiar face in the entrepreneurial community. After dabbling in various startups, he co-founded DingGo, a mobile application to notify users of nearby deals on food, beverage, and entertainment. Today…
Today, Schaffen Watches is a successful start-up which sells customised watches; have sold over 300 uniquely customised watches all over the world. To better understand his success, we interviewed Nicholas about the gripes and difficulties he faced…
Journey of Two SMU Student Entrepreneurs
In a recent interview with MoneyFM 89.3, SMU student entrepreneurs who are incubated by Business Innovations Generator (BIG) - Nicholas Han, Co-Founder of Schaffen Watches and Kevin Toh, Co-Founder and CEO of Hatchme shared their experience of how…
From Investor to Entrepreneur: Aaron Tan Shares His Six Tips for Success
On 23rd Jan 2018, IIE welcomed Aaron Tan, CEO of Carro for a fireside chat as part of our first summer programmes info session for the year.
Channel NewsAsia interview featuring our incubatee, UglyGood!
Here's an interview featuring our incubatee, UglyGood. UglyGood is a startup that recycles and upcycles organic waste into quality products, with the goal of building a more sustainable economy.
Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Competition 2017 - Fireside Chat and Grand Finals
Let's look back on Fireside Chat with David Su and Michael Seibel, as well as all the 6 finalists teams who presented their great business ideas to our grand finals judges!
SMU-INTELLLEX Legal Tech Workshop 2017
INTELLLEX will also be conducting a briefing titled “Exploring Tech and Internships with Legal Tech Startups” for those who are interested to join them as an intern in December 2017.
The 9th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition, organised by Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE), drew to a close today with an Awards Presentation Ceremony held at the Fairmont Hotel.…
Schaffen Watches - 联合早报 Zaobao's interview with Nicholas Han & Jonathan Han!
联合早报 Zaobao's interview of brothers, Nicholas and Jonathan Han who run an online retail startup that customises timepieces has been published on 21 June 2017
Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition Student Venture Capital Associate Programm
After running this 3-month programme which started in late February, we have finally chosen the winners after the programme ended yesterday, Monday, 12th June. 33- students from SMU, NTU, NUS and SUTD, 9 teams were competing…
Singapore, 1 April 2017 (Saturday) – The fifth edition of the Youth Innovation Challenge, organised by the Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at SMU (IIE), came to a successful conclusion today with Outram Secondary School and ITE…
The Second Beijing and Taiwan Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition
The Second Beijing and Taiwan Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition 2017 BTSC Second Beijing-Taiwan Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition - Strong Concentration of Projects We must discover young entrepreneurs who are…
Homage raises US$1.2M to provide on-demand caregiving to the elderly in Singapore.
Homage raises US$1.2M to provide on-demand caregiving to the elderly in Singapore. Homage, an online platform that provides on-demand caregiving solutions to the elderly in Singapore, has secured US$1.2 million in seed funding from US-…
Fireside Chat with Jason Portnoy: Adding by Subtracting
Let's look back on Fireside Chat with Jason Portnoy, currently managing partner of Oakhouse Partners and ex-VP of Finance at PayPal!
Singapore Airlines AppChallenge 2018
Join Singapore Airlines on this journey to change the way we travel. You may be an early-stage startup founder or a developer rockstar, the AppChallenge is the right platform for you to showcase your most innovative solution to our…
Stint at marine firm charts his course in life
Stint at marine firm charts his course in life Mr Chean, an accountancy student and also a incubated startup with Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IIE) at Singapore Management University (SMU) shares his personal experience and…
Online sales during the Ramadan period was very rewarding for e-commerce business in the Southeast Asia Region. Singapore start-ups Akandatang.sg and Halal Dining Club benefited from this online demand during the Hari Raya festive season. …
Pop-up retail and shared office space in Singapore
With the rise of e-commerce, pop-up stores is becoming a popular option for blog shops, entrepreneurs & retailers to test their product by creating a new shopping experience for their customers.
Young Entrepreneur Empowers Children Regionally with Tech Literacy
SMU SIS undergraduate Jackson Kwa's start-up, TechSociety, is empowering children with critical tech survival skills.
SMU School of Accountancy graduate Siddiq Poh’s start-up “Heartland Chefs” was featured in Channel 8 news. “Heartland Chefs” is a social enterprise platform for people to buy and sell home cooked food.
Entrepreneurship Immersion Programme at iMinds, Belgium
A group of 14 SMU students went to Belgium and completed a one-week entrepreneurial bootcamp course at iMinds. The students also went on a one-day tour of Ghent upon arrival.
Proposal for online platform that assigns caretakers to the elderly bags $50,000 prize
Current IIE startup, Mr Tong Nhat Duong from Team Homage won $50,000 in a recent research innovation, "Create4Good Challenge" comprising of four SMU students from Singapore University of Technology and Design…
Business Study Mission - Silicon Valley
Led by Singapore Management University’s entrepreneur in-residence – Professor Virginia Cha, MGMT 321 – Business Study Mission: Silicon Valley brought students and uprising start-ups from different industries in Silicon Valley together.
Singapore apartment rental platform MetroResidences raises S$1 million seed funding
Another milestone for Lester Kang of MetroResidences, an online platform which lets individuals rent their apartments to corporate travellers has raised S$1 million in seed funding.
Get your artisanal caffeine fix home delivered
Hook Coffee, an online coffee startup had recently secured a $50,000 ACE Startups Grant from Spring Singapore. SMU Alumni co-founders Mr Ernest Ting and Ms Faye Sit was recently interviewed by the Sunday Times on their…
Business Study Mission - Atlanta
Led by SMU’s Entrepreneur-in Residence Dr. Virginia Cha, BSM Atlanta brought SMU students and Atlanta’s hottest startups together.
A star was born - Couper sets to make a mark on the world stage
Couper a platform that helps mobile games monetize non-paying users with in-app marketplace purchases and mini reward games. A current SMU Business Innovations Generator (BIG) incubating startup, co-founded by Jimmy Lui & Narmeet Singh.…
Unis to offer more stints with start-ups overseas
Two local universities - Singapore Management University (SMU) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) - have introduced programmes over the past year to allow students to intern at start-ups overseas while taking classes at partner educational…
Exploring Potential Collaboration, Gengdan Institute of Beijing University of Technology & IIE
Among present were Dean Gan (President Professor of Economics), Wenwei Lu (Dean, Department of Language/ Director, International Office/ Associate Professor, PhD, University of Oxford), Xiaoliang Ding (Professor, Dean Department of Thought and…
Visit by Norwegian Delegation to SMU
“ A Norwegian delegation headed up by Norway’s State Secretary for Trade, Industry and Fisheries Ms Dilek Ayhan visited the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to understand its innovation and entrepreneurship eco system and to explore…
Brewing change in tea business
Teabox aims to be a changemaker in both its supply chain and the way it engages customers. BY PRISCA ANG
IIE Startup, Drivearn gets Grant from ACE Grant Scheme
One of SMU Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship start-up, Drivearn has been successfull in their application of the ACE grant.
Delegation Visit from Herzen University
Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IIE) recently hosted a delegation from Herzen University represented by Vice-Rector, Professor Vladimir Laptev held at Singapore Management University on Thursday, 30 October 2014.
Congratulations to co-founders of LoveByte, Steve Sng and Amelia Chen as they make headway in the mobile app scene for couples.
Go!Places, Wins Best Startup Silver Award at SiTF Awards 2014
Go!Places an IIE incubate, recently won the Silver Award for Best Startup in the prestigious SiTF Awards 2014. This recognition was awarded for their travel app Wotabout, funded by iJam grant hosted by MDA.
SMU - St. Gallen Partnership Reaches New Milestone
A delegation visited SMU from St. Gallen. IIE made a presentation to the delegation on Innovation & Entrepreneurship activities at SMU.
Brave, Bootstrapped and Bold - The Singapore Entrepreneur
Calixto Tay Wei Kiat, our alumni entrepreneur has created a new startup Originally.US, after graduating from SMU IIE.
PandaBed incubated at SMU IIE had recently been featured in the Malaysian news, The Star online
Hosted stays and couch-surfing have changed the travel game, with an Asian start-up redefining the boundaries.
We were tired of working for others," said Mr Joe Wee, 30. So he quit his job in New Zealand two years ago to help his fraternal twin brother, Marcus, with Aftershock PC, a Singapore start-up selling customised gaming laptops.
Rick Tan and Jonathan Lim, who founded Innova Technology, met and became friends while studying at SMU.
Professor Michael Cardew-Hall from Australian National University Visited IIE
A professor from Austalian National University (ANU), Professor Michael Cardew-Hall visited Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship to better understand about IIE.
Creating a nation of innovators
A VETERAN innovator with more than 40 years of experience eteating and launching cutting-edge technologies, Professor Arcot Desai Narasimhalu teaches his students at Singapore Management University (SMU) innovation and …
IDA Labs Officially Open in Celebration with the Industry
IDA Labs, located at IDA's headquarters at Mapletree Business City and the National Design Centre (NDC) were officially opened today.
SMU IIE Startup, DoeMyanmar received funding from son of minister of Telco
SMU Institute of Innovation & entrepreneurship start-up, DoeMyanmar received funding US$100,000 from the son of Myanmar minister of Telco.
Startups and big firms lift innovation tie-ups
SMU Professor of Information Systems (Practice) and Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Director Desai Arcot Narasimhalu said that the government “should reach out to the community at large to assure them there is value in entrepreneurial…
SMU IIE Startup, Bandwagon wins Shell LiveWIRE Singapore's Top Award
Music enthusiast Clarence Chen (27) has landed the coveted top award in the Shell LiveWIRE Singapore Awards 2013 with his live music gig finder, Bandwagon Pte Ltd.
SMU Russian Immersion Programme
A 24 member delegation comprising Venture Capitalists, University Presidents and Directors from Russia visited SMU and IIE on Nov 11th and 12th 2013.
Smiles Betray Young Entrepreneurs' trials and tears
They had an idea, got funding from government...but then there were other obstacles. They want to do something on their own but at the time have this sense of duty to their parents.
SMU IIE StartUps, Go!Places won the Gold award for Interactive Ideas at the 2013 SiTF awards
Congratulations to Go!Places, for winning Gold Award for Interactive Ideas at the 2013 SiTF awards.
Learn how this 19-year-old entrepreneur went straight from JC to selling 1,000 bags in a month!
Today, BOW is a successful online store which sells travel bags and accessories; with their recent $60 thousand dollar Kickstarter success on their flagship product “Quiver”. To better understand her success, we interviewed Mandy about the gripes…
GameMaki powers the fun for ACE Entrepreneurship Week, in collaboration with MoneyTree and Centsless
Gametize Pte Ltd has teamed up with MoneyTree Singapore and Centsless to launch a white label game app powered by GameMakiʼs gamification platform.
iPad 'tour guides' for visitors to S'pore
Tablet-rental company helps tourists make the most of their holidays here,
TickTok: Save time, queue smart
Imagine making a special trip all the way down to your favourite restaurant only to find yourself stuck in a horrendously long queue – or, even worse, to see a ‘closed’ sign.
In 2008, while still a second-year student of Business and Information Technology at SMU, Elvin Ong started The Dott Solutions.
Taking the innovation route to becoming an MNC
SMU Professor of Information Systems Desai Arcot Narasimhalu discussed the key reasons why some SMEs may find it challenging to grow and provided some insights on how SMEs can grow to become regional and global multinationals.
There's more than one layer to this cake venture
It is not uncommon for naysayers to be critical of best friends starting a business together.
Volunteering: It starts here and now
The founders of tech-social enterprise Start Now Volunteerism Advocacy, Ivan Chang and Keith Tan, built an integrated Internet portal that would enable non-profits to use technology to manage and communicate easily with volunteers through a…
Hello stranger, want to have a crazy picture taken?
SMU undergraduate Gay Zheng Cai is a co-owner of the photo booth service company Hello Stranger.
Online platform to reach out to customers
Gspot, an online marketing platform which allows companies to propagate branding through the viral effect of social networks, is the brainchild of Team Galaktikos.
"Ambushing" commuters for a smile
Project Hello Stranger volunteers try to bring back the kampung spirit. Motorists and train commuters have recently been 'ambushed' by volunteers in a bid to make Singapore a friendlier and happier place.