When More Research Does Not Mean More Startups: Four Perspectives on How Spinoffs Actually Get Built
For decades, governments and universities have operated on a straightforward assumption: more research leads to more innovation, and more innovation leads to more startups. But growing evidence suggests the relationship is far less direct.Research…
✨ Congratulations to USI Cohort 1 startup MacroCycle Technologies on its new partnership with Meta!
✨ MacroCycle has signed a multi-year agreement for Meta to purchase environmental attribute certificates linked to recycled PET and polyester produced at MacroCycle’s first commercial-scale plant in the US.The partnership marks an…
The fund will invest in startups in SMU’s flagship Urban SustaInnovator accelerator programme, which began incubating them from February 2026...
MANDO and QRE Awarded MDGF-POC Grants for Advanced Financial Technologies
This MDGF grant award is a significant achievement and aligns closely with SMU’s research translation and digital innovation thrusts. The MDGF programme is part of the National Research Foundation’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 (…
Tech Collider: The New Rules of Winning in Asia Tech
A conversation with Foo Jixun, Senior Managing Partner of Granite Asia, moderated by Prof Cindi Zhang Foo Jixun, Senior Managing Partner of Granite Asia and Prof Cindi Zhang SMU Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship hosted a Tech…
The Jay and Marilyn Ng Greenhouse: Hub for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
The Gift of Education - Sowing Seeds of Progress Officially opened on 2 August 2025, the Jay & Marilyn Ng Greenhouse is a dynamic hub designed for collaboration, networking, and continuous learning. It is a dedicated space where SMU…
Warm greetings from the Office of Partnerships and Engagement (OPE)! I am delighted to announce that Professor Gary Pan and his team have scored a significant milestone in commercialising the research they have done in enhancing the…
One of Asia’s most globally representative and exciting deep-tech start-up competitions, the 12th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC), has opened its call for applicationsSingapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A…
Andrew Lee: Young Investor’s Early Bet on Rising Mental Health Startup
Spotlight on Protege Ventures Alumni In a classic “by youths, for youths” success story, a shrewd student venture capitalist swiftly recognised the potential of an up-and-coming startup and its savvy founder, leading an investment into it and…
Discover the Startup Sectors to Watch, According to Student Entrepreneurs
A team from student venture capital fund Protégé Ventures (PV) examines the challenges and opportunities young entrepreneurs face today and the support they need to thrive in its Singapore Student Startup Ecosystem Report 2024. Download the…
* Southeast Asia’s burgeoning regional start-up economy and strong Internet penetration rate has made it crucial for universities to more effectively nurture digital-forward workforces. * The ASEAN University Network – University…
BIG Feature: Meet the 36 Startups of the BIG August 2024 Cohort!
Join us in welcoming our latest Augus 2024 cohort as they begin their 4-months’ journey with SMU Business Innovations Generator by IIE to grow and develop their startups! 🚀
BIG Exclusive! News on our Founders | Wubble.ai
Say Goodbye to Limited Commercial Music Access with Wubble.ai Today!Written by Xinhui Wong
As part of Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Global Innovation Immersion programme – which sends students overseas to some of the most exciting start-ups, accelerators and VC funds across the world – I spent three months in 2023 as…
BIG Exclusive! News on our Founders | Scholarly
Scholarly: A Self-Serve Tutor App by Sibling Founders Written by Xinhui Wong
BIG Exclusive! News on our Founders | AI Seer
AI Seer's Fact Checking Tool, Facticity.AI, Has Been Featured in TIME'S Top Inventions of 2024 We are thrilled to share that Dennis Ye, CEO of AI Seer and an alumnus of the BIG January 2020 cohort (mentored by SMU IIE Entrepreneur-in-…
IIE News | Nurturing Innovation: A Singapore-Philippines Partnership
Singapore Management University and the National Development Company – the Philippines’ state investment arm – forged a new partnership on 18 September 2024 to mutually boost their innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems. The MOU…
GII Feature: From Singapore to Silicon Valley: A Dream Internship That Led to a Full-Time Job
The Global Innovation Immersion (GII) Programme is now OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS for the 2025 Internships. APPLY HERE![As Featured on SMU Blog] Gregory Png’s internship at Workato through SMU’s Global Innovation Immersion (GII) programme in Silicon…
BIG Exclusive! News on our Founders | Fogo Fungi
Have You Ever Heard of Lion's Mane, Coloured Oyster or Pioppino Mushrooms?While these may be unfamiliar to most of us, but to SMU alumnus Ryan Ong (BBM 2019) and the founder of Fogo Fungi, they represent his newfound passion for mushroom…
Student venture capitalists from Protégé Ventures are redefining the future with their latest strategic investment in a space-tech start-up. This bold move attests to Singapore Management University’s commitment to nurturing next-generation…
Warm greetings from the Office of Partnerships and Engagement (OPE)!I am thrilled to share that Professor of Computer Science; Director, CARE.AI Lab; Coordinator, BSc (CS) Artificial Intelligence Track; Lee Kuan Yew Fellow …
ASEAN universities can look forward to more cross-border collaborations to foster a dynamic and international startup ecosystem in the region Bangkok, 17 July 2024 (Wednesday) – Singapore Management University (SMU) has launched a…
[As Seen on e27] From Classroom to Boardrooms: How we landed our first deal as student VCs
This article shares our journey as student investment analysts, leading to our first real investment decision. This article first appears on e27. Link to the original article here. Written by Protege Ventures analysts Arjun Kumar & Joanna…
KTC Feature: Revolutionise e-Commerce Shopping and Pricing Strategies with Machine Learning
Consumers, marketplace providers, business entities, pricing managers on eCommerce platforms all have a common nightmare! Are they getting or offering the most competitive price in the eCommerce marketplace? Where to find…
Meet Wei Jun - Student Community Manager at The Greenhouse
As a final year Business Management student majoring in Finance, Wei Jun is contributing back to SMU by serving as a Student Community Manager. Outside of school, Wei Jun invests his time in his interests across mahjong, table tennis and soccer.…
Meet Dexter - Student Community Manager at The Greenhouse
Impressed by the newly revamped website of The Greenhouse? Meet Dexter, our Student Community Manager. Dexter, a Year 2 Computer Science student specializing in IT Solution Development & Cybersecurity, played a crucial role in planning and…
KTC Feature: Unlocking Innovation - Why Businesses Thrive by Partnering with Universities
In today's fast-paced world, innovation is key to staying ahead. Research and development (R&D) investments are skyrocketing, reaching trillions of dollars. Half of this funding comes from governments and academic…
Meet Jermaine - Student Community Manager at The Greenhouse
As a Student Community Manager (SCM), Jermaine strategically juggles between her studies as a Year 2 Business student majoring in Communications Management & Marketing Analytics while devoting her time to build the success of The Greenhouse…
Meet Yuguang - Student Community Manager at The Greenhouse
If you've ever strolled past or joined in any of the innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) gatherings at The Greenhouse, chances are you've encountered YuGuang, a Year 2 Law student at SMU, who currently holds the role of Student…
Global investment in research and development is higher than ever, but global productivity is trending in the opposite direction. This signifies a need for new innovation strategies to find a balance between incremental…
BIG Feature: Decarbonization - The Revolution Reshaping Our World
The urgency of the climate crisis demands action, but it also drives a wave of groundbreaking innovation. Decarbonization isn't simply a reduction in emissions; it's a transformation encompassing every aspect of our economy and…
BIG Feature: Meet the 36 Startups of the BIG Jan 2024 Cohort!
Join us in welcoming our latest January 2024 cohort as they begin their 4-months’ journey with SMU Business Innovations Generator by IIE to grow and develop their startups! 🚀
SHERoes Unplugged: Q&A With Our Female Warriors!
As we commemorate International Women’s Day, we are thrilled to shine a spotlight on the remarkable women who are driving innovation and entrepreneurship forward. From startup founders to mentors, partners, and students, our female…
BIG Feature: Fogo Fungi - From Mushroom Enthusiasts to Sustainable Tech Innovators
An aspiring entrepreneur, a German globetrotter, and an SAF Air Warfare Officer. How did these diverse paths converge to form the foundation of Fogo Fungi? Read on to find out. How it started The company’s founder,…
GII Feature - Forge Your Own Path: Darryl Chan
Meet Darryl Chan, a third year SMU School of Social Sciences student, with primary major in Politics, Law and Economics, and second major in Sustainability Management. Darryl landed the internship of his choice through the GII Self-Sourcing…
GII Feature - Forge Your Own Path: Mia Sugianto
Forge Your Own Path - Featuring Mia Sugianto Meet Mia, a third-year business student with an insatiable drive for Marketing. In 2023, she navigated the internship landscape through the GII Self-sourcing route, landing her an opportunity…
As we bid farewell to an incredible year, let’s take a trip down memory lane and celebrate the top 3 outstanding achievements that defined 2023 for SMU IIE! The 11th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition: Our global impact soared as…
KTC Feature: Singapore SME uParcel Sharpens Competitive Edge Through SMU’s Innovative Research
The collaboration exemplifies how SMEs can harness the intellectual capital of universities to stay ahead in the thriving e-commerce sector Early results from uParcel’s implementation of CUDO indicated 20 percent improvement in efficiency and…
GII Feature: Pranav, Emily, Si Min & Nicole
Embark on a thrilling journey this year as we follow four passionate SMU students throughout their GII internships across Southeast Asia innovation hotspots. Meet Pranav in Ho Chi Minh City, Emily & Si Min in Jakarta and Nicole in…
MEET GoNSave BIG STARTUP: Leveraging the power of data to empower gig workers’ financial autonomy.
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. From socioeconomic concern to the development of a personal finance app. What keeps me up at night is…
Meet JoyfulPerson BIG startup: on a mission to make WhatsApp automation fast and easy for SMBs
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. How it all started… addressing the challenges for frontline training during the pandemic…
MEET THE MENTOR: DOUGLAS PERIS
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 Doug Peris, Partner, Founders Bridge. Tell…
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 Dan Gardner, CFO, DT One. Tell us about your…
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 Frank Lee, Managing Director, Jumpstart Disruptive…
The Greenhouse – A Nexus of Sustainable Innovation
Article by AY2022/23 Semester 2 Greenhouse Student Community Managers Cheryl Vanessa Devan (Year 3, School of Accountancy), Clement Wong Jing Liang (Year 2, School of Computing and Information Systems), Shanice Ellevina (Year 2, Lee Kong…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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: 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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.DescriptionPitchBabyBoxBabyBox is a convenience-focused subscription box that aims to help new parents have an easier transition into parenthood by providing the necessary information and…
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…
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-…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 --…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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) - 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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),…
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…
