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 grounds. By the end of his corporate career, he was the youngest director at VISA as the Director of Consulting for Indochina and Philippines.

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 ineffable.

You know that feeling you get when you meet someone and you feel immediately in awe and impressed for some reason or another?

This is not in reference to overly coiffed individuals or the trappings of the rich. Sure, those people could have the spark too, but it’s not something that pertains only to the wealthy.

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 underarms, leading her to look closer at the ingredients in her new deodorant. To her shock, she found the product she willingly put on her body contained chemicals that posed a threat to both humans and the environment.  

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.

Similar yet so different in crucial ways to its Western counterparts, the Chinese tech ecosystem lives on the famed Chinese culture of efficiency.

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 students with all the skills necessary to future-proof their career, SMU IIE has partnered up with start-ups across the world to bring the world to their students.

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 to learn more about the startup culture and ecosystem in China? If these tick the boxes for you, then you should consider a programme which provides you with a fulfilling and immersive experience across two markets, Singapore and China, such as the SMU-PEELI Rural Entrepreneurship Programme run by IIE.

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 to advance their position in life.

It isn’t easy breaking this cycle involving multiple complicated and entrenched factors.

“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 Singapore

This quote seems almost tailor made to introduce Treedots, a tech start up from Singapore poised as Asia’s first wholesaler for “not fit for sale” food.