Alvin Tam
Assistant Director
Alvin is the driving force behind SMU’s flagship Business Innovations Generator (BIG), an award-winning incubation programme dedicated to accelerating the growth of high-potential, early-stage startups across diverse sectors.
Alvin leverages over a decade of deep entrepreneurial experience, having successfully co-founded two companies as both a founder and operator within the B2C, retail, and impact-driven sectors. This proven, practitioner-led insight informs his strategic approach to venture building, founder development, and robust ecosystem collaboration.
His unique leadership is shaped by a powerful duality: years of real-world entrepreneurial success fused with seven years in the civil service, where he specialized in strategy and policy formulation. This rare blend of institutional discipline and grounded business acumen allows him to innovate effectively at the nexus of academia and industry.
Alvin also plays a critical role in positioning SMU on the global stage, spearheading engagement with international platforms such as the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC). He is passionately committed to creating inclusive, high-impact opportunities that empower the next generation of founders.
