Start-up and Entrepreneurship

Education and Career Guidance (ECG)

Singapore’s Start-up and Entrepreneurial Landscape

Young Singaporeans More Open to Entrepreneurship ~ StraitsTimes.com (14 Jun, 2016)

Singapore’s Start-up Ecosystem: Have We Arrived?~ Channel NewsAsia.com (6 May, 2016)

Singapore Needs More Entrepreneurs to Stay Competitive in Next 50 years~ The Business Times (22 Jan, 2016)

CFE Report: Nurture Entrepreneurial Spirit and Can-Do Attitude in Young People~ StraitsTimes.com (10 Feb, 2017)

Managing 21st-Century Careers: The Need to Get ‘Entrepreneurial’~ TODAY Online (1 Jul, 2016)

Singapore’s Start-up and Entrepreneurial Landscape

Singapore's Environment Favours Entrepreneurship Start-ups: Venture Capitalist ~ Channel NewsAsia.com (21 Apr, 2015)

Singapore Tops Global Ranking for Start-up Talent, Overtaking Silicon Valley: Survey~ Channel NewsAsia.com (21 Mar, 2017)Singapore jumped from 20th position in 2015’s findings to first on 2017’s talent index, largely due to good access to experienced software engineers and growth emloyees, as well as lower cost of hires.

(Video) Why Singapore is Hot for Start-ups ~ Rakuten.Today (5 Jun, 2016)

SingTel's Challenge to Start-ups: Solve our Problems~ StraitsTimes.com (14 Jan, 2016)

A Supportive Ecosystem to Drive Entrepreneurship and Innovation

$20m to Be Set Aside for First-time Entrepreneurs ~ Channel NewsAsia.com (22 Mar, 2017)

Under the Startup Founder scheme, first-time entreprenuers can tap on a start-up capital grant and mentorship support.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong opens JTC LaunchPad @ One-North –The Heart of Singapore Entrepreneurship Action~SPRING Singapore (23 Jan, 2015) BASH is launched: Biggest facility yet to

help grow start-ups in Singapore ~ StraitsTimes.com (11 Feb, 2015)

StartupWeekend Singapore ~ StartupWeekend Singapore

(Video) Startup Weekend Singapore Jan 2017(Video) Startup Weekend Singapore July 2016

Singapore startups win big at Global FinTech Hackcelerator ~ TODAY Online (16 Nov, 2016)

YES! Schools~ SPRING Singapore

For Aspiring Student Entrepreneurs Who Are Interested to Explore Further

Entrepreneurship in Polytechnics: Encouraging Students to Start Own Business~ StraitsTimes.com (4 Apr, 2016)

Encouraging Entrepreneurship~ IE Singapore

Early-stage Start-up Programs • Clinic@BASH - http://www.bashsg.com/clinic-at-bash.html• Ef. Singapore - http://www.entrepreneurfirst.sg/• NUS Overseas Colleges -

http://enterprise.nus.edu.sg/educate/nus-overseas-colleges• Airmaker X - http://plus.airmaker.sg/

“Makerspaces” Allow Students to Get Messy and Creative ~ TODAY Online (25 Apr, 2016)

~ www.ace.org.sg

List of Successful Entrepreneurs in Singapore

We have selected the experiences of some who have turned great ideas into business, took the risks to carry out their vision and went on to make a mark in their chosen industry. We hope you will find something in their entrepreneurship journey that will either inspire or help you in your own entrepreneurial adventure.

– Quek Siu Rui, Lucas Hgoo and Marcus Tan (Carousell)

– Charles Wong (Charles & Keith)

– Tan Tong Hong (Big Box International Pte Ltd)

– Dr. Robert Yap (YCH Group)

– Douglas Foo (Sakae Sushi)

– Lyn Lee (Awfully Chocolate)

– Joey Chang (AXS)

– Adrin Loi (Ya Kun)

– Richard Eu (Eu Yan Sang)

– Olivia Lum (Hyflux)

– Han Keen Juan (Old Chang Kee)

– Anatasia Lew (Bengawan Solo)

– Sabrina Tan (Skin Inc)

… and many more…

Carousell,a mobile

marketplace app• Founded in 2012 by co-founders Quek Siu Rui, Lucas

Hgoo and Marcus Tan• The three NUS students who were on a one-year

immersion trip to Silicon Valley stumbled upon a personal problem of having so many gadgets lying around their room from buying things from Amazon while they were in the US

• They thought that buying and selling could be much simpler with a mobile platform, thus coming up with the idea for Carousell

Teamwork is essential to success

The Journey of Co-founders of Carousell

• Each one of them has their own specialization and interest that they make use of to contribute to the team

• The team was rejected by a professor for a $10,000 NUS Grant to kick-start their product development

• However, they showed the professor how much they believed in their own idea and eventually managed to get a $7,000 grant

• Siu Rui stated: “Keep learning, you don’t know what you don’t know”

• "Pitching is one important skill-set to succeed as an entrepreneur"

More Information on Carousell

Singapore-based app Carousell Raises $35 Million in Series B Funding~ CNBC (Aug 2016)

'Advantageous Being a Millenial': Young entrepreneurs on Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list~ Channel NewsAsia (Nov 2016)

(Video) MAKING THE CUT: Interview with Co-Founder of Carousell, Quek Siu Rui~TECH360.TV Youtube Channel

Charles & Keith

• Founded in 1996 by brothers Mr Charles Wong and Mr Keith Wong, Charles & Keith was initially envisioned to specialise in ladies’ footwear.

• Having started from a simple shoe store at Amara Hotel in Singapore, the company has now expanded overseas and has over 400 stores worldwide, such as in the Middle East and Japan.

• Mr Charles Wong, one of the founders of Charles & Keith established his company at the age of 22.

• Having assisted his mother at their small shoe shop in the heartlands of Ang Mo Kio since young, Mr Wong has been greatly exposed to the shoe industry. This experience then motivated him in that direction and inspired him to create his own brand of footwear.

• Under his leadership, the Charles & Keith brand has won numerous accolades to date, including the Excellent Service Award in 2002 and The Enterprise Award at the Singapore Business Awards 2008.

Important to take risks to succeed

The Journey of Charles Wong

• Learnt from past business mistakes

• Important to take risks to succeed

• Sought the advice of others and remembered vividly that his uncle encouraged him to take the leap of faith

• Highlighted the importance of working both hard and smart

• Tried to learn from the experience of others to leverage on their technical expertise

More Information about Charles & Keith

DBS Dialogues with Charles Wong and George Quek on starting up~ DBS Dialogues Youtube Channel

The Story of Charles Wong~nie.edu.sg

Sakae Holdings

• Sakae Holdings Ltd. has come a long way since the opening of its flagship Sakae Sushi outlet in 1997.

• Today, the Group has more than 100 Sakae Sushi outlets in Singapore, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, the U.S. and Japan.

• Boasts an outstanding portfolio of brands – Sakae Teppanyaki, Sakae Delivery, Sakae Junior Club, Hei Sushi, Hei Delivery, Senjyu, Crepes & Cream, Sakae Express, Sachi and Nouvelle Events.

• Growing up with a strict father who did not give him excess pocket money, Mr Foo learnt the value of thrift early in his life and this has helped him save money to fund his many businesses.

The Journey of Douglas Foo

• Wants the young people to think about the role they want to play on the world stage

• Entrepreneurship should not be seen as a way to simply earn profits

• Grateful for his exposure to positive values from a young age. Not one to forget his roots, he still holds the values from the mottos of his alma maters (Respect, Magnanimity, Trustworthiness and Alertness)

• Recognizes that our time on earth is finite and we should all make the best of the time we have.

More Information about Douglas Foo

The Story of Douglas Foo~ nie.edu.sg

(Video) Success in Sushi with Sakae Holdings' Douglas Foo -Part 1 ¬Canon Thinkbig Youtube Channel

(Video) Success in Sushi with Sakae Holdings' Douglas Foo -Part 2¬Canon ThinkbigYoutube Channel

Awfully Chocolate Against all odds

• The founder Ms Lyn Lee left her career as a lawyer to enter the food & beverage industry, with little experience in the field.

• It was her love for chocolate that sparked off the idea to create the perfect chocolate cake.

• Started Awfully Chocolate in 1998 with just one outlet selling one type of chocolate cake.

• The business idea was unconventional. Many people do not believe she will make it.

• Today, Awfully Chocolate has taken over the hearts of many chocolate lovers in Singapore, Jakarta and other Asian cities.

The Journey of Lyn Lee

• Her passion for the craft and their unconventional ideas, with honesty and authenticity at its core, their business grew.

• Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to simply go for it and not to overthink it. Expecting immediate answers blinds one to the possibilities and opportunities which, according to her, are the most important things about entrepreneurship.

More Information about Lyn Lee

Lyn Lee~ nie.edu.sg

(Video) Sweet success with Awfully Chocolates' Lyn Lee - Part 1~ The Star Online Youtube Channel

(Video) Sweet success with Awfully Chocolates' Lyn Lee - Part 2~ The Star Online Youtube Channel

Ya Kun Kaya Toast "You can be nurtured to aspire to be what you are; what you

want to be."• Mr Loi worked as an assistant at a coffee shop for several years before partnering two fellow Chinese immigrants to open a coffee shop at the Telok Ayer Basin in 1944.

• Mr Loi continued the business and even slept on the countertop at his stall in order to wake up on time to serve his first customers at 5 a.m.

• With determination and conviction, Ya Kun embarked on several phases of expansion, in Singapore and regionally. From a single coffee shop in 1998, Ya Kun now has close to 50 outlets in Singapore and more than 60 outlets in countries such as China, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand and The Philippines.

The Journey of Adrin Loi• Advice for budding entrepreneurs is to have passion in what

you do, ensure that you have a good team of people to work with, as well as to set a good example for the rest to follow.

• He believes that one can be nurtured to aspire to be what you want and what you want to be.

• Personal indicator of success is job satisfaction and he derives this from continuing his father’s legacy.

More information about Adrin Loi

Adrin Loi~ nie.edu.sg

(Video) Challenges of Ya Kun~ SPH Razor Youtube Channel

(Video) Secrets to Ya Kun’s Success~ SPH Razor YouTube Channel

“Stay curious. No matter what level you are at, which stage of life you are at, what age you are at, just stay curious. If you can keep that kind of

mindset, I think you will go a long way.”

• When Mr Richard Eu took the helm as Group CEO in 1996, the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) company had only one outlet in Singapore, five outlets in Malaysia and 2 outlets in Hong Kong.

• Mr Richard Eu’s entrepreneurial mindset eventually transform the traditional business by expanding its retail operations, bringing Eu Yan Sang nearer to the people.

• Richard finds it most fulfilling when he sees how his business has helped people in improving their health and wellness.

• Eu Yan Sang is a leading integrative health and wellness company with a distribution network of 256 company-operated Eu Yan Sang and Healthy Life retail outlets in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia, as well as 31 franchise outlets under the Healthy Life brand in Australia

Eu Yan Sang

The Journey of Richard Eu• Believes that having the passion in what you do and being able to

persevere through obstacles are two important traits of a successful entrepreneur

• Being curious, willing to learn and having an open mind are essential traits in both business and life.

• Good understanding of money management: He shared that his parents were fairly strict with him and he was given just enough pocket money for living expenses.

• He is always keen to learn and often gained inspiration and insights from other successful entrepreneurs.

More Information about Richard Eu

Richard Eu~ nie.edu.sg

(Video) Driving Growth in a family business: Lessons from Eu Yan Sang (Part 1)~ NUS Business School Youtube Channel

(Video) Driving Growth in a Family Business: Lessons from Eu Yan Sang (Part 2)~ NUS Business School Youtube Channel

• We may not want to be businessmen or businesswomen, but there are some lessons we can learn from these entrepreneurs

• Entrepreneurship can also be displayed in our daily lives and it can shape our thoughts, attitude, relationships and our approach to working and living

“… ‘Entrepreneurial Dare’ is an attitude; a mindset of pushing boundaries, of wanting to

innovate, and finding a breakthrough…”

Mr Ng Chee Meng, Minister for Education (Schools), at MOE Committee of Supply (COS) Debate 2017

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

Are Entrepreneurs Born Or Made? | Perspectives | Channel NewsAsia~ CNA Insider (18 Sep, 2015)

Desirable Qualities of Entrepreneurs:

✓ Self-DisciplineThey stay focused on what they want to achieve and do not get distracted. They follow through their plans consistently to reach their goals.

✓ An Open MindThey are flexible and able to accept differences. They see everything as an opportunity and work towards change and thus make improvements.

✓ A Spirit of EnterpriseThey are able to quickly analyse complex issues, identify problems/gaps, develop new ideas, seize opportunities and take actions.

✓ AdaptabilityThey are able to quickly innovate, seize opportunities and respond to challenges

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

✓ PassionateThey genuinely love what they do and are willing to go the extra mile. They enjoy their work and stay committed to their cause.

✓ CreativeThey come up with new ideas all the time and are unafraid to think of the unconventional.

✓ Forward-lookingThey look to the future and always think ahead, and are constantly moving towards their goals.

✓ ResilienceThey have the confidence to bounce back from failure.

Top ingredient for entrepreneurship? Be willing to be called crazy, say experts (Channel NewsAsia.com (17 Sep 2015)

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

To Find Out More• Login to MySkillsFuture Students Portal to find out more about many other occupations.• https://www.myskillsfuture.sg/content/student/en/secondary/world-of-work/industry-landscape.html

Acknowledgements• Royalty free Images are from: www.freedigitalphotos.net, www.pixabay.com• Other images and resources are obtained from :

- Channel NewsAsia YouTube Channel- NUS Business School YouTube Channel- www.channelnewsasia.com- The Star Online YouTube Channel- Canon Thinkbig YouTube Channel- SPH Razor YouTube Channel- www.techinasia.com- www.tnp.sg- www.cnbc.com- www.iesingapore.gov.sg- www.thebusinesstimes.com.sg- www.spring.gov.sg- www.finlit.nie.edu.sg- www.straitstimes.com- www.todayonline.com- TECH360.TV YouTube Channel- www.ace.org.sg - www.jtc.gov.sg- www.Launchpad.sg

The information contained herein are for non-profit educational uses only

Visit Teck Whye Secondary School website to find out more

about your future pathways and other useful links:

http://teckwhyesec.moe.edu.sg/students/education-and-

career-guidance/