Most entrepreneurs agree that the best part about starting their own business is being able to contribute to something bigger than themselves. Anthony Chow, CEO and co-founder of igloocompany, reflects on his journey scaling igloocompany to over 100 countries and shares his advice for other tech startups who aspire to expand beyond Singapore’s borders.
Category: Business
The man behind the woman – Meet the Israeli co-founder and co-designer of Singapore fashion brand GINLEE Studio
In more ways than one, Tamir Niv is a life partner to his wife of eight years, Gin Lee. With their days intertwined, Tamir and Gin juggle family and business, raising two young children while melding their cultures and expertise to build one of the most innovative fashion labels in Singapore.
Say No to Greenwashing: LUXE Botanics Is a Singapore-based Sustainable Beauty Brand Led by Science
Co-owners Jené Roestorf and Rachel Chan say that LUXE Botanics, a business that has expanded into 12 markets internationally, stands for both the power of nature and the truth of science, and is “not like every other green brand out there”.
Inside the Fast-Moving, High-Pressure Life at UK’s Biggest Fintech
From the cryptocurrency boom to the rise of buy-now-pay-later, the fintech industry is showing no signs of slowing down. Eric Chin, 28, shares about the rapid rise of his career at Revolut, a startup whose value has grown to a whopping US$33 billion.
From Army Captain to Recruitment MD: Andrew McNeilis Shares Expert Job Search Tips
Why do some candidates get selected over others? Andrew McNeilis, MD of Phaidon International APAC, pulls back the curtain and sheds light on what companies are looking out for, talent trends in Southeast Asia, and how you can gain an edge over the competition.
Going Green from the Red Dot: How Vikas Garg is Empowering Sustainable Consumption with abillion
Singapore is a gastronomical city-state where enjoying good food is a shared culture but vegans may find it a challenge to find options that work for their lifestyle. Vikas Garg, founder of smartphone app, abillionveg that boasts a global community of vegans, shares his plans to change that and rally for more to adopt a sustainable lifestyle.
Meet Daniel Riegler, the Karana Co-founder Creating Asia’s First Plant-based Meat Alternative Using Jackfruit
American Daniel Riegler, co-founder of Singapore-based Karana, tells us how they differentiate themselves by producing plant-based “pork” made of sustainably sourced jackfruit, why he chose to set up shop in Singapore, and how plant-based alternative meat stands to revolutionise the way we eat.
Cultivating Meats with Science: How Shiok Meats’ Founder Ka Yi Ling Grows Sustainable Seafood with Cell Technology
When we think of seafood, we think of shrimps, crabs, and lobsters freshly caught from the ocean. At Shiok Meats, chief technical officer and co-founder Ka Yi Ling leads a team of scientists to grow sustainable and environmentally-friendly crustacean meats by cultivating stem cells in a lab tucked away in Singapore.
Banking on Accessible Art: How Aleksandar Abu Samra Co-Founded the World’s Largest Network of Everyday Art Galleries
Making art accessible in urban cities like Singapore is all about maximising accessibility to art, ArtWallStreet is a newly founded start-up that works with real estate partners to connect art creators and collectors. Co-founder Aleksandar Abu Samra is the urban technologist who runs the start-up with his partner from the real estate industry.
Sailor, Architect, 7-time Serial Entrepreneur: Meet Co-Founder and CEO of German Entrepreneurship Asia Claus J. Karthe
What does it take to propel your start-up from a local operation to a global one? Meet Co-founder and CEO of German Entrepreneurship Asia, Claus J. Karthe who accelerates cross-border start-ups between Germany and Asia. Claus shares his take on the unique characteristics of Southeast Asia’s start-up scene, the sectors and markets to watch, and how his unabashed passion for sailing has taken him around the world.
ZumVet Founders Athena and Grace: Why Telemedicine May Be the Answer to Your Pet Care Woes
Video consultations for your pets? Athena Lee and Dr Grace Su, founders of Singaporean start-up ZumVet, shares their motivations for starting veterinary telemedicine solution and ZumVet’s mission to provide affordable and accessible veterinary care for all pet owners in Asia.
Tech Entrepreneur Angela Conroy: on Mid-Career switches and Empowering Minorities
The desire to improve traditional and cumbersome processes inspired Angela Conroy, Co-founder and CEO at Notarum, an API led enterprise SaaS solution, to create a business tool that automates due diligence workflow and make a breakthrough as a woman leader in the tech sector. In this edition of Women in Tech series, we chat with Angela on her mid-career switch in becoming a tech entrepreneur and her unyielding commitment to pay it forward by championing others.
How HUONE Founder Evon Blomstedt Defied Gender Stereotypes to Build Her Empire
After surviving a tough childhood, Evon Blomstedt left her home country of Malaysia at the young age of 19 for Europe. Over the course of the next decade, Evon became a woman entrepreneur and battle-hardened business owner of HUONE, a creative business meeting and event venues operating across Finland, Singapore and Denmark.
Indonesia’s Version of PayNow: Unleashing The Next Wave of Fintech Opportunities
Eugene Liang, Director of Digital Mobile Banking at Standard Chartered Bank, shares insights into how Indonesia's introduction of QRIS - thereby standardising QR codes for payments - is a game changer.
The Crisis of our Generation: Opportunities in the New Economy
SGN's Finance Venture Series is a virtual dialogue, which aims to give a distinctive outlook on the finance landscape in Singapore and the region, through the perspectives of industry experts and thought leaders.
Stripe APAC Business Lead Noah Pepper Shares Why Singapore is a Magnet for Tech Talent
Noah Pepper, APAC Business Lead of Stripe, tells SGN his reasons for relocating to Singapore during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and reveals his plans on navigating this new chapter for himself, his family, and the business.
Coming Full Circle to Build a Regional Tech Hub in Singapore
Craig Gravina recognised Singapore’s potential as a health innovation centre during the swine flu and now again with the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned to a place that captured his imagination more than a decade ago, and this time he is recruiting talented professionals to build a health tech hub in Singapore.
How Did AI Singapore Build a “200” Strong All-Singaporean AI Engineering Team With the Blue Ocean Strategy?
Laurence Liew, Director for AI Industry Innovation and AI Makerspace in AI Singapore, shares how he has managed to build a 200 strong all-Singaporean AI Engineering Team with the Blue Ocean Strategy.
AMA with Easy Arisarwindha, CFO of e-commerce marketplace Sociolla and Yi Jun Kwek, Co-Founder of organic baby food brand Little Blossom
You asked, they answered. Our March speakers for Coffee Connections, Easy and Yi Jun, address the questions attendants posed in the last SEA virtual networking session centered on Female Entrepreneurship and Leadership.
Next Gen Food Tech Co-Founder Andre Menezes Shares His Personal Start-up Journey in Singapore
Recognising the untapped potential of the regional plant-based food tech industry, Brazilian-Italian Andre Menezes co-founded plant-based meat company Next Gen together with Timo Recker, founder and former CEO of LikeMeat. We speak to Andre to learn more about his personal entrepreneurship journey, how he met Timo and his views on the growth potential of the regional food tech industry.
Why I built Asia’s first gender lens VC fund
Virginia Tan champions gender lens investing for emerging Asia as she believes empowering women economically is both an untapped commercial opportunity and a driver for positive social change. This #IWD, the founding partner of Teja Ventures, the first gender lens VC fund in emerging Asia and founder of Lean In China, one of China’s leading non-profit platforms for women, shares why the She Economy is the next big thing you should look out for.
The Medical Concierge Group CEO and Founder Daniel Choo shares his Start-up Journey and the Secrets to Succeeding in Indonesia
Recognising a gap in the private healthcare market in Singapore and Indonesia when it came to providing a one-stop reliable, ethical and high-quality medical concierge service, Daniel Choo established The Medical Concierge Group (TMCG) in 2013. Daniel candidly shares about his entrepreneurship journey, what he’s learnt from starting a business in Singapore and overseas, the less glamorous side of entrepreneurship and what it takes to succeed in Indonesia.
#IWD2021: Singapore’s Women Leaders Driving Change in China
Women have always been an important driver in economic development, especially in an ever-changing market like China. In conjunction with the #IWD2021 on 8th March, 企航新加坡 and Singapore Global Network had a chat with three Singaporean Women Leaders who are based in China, to share their stories and the opportunities and challenges for enterprises in China. Their experience as business leaders, unique insights and new perspectives on a market like China, demonstrates the strength and resilience of Singaporeans, as well as the success of Singapore enterprises.
The digital developing economy: Southeast Asia in five objects
This is part of “The Edges of Southeast Asia” project by Deloitte, the Singapore Economic Development Board and the US-ASEAN Business Council, which shines a light on the bright spots of creativity and innovation in the region. Looking at emerging 'edges' or customer segments, geographic markets or products that offer high growth potential opportunities in ASEAN, we begin with the rapidly growing digital economy.
Why Google, Stripe and DBS built their engineering teams in Singapore
There has never been a better time for companies to catch Asia’s digitalisation wave from Singapore. The city-state has the capabilities to ensure that companies building engineering teams here are all set for regional expansion, according to representatives from Google, Stripe and DBS at a recent Singapore Tech Forum webinar.
From 3 to 120: How a Swiss innovation company built top-performing tech teams in Singapore
Poised for accelerated growth amidst COVID-19, the Singapore tech scene is thriving with innovation and set to become a regional powerhouse. We speak to Zuhlke — a Swiss global innovation and technology company – and their employees on the local tech scene and what makes Singapore a prime location for regional innovation as a tech hub.
From Myanmar to Singapore (and back): former A*Star researcher and consulting firm founder and MD Dr Myo Thida shares her incredible journey
In her decade-long journey from Myanmar to Singapore and back, Dr Thida has met Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Nobel Laureate iconic politician, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, published over 10 international scientific papers and founded Myanmar-based consulting firm VigorZwe. We speak to her to learn a more about her journey and what it’s like to straddle Myanmar and Singapore.
Bean There, Done That: Venezuelan Coffee Roaster Marian Aguilar Perks You Up with Good Coffee
For us, coffee is how we kickstart each day. For Marian Aguilar, coffee is her way of life – she runs a thriving coffee roasting and consultancy business in Singapore. In the second run of our Unusual Jobs series, we catch up with Marian about life in Singapore, her business, and staying connected to her Venezuelan roots.
Investing in The Right Hustle: How Koh Shiyan Is Tapping into SEA’s Potential
Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem has matured over the last 10 years with record deal sizes, an increase in exits, and a huge influx of venture capital into the market. We chat with Koh Shiyan, Managing Partner at Hustle Fund, about her experiences building NerdWallet in Silicon Valley, why she decided to go from operator to early-stage investor in Southeast Asia, and her belief in Southeast Asia’s founders.
Women in Tech: Uplifting Sisters in Cybersecurity
Magda Chelly has made it in the world of tech as a renowned cybersecurity consultant, and now she wants to uplift other women in the industry. In this edition of our Women in Tech series, we chat with her about her career, why she feels women need a role model in tech and her thoughts on the cybersecurity scene.
Indonesia’s Omnibus Law: A Magic Wand amidst a Global Pandemic?
Our story has the makings of a palace intrigue – a piece of breakthrough legislation meant to create jobs during the most difficult economic downturn in Indonesia’s modern history; a false announcement to distract the bill’s most vociferous detractors as they plotted mass demonstrations across Jakarta; a sudden decision by the Indonesian legislature to pass the controversial bill ahead of schedule, amidst a city-wide lockdown and road closures around the legislative building; and the eventual enactment of the Omnibus Law by President Jokowi, while the capital reeled from massive protests.
ICYMI: Singapore Tech Forum 2020
The third edition of the Singapore Tech Forum took place from 17th – 20th November 2020. This year’s forum was held virtually with short sessions and panels featuring top movers and shakers in tech, business and politics from around the world to share their insights on Singapore’s and the region’s tech ecosystem. In case you missed it, we recap on some of the highlights that happened during the event.
The rise of the third space: post-pandemic, flexibility is key to the future of real estate
With empty offices around the world and homes full of workers, the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly changed our use of buildings. To understand new trends in the future of work post-pandemic, we reached out to Indonesia-based SGN member Joel Shen, whose law firm, Withersworldwide, provided a perspective on the real estate in the ASEAN region.
For SEA diaspora, advancing to a New SEA Non-Technical Startup Role
The dramatic rise in successful regional startup early-stage fundraising rounds has led to ever-increasing interest from SEA diaspora and foreign talent in joining the SEA tech scene. Read on to find out how SEA diaspora and foreigners scout and jump on the best opportunities.
5Qs with Filipino Expat and Start-up Founder Rudi Ramin
Our 5Qs series is a chance for you to get to know more about folks in the Singapore Global Network community, where we pose 5 questions to exciting individuals to find out more about what they do!
What investors need to know about Indonesia’s Omnibus Law: Katadata Insight Centre Research Director and senior public policy specialist Dr Mulya Amri breaks it down
Katadata Insight Centre Research Director and Jakarta Property Institute Program Director Dr Mulya Amri is an Indonesia-based senior public policy and urban development specialist with over 20 years of experience working with government officials, businesses, and civil society groups through policy analysis, regional economic development, and city planning projects in Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, China, and the U.S.
From Silicon Valley to Singapore: Silvanus Lee On Returning Home for Tech
Technology has seen explosive growth in the past decade, with Singapore and Southeast Asia’s (SEA) tech ecosystem expanding rapidly on a global scale to unlock many growth opportunities. SGN chats with Silvanus Lee, Director of Twitter’s APAC Engineering Centre and Co-Founder of BasisAI, who went from living every techie’s dream – building and leading critical teams at Dropbox and Uber in California – to returning home to Singapore at the height of his career. Why did he make the switch? Read on to find out and learn how Silvanus continues to pave the way forward for the future of tech in Singapore and the region.
Full-time CEO, Part-time Chef : Meet Serial Entrepreneur Federico Folcia
Ever wondered what it’s like to run several businesses at once? In the first of our series exploring the myriad variety of jobs in Singapore, SGN chats with Federico Folcia – full-time CEO & Founder of Crane, Managing Director at PowerHouse, and part-time Founder and Chef at Fork In The Jungle.
The Secret to Building Networks Quickly in a New Place (WFH Edition)
New to your environment? Whether you’re looking to make friends or grow a professional network, these tips will help you get ahead. P.S. Stay with us to the end for an Easter egg.
Business and start-ups in Vietnam: Baker McKenzie M&A Practice Head Seck Yee Chung shares a veteran’s view
What is the start-up scene like in Vietnam? How do businesses navigate an ever-evolving regulatory landscape? Yee Chung sheds light on the dynamism of Vietnam’s business landscape and the opportunities present for investors looking to leverage opportunities in this emerging market.
Envisioning Tomorrow’s Workplace: Hiring Solution Start-up Workstream CEO Desmond Lim on Hiring with Tech
As COVID-19 accelerates future work trends, SGN digs deep into the new workplace normal and how behaviours, culture and skillsets are shifting. We chat with the CEO and Co-Founder of San Francisco-based hiring solution Workstream, Desmond Lim, on his success story from humble beginnings in the little red dot to pushing the boundaries of the future of work.
Global Talent Arms Race Intensifies in Asia: How Should You Be Prepared?
The future of work has recently accelerated with a few key trends: the increasing economic influence of Asia, the rise in the next generation of big tech companies in APAC, resulting in a large demand for global talent. What will tomorrow bring, and how can talent like you get ready?
Women In Tech: Weaving in Data for Change in Asia
In this edition of SGN’s Women In Tech series, we chat with Aparna Saxena, the Chief Executive Officer of TORAJAMELO and Chapter Head of She Loves Data (SLD) Indonesia, on how she pushes to create and find meaning with data to empower other women in ASEAN.
Millennials of Singapore: Successful Entrepreneurs You Should Be Following Right Now
For some youths, their dream job is to be self-made bosses. For Kendra Liew, Founder of I Love Katfood, and Hong Kai, Co-Founder and CTO of Roceso Technologies, they have taken that step towards pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams – albeit a tough road they’ve had to navigate. Hear their personal stories on why and how they started, challenges they faced, experiences of starting businesses in Singapore, and why you should be following them right now.
Building businesses in Thailand: Frost & Sullivan VP and Country Head Eng-Lok Koh shares an insider’s view
Eng-Lok Koh, Vice-President and Country Manager of Frost & Sullivan Thailand, gives us an insider’s view on on-ground business sentiments and shares his view on opportunities in Thailand.
Pushing the envelope of innovation: Reshaping the future of fintech and payments
The adoption in fintech has accelerated in the past few months and will continue to do so in a post-pandemic landscape. We speak with Imran Hajimusa, GM & Head of payments platform at Silicon Valley Bank, on what the future of payments will hold and where Singapore stands. Married with three daughters, Imran’s fondest Singapore memories include enjoying seafood at East Coast Park with family and friends.
Women in Tech: Driving business with data
In this edition of our Women in Tech series, we speak to two tech leaders – Dr Megan Yao, head of advanced analytics at NTUC FairPrice, and Shaowen Ang, regional lead of seller operations and listings at Shopee – who are both leading teams to capitalise on data for organisational success.
A winning recipe: my Sleek entrepreneurial journey
Julien Labruyere is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Sleek, a fast-growing Singapore-based business incorporation and management startup. Find out how he built a business in Singapore and expanded his company to the region.
Taking the highway to Singapore’s runways
Behind the glam of fashion’s runways, pressing social issues are an ongoing stem from fast fashion. Brands are taking the highway into being more conscious and are committing to sustainable, green practices and actively championing for living wages for those in the production lines. We chat with local brands August Society, Purnama Outreach, Source Collections and Woonhung on their views of pushing for the greater good in fashion, and how Singapore has been a core part of that journey.
Investing in the future – Carolyn Ng on how global biotech and diversity will change our world
As Managing Director of Vertex Ventures HC located in the Bay Area, Carolyn Ng leads an investment team to fund healthcare-focused opportunities globally. Passionate about biotech innovation, diversity, and gender equality, the former oncology scientist shares how her Singaporean roots and cross-border expertise add valuable perspective to her work with companies and investors.
Startup traps to avoid – building for Southeast Asia
This month, Brian Ma to focuses on what made his company still pass on great founders with creative ideas as they evaluate which companies to accept into the accelerator.
TraceTogether to #StaySafe Together: How a Smart Nation Tackles a Pandemic
Technology is transforming the way Singapore is combatting COVID-19. The outcome will prove to be pivotal in showing how a Smart Nation harnesses tech to minimise the effects of a pandemic.
9 things you must know when doing business in China
It is no secret that the business culture in China is full of intricacies that are quite different from the western cultures of the world. Born and raised in China, Shizhao came to Singapore when he was just 16, and is now studying at the National University of Singapore. He interviewed Eric Sim, a successful LinkedIn KOL in both Singapore and China, and together with his own experiences in both countries, shares useful tips on navigating the professional landscape in China.
Overcooked: F&Bs on coping with COVID-19
F&B businesses have taken a hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with many experiencing a great dip in the number of customers due to increased social distancing measures. We chat with home-grown brands Sarnies and IRVINS as they share their experience as regional F&B players on coping with the new normal.
How Great Founders Win: Insights from 200 Founder Interviews in Southeast Asia
Iterative is an operator-led accelerator modeled after YC. We invest US$150K into promising early-stage startups, then rigorously help founders navigate early-stage startup challenges in a 3-month program to facilitate their raising a Seed / Series A round comfortably. Investing in all of Southeast Asia (Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, etc.), we’re particularly fond of Fintech, SaaS, marketplaces, AI, healthcare, and consumer.
Women in Tech: Championing the minorities
In this edition of our Women in Tech series, we chat with Elisha Tan – founder of TechLadies, a regional community that champions the minorities in tech.
Women in Tech: Annabelle Kwok
In the first of our Women in Tech series, we chat with Annabelle Kwok – the 27-year-old breaking down gender barriers as she spearheads technology and AI in the region.
SG Social enterprises: making a mark beyond the red dot
Singaporean entrepreneurs are making waves of positive impact off the shores of the sunny island and into global waters where they continue to champion for the greater good. Dive deeply into the stories of passion-led organisations – Freedom Cups, Wateroam and Project Dignity – who are successfully expanding their scopes to the globe.
Economic Freedom: Ben Chan on Singapore’s future as a global blockchain hub
As the Chief Technology Officer at fintech startup BitGo, Ben Chan shares his take on cross-border engineering growth, blockchain’s platform to improve global economic freedom, and why Singapore is attractive to top fintech players.
Breaking Blockchains: Joyce Yang’s Take on Fintech in Asia
“Public blockchain tech and cryptocurrency are global and borderless, and Singapore is setting the tone.” says Joyce Yang, CEO of Global Coin Research. An expert in Fintech, Joyce shares why she believes Singapore can be the Fintech hub of Southeast Asia. Based in New York, Joyce is married to a Singaporean and frequently visits Singapore where she fondly regards as her future home.
Inside the House of Mouse: Mark Evan Lim shares 4 secrets for budding concept and storyboard artists
Want to move overseas to hone your skills as an artist and further your career? Fellow Singaporean illustrator, Mark Evan Lim dispenses his top tips.
Singapore Brands Going Overseas: Passport to Success
With so many impressive destinations in the region, it’s no wonder that Singaporeans love to travel. But for the founders of TripZilla and YouTrip, it’s not just the travel bug but the entrepreneurship bug that’s biting. Find out how these companies are making overseas journeys even more convenient for us in Asia.
Singapore Brands Going Overseas: Levelling the Playing Field
Once thought of as a frivolous pastime, video games are now big business and it is an industry that Singapore has an intimate knowledge of. Homegrown brands Garena and Secretlab share how they are taking the gaming world by storm.
Singapore Brands Going Overseas: The Future of Retail
Disruption may be an empty buzzword these days, but when these Singapore businesses began, they were the first of their kind in the region to take advantage of the growing e-commerce industry. Here’s how Shopee, ShopBack and Ninja Van went from scrappy start-ups to entrepreneurial titans.
5 tips on surviving the competitive start-up industry in ASEAN
How to survive the start-up industry in ASEAN!
3 ways Singapore will bring your tech business to the next level
Singapore has always been a country that plans ahead. It has transformed the public sector, paved new roads in research and development, and now it is leveraging technology to propel the nation forward in the digital economy.