The Enterprise Launcher brings together various venture support programs to help jumpstart business ventures from Start-Up@Singapore. These programs include:-
Mentoring Programs
With mentoring programs, Start-Up@Singapore provides valuable follow-up support for budding entrepreneurs and CEOs of young start-ups by matching them against experienced mentors who can provide the teams with the necessary business and management expertise, domain knowledge and network of contacts, to help them jumpstart their businesses.
The Mentored CEOs Growth Program provides a wide range of mentoring support for all Start-Up@Singapore past participants from 1999, including teams prior to company incorporation, start-ups with less than 1 year in operation, or even start-ups which are more mature, say 3-4 years in existence. Since 2003, close to 20 teams had been mentored under this program.
"By participating in this program, I am actually meeting and selecting the ones who have this great grand vision and they have the passion, and most importantly, believe that where they will end up could be something that could impact the world. They have ambitions to be as successful as Bill Gates or Jack Welch."
- Mr. Winston Tan, Managing Director of Corporate Brokers International Pte Ltd and one of the first group of mentors in MCGP
“It is the pioneering spirit that still drives us today and the mentor program has greatly helped us during the incubation of the company's initial stage. While pursuing the breakthroughs of our wireless haradware technology, Mr.Winston Tan, our mentor has advised on a healthy growth way, through business planning, team formation, collaboration, investment and patent protection. The combination of the entrepreneur team's passion together with our mentor's finance and mangement experience is the key to success.
Much appreciation to the CEOs Growth Programme and it is because of this programme that we could have the honor to know of our mentor and grow in a better way."
- Mr. Gao Fei, Co-Founder of DMax (S@S 02/03 semi-finalist) and one of the first group of mentee teams in MCGP
The Ascendas-NUS Entrepreneurship Centre Mentoring Program extends beyond the team mentoring during the competition by allowing the Mentors-Mentees to work together even after the competition has finished in May, for a typical 4-6 month period in the second half of the year.
Mentees will be mainly drawn from semi-finalists and finalists of each year’s competition.
The program enables matching between mentors and mentee companies with compatible interests in related industries to help facilitate collaboration between the two parties. In addition, Mentee companies would also be given preferential status in terms of accessing iAxil’s accelerator program, quick start-up space and Ascendas’ business network program.
Launched in 2004, more than 10 teams had been mentored under this program.
Business Clinics and Workshops
Start-Up@Singapore works with its business partner(s) to conduct a half-day clinic “Health Assessment” and “Action Plan” workshop for Start-Up@Singapore businesses on business and start-ups issues during the course of the event.
The Business Clinic and Workshop looks at a number of issues and analyse a business’ current
performance in the areas of selling and marketing and other operational issues. It will help identify issues in relation to the team, the business systems, the day to day operations and financial management and most importantly, identify the specific potential that exists in each of these areas.
Past business clinics and workshops with partners included
- 3i Analytics – “Patent Mapping”
- IPOS IP Clinic and Workshop – “IP Consult”
- KPMG – “KPMG Innovation Seminar”
- SAP – “Optimizing Resources in SMEs – International Marketing”
Some Highlights of the Business Clinics and Workshops:-
IPOS IP Clinic and Workshop – “IP Consult”
The IPOS IP Clinic and Workshop – “IP Consult” took place on 16 Jul 2005 during the S@S Enterprise Launcher 2005 at ACE Bleusky Festival.
Officials from the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, as well as experts, who run their own private practices, gave a crash course in intellectual property to aspiring entrepreneurs. The session was very interactive, similar to that of a small collegiate lecture. The topics covered included “IP Management - Strategies and Practical Tips”by Mr. Max Ng, Max Ng & Co., “Scope IP” by Mr. Samuel Lee, IPOS as well as “Use and Application of Patent Information” by Mr. Richard Howson, Lloyd Wise.
KPMG Innovation Seminar
The KPMG Innovation Seminar was conducted on 12 Sep 05 by Dr Terry Reilly, Director of Innovation with KPMG. The session provided a review of KPMG research into success factors of 50 of Australia’s top innovators drawn from fields of bio tech, nano technology, environmental science, advanced manufacturing, and ICT; Comparisons between challenges faced by Australian and Singaporean firms, and an overview of new business model and management tools derived from the research. This was then followed by an interactive session with the start-up companies to help apply the tools to their business issues.
Upcoming Business Clinics and Workshops in 2006
Upcoming Business Clinics and Workshops in 2006 will include “Overseas Go-To-Market Strategies” by Idee Nouvelle, and another by BDO Raffles. Details will be updated in due course.
Access to Funding
Start-Up@Singapore organizes investment forum sessions with partner organizations such as Singapore Venture Capital & Private Equity Association, Business Angel Network (South East Asia), etc. for companies meeting the criteria.
These Investment Forums will allow the most promising and innovative technology companies
from Start-Up@Singapore to present to investors, and provide an ideal platform for networking
between smart investors and promising entrepreneurs.
Besides the above, alumni companies can take advantage of our partners by being invited to join other investment forum opportunities, e.g. Enterprise Exchange at Global Entrepolis@Singapore, Malaysia Venture Capital Management (MAVCAP)’s Investment Forum, etc. specially arranged between Start-Up@Singapore and partners.
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