How NUS financial aid gave two students the confidence to build a purpose-driven start-up.
When a Food Science student meets a Business undergraduate, innovation begins to brew. For Ng Jian Zhi (Science ’25) and Sean Tan (Business ’24), it became a recipe for better sleep and stress-free success.
The two met at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2023 during the NUS FoodTech Challenge. Although they joined the competition individually, they quickly discovered a challenge they shared.
“Interestingly, we realised we had the same issue: struggling to sleep well at night because of stress,” Sean shared. “Many of our friends were facing the same problem too and often turned to unhealthy ways to cope.”
That common experience sparked the idea for Boost Vitalitea, now a promising NUS-founded start-up. Boost Vitalitea is also Singapore’s first venture offering Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)-inspired beverages to support mental wellness and sleep.
Different Strengths for a Shared Vision
Sean has always had a passion for social entrepreneurship.
Sean, who studied Business Administration with a specialisation in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, has long been drawn to social entrepreneurship—building ventures that are both sustainable and purpose-driven.
“I joined NUS with the vision of exploring start-up ideas and building meaningful connections,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to build something that can create positive impact while still being viable.”
Jian Zhi, a graduate from the Department of Food Science and Technology, brought a different but equally critical perspective. With a strong interest in research and development, he focuses on the technical foundations of Boost Vitalitea’s products, from formulation and sensory testing to shelf-life studies and food safety.
Jian Zhi oversees the research and development arm of Boost Vitalitea.
“My time at NUS has given me the tools to prepare our products to meet expectations,” Jian Zhi explained. “That includes formulation, microbiology testing and making decisions on what tests to run to gather the right data.”
Together, their skills formed a natural partnership. At Boost Vitalitea, Sean leads business strategy, partnerships and product positioning, while Jian Zhi oversees research, development and production decisions.
“We clicked right away because our skills and interests complemented each other,” Sean said. “That’s how Boost Vitalitea started.”
Reimagining Traditional Chinese Medicine
During the FoodTech Challenge, the duo explored solutions to improve sleep quality. Sean had taken an NUS Unrestricted Elective module introducing TCM, which revealed its holistic approach to managing stress and sleep.
“At the same time, we noticed that many young people saw TCM as outdated, bitter or even pseudo-scientific,” Sean shared. “We wanted to change that perception by developing something that’s effective, enjoyable and backed by both TCM theory and modern scientific research.”
Achieving this balance proved challenging. From formulation to taste, progress required repeated testing and refinement.
Sean and Jian Zhi went through many rounds of product refinement before arriving at their current version of Tranquilitea.
“When you blend multiple herbs together, the flavour can easily become too strong or bitter,” Sean explained. “There’s really no shortcut. We had to keep refining the formula until we found the right balance.”
For Jian Zhi, ensuring food safety and building consumer trust were equally important. “Consumers want that sense of security,” he elaborated. “We invested time in food hygiene training and use technologies such as UHT processing and retort systems to meet safety standards.”
From Financial Support to Real-World Impact
As Boost Vitalitea evolved beyond a competition project, interest from the wider community began to grow. Friends and members of the public approached the team, eager to try the products for themselves.
“That was the moment we realised this wasn’t just a competition idea,” Sean reflected. “It could actually grow into something real and make a difference.”
Balancing product development with full-time studies was demanding, but financial support made a crucial difference. Supported by the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Bursary, the Philip Yeo Grant (for NUS Overseas Colleges) and other NUS Bursaries, both founders benefitted from the time and confidence to focus on growth.
“The bursary didn’t just support my education,” Sean shared. “It gave me the freedom and confidence to take risks, to learn by doing, and to build Boost Vitalitea without constantly worrying about finances.”
NUS financial aid gave Sean and Jian Zhi the freedom to grow and develop Boost Vitalitea alongside their academic journeys.
For Jian Zhi, financial aid removed the need to juggle part-time work alongside his studies. “The bursaries greatly alleviated the financial pressure,” he said. “I had more time to pursue opportunities that furthered my skills, including an internship at Nestlé and deeper involvement in product development.”
The support that Sean and Jian Zhi received at NUS became the foundation for work that now reaches far beyond the University. Though they may have just graduated, their start-up supports communities, improves wellbeing and shapes how wellness can be approached in a high-pressure society.
Giving Back Through Food
Today, Boost Vitalitea works with partners such as Over the Rainbow, Precious Active Ageing Centre and Tzu Chi Foundation to promote wellness across different segments of the community. Through Sean and Jian Zhi’s advocacy, 650 seniors and youth in Singapore have been educated on sleep health.
The results have been overwhelmingly positive. Observational studies conducted among 100 youths and seniors have shown significant improvements in sleep quality and lowered stress levels after consuming Boost Vitalitea’s products, measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).
“When people tell us they finally slept well after trying our product, it reminds us why this journey is worth it,” Sean said.
Looking ahead, the team is developing Singapore’s first TCM-inspired plant-based milk: a daily wellness drink to support overall health, from sleep quality to heart and brain function.
Jian Zhi promotes the benefits of Boost Vitalitea’s wellness beverages in the community.
“Our goal is to make TCM part of everyday wellness,” Sean shared. “Something modern, convenient and grounded in science.”
For Jian Zhi, the journey continues through research and innovation. “I want to continue developing new products for Boost Vitalitea,” he said. “I’ve been given opportunities to build expertise that many fresh graduates don’t get so early.”
Their journey reflects how financial support at NUS has the power to inspire innovation and entrepreneurship. By giving talented students the time, space and confidence to pursue bold ideas, bursaries turn potential into real-world solutions for society.
Support more stories like Sean’s and Jian Zhi’s. Make a gift to the Plant-It-Forward Challenge to support the Enhanced Financial Aid Scheme and help nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs. What’s more, every gift of S$1,000 to the Challenge will be recognised with a tree planted on campus.
