ASEAN-China Impact Start-up Challenge

Looking to create a startup that makes an impact on the wider society while building a thriving business? Our Impact Start-up Challenge aims to give students a taste of just that.

Designed to offer participants a firsthand experience of entrepreneurship life through a six day bootcamp, this year’s Impact Start-up Challenge (ISC) saw 70 students from SUSS and seven of our partners from ASEAN, China and India taking part in this challenge. Due to travel restrictions  we leveraged the online format for students to foster cross-border partnerships and work with peers from our partners in the region.

Ideas ranging from providing  customised support for home caregivers, to financial management apps were some of the brilliant business concepts brainstormed by the students.

One of the winners was 3H, an app that allows users to book a healthcare provider for their loved ones, anywhere and anytime. The idea was pursued by a team of students from Singapore, China, and Indonesia who were inspired by the rising demand for caregivers by the growing population of elderly in their countries.

Another winner, proposed by members from Singapore, Manila and Indonesia, was Sprouts Referral, an app that aims to support gig workers through streamlining their referral process and is pursued. Given the rise of the gig economy in all the countries, related apps are seeing an increase in usage, and they need more support in maintaining stable employment and income.

Participants enjoyed and benefitted greatly from the international aspect of the challenge. Part-time SUSS Building and Project Management student, Radiah Zainal, noted, “ISC was a satisfying journey. I worked with innovative students from all over Asia and am proud to have shared my idea with esteemed judges.”

With success seen from several teams in the ISC, participants who are interested in pursuing their ideas further are encouraged to apply for the Alibaba Cloud-SUSS Entrepreneurship Programme that gives startups access to industry experts and mentors for their business.

Scott Huang from China shared, “People all around the world are facing the same difficulties especially under COVID-19, so we must work hard to get over it.”

While the pandemic has reduced the possibility of physical travel, programmes like ISC has unlocked opportunities for our students’ cross-border interactions with partners around the world.