In a year rife with uncertainty, it has been a challenge to get new endeavours off the ground as businesses turn away from taking risks and try to stay afloat. However, as Singapore buckles down on the response to the coronavirus pandemic, the obstacles are no longer as impossible to overcome as they once seemed – despite the slow economy, entrepreneurs still continue to find opportunities to drive their firms forward.
While making a sustainable business is a key goal of all entrepreneurs, some have a deeper mission to fulfil – leading social undertakings that can improve society as a whole. In such unpredictable times, these social causes take on increasing importance as more effort is needed to solve issues heightened by the ongoing pandemic. These range from healthcare availability and ageing populations to climate change and gender inequality.
Join ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR GOOD, a collaboration between Student Affairs Office, Career & Attachment Office and Nanyang Technopreneurship Center, in uncovering the work done by these social enterprises to answer these concerns, while they expand their reach creatively and financially.
We have lined up some exciting activities for all to participate. Read more below.
Organised by NTU Career & Attachment Office (CAO), Nanyang Technopreneurship Center (NTC) and Student Affairs Office (SAO), participants received professional help to create business solutions to address social, culture, or environmental issues with an entrepreneurial approach.
30% of the proceeds earned during “Sociopreneur” will be donated back to NTU Funds as a helping hand for NTU students facing hardship due to the pandemic. Business proposals which have positive social impact may also be considered for a grant of up to $1,500 under the CoLab4Good Fund for Community Projects (administered by SAO) to further their cause.
After seven gruelling weeks of campaigning, selected teams will get to present their business concepts and achievements to a panel of judges. Due to Safe Management Measures, the presentation will be on a by-invite only basis.
Acting Up Singapore, a social enterprise for youth at risk, will be running a workshop entitled “An Introduction to Multimodal Arts Therapy”, where participants will experience an arts based, emotional expressions exercise. Participants will also have the opportunity to create a therapeutic work as they explore responses and reactions through pictures, sounds, explorations, and encounters with art processes during the workshop. These insights will allow individuals to acknowledge, understand and develop the awareness to their emotions as they arise. With these avenues for expression and self-realisation, one can learn to better articulate their struggles and difficulties.
While the hearts are engaged at the workshop, participants will get to further enrich their minds with the Founder, Marissa Teo, sharing her experiences of growing her social enterprise. Marissa is a former Child Protection Officer and has worked therapeutically with emotionally vulnerable youth in local institutions.
Through this art therapy session, participants will not only leave with a deeper understanding of organising workshops for social beneficiaries, but also methods to process their own emotions in a healthy and productive way.
Date: 16 March 2021, 12.00 pm – 1.30 pm
Venue: Nanyang Technopreneurship Center
Cost: $20 per person (refundable on day of event)+
Limited to 25 participants only, on a first-come-first-served basis.
Click here to register.
+ There is no cost involved to participate in this activity. Applicants who have applied are required to pay a refundable $20 deposit by 5 March 2021 (Friday), 4.30 pm at Nanyang Technopreneurship Center. Those who have registered but fail to pay the refundable deposit by the mentioned date will be deemed to have given up the seat for this activity. Refunds for no-show will only be given if there is a valid reason. If the refunds are not collected by 16 April 2021, the money will be donated in its entirety to NTU Bursary Endowment Fund via Student Affairs Office.
Entrepreneurship is a demanding job. You are the CEO and the administrator, the marketing team and the R&D department. You’re like an octopus – trying to gain an audience and develop a product, while building a team and a business, all at the same time.
The tough business outlook in recent years and a raging COVID-19 global pandemic really puts any entrepreneurs to the test. It is even harder to sustain a social enterprise, where the business is aimed to address unmet and emerging social needs and gaps. No matter how much you plan, the future is uncertain and as much as you enjoy the adventure, no one starts a business to fail. Only utmost grit and tenacity can keep a social enterprise going.
Come and hear from four social entrepreneurs about their experiences with their respective enterprises – Joan Low, founder and CEO of Thoughtfull, Bernice Tan, Director of Kind Citizen, Edward Yee, co-founder of Givfunds, and Sazzad Hossain, CEO of SDI Academy. The session will be moderated by Russ Neu, founder and CEO of Social Collider.
Date: 17 March 2021, 7.00 pm – 8.15 pm
Venue: Online via Zoom
Click here to register your interest.
(A collaborative event brought to you by NTU Entrepreneurship Society and NTU Social Impact Catalyst)
With the rise of cafes setting up in office spaces, hip neighbourhoods and residential estates, it is important to satisfy the wants and needs of the consumers, in order to stand out among the masses. In addition to its chic ambience and “unique selling point”, tasty food and aromatic coffee also plays a role in promoting its popularity.
Wind down to the weekend with us as we visit social enterprise café, Bettr Coffee Co., where you will not only get to enjoy teatime treats, but to also hear from its founder, Pamela Chng, on how the cafe was started, her hopes and dreams for the business.
This is indeed an experience not to be missed.
Date: 18 March 2021, 1.30 pm – 4.00 pm
Venue: Bettr Barista Coffee Academy (Harrison Road)*
Cost: $20 per person (refundable on day of event)+
Limited to 21 participants only, on a first-come-first-served basis.
Click here to register.
* One way transport from NTU and light refreshments will be provided.
+ There is no cost involved to participate in this activity. Applicants who have applied are required to pay a refundable $20 deposit by 5 March 2021 (Friday), 5.30 pm at Nanyang Technopreneurship Center. Those who have registered but fail to pay the refundable deposit by the mentioned date will be deemed to have given up the seat for this activity. Refunds for no-show will only be given if there is a valid reason. If the refunds are not collected by 16 April 2021, the money will be donated in its entirety to NTU Bursary Endowment Fund via Student Affairs Office.
The Bettr Group is a for-profit social business and specialty coffee company in Singapore that aims to change lives through coffee. It empowers lives through its holistic vocational programmes for marginalised women and youth, nurtures direct and sustainable trade across their supply chain, and builds community and encourage socially conscious consumption wherever it operates.