Businesses That Started in the Undergraduate Classes
This is an entrepreneur showcase for my current and former students. I hope it will serve as an encouragement to you.
These businesses were all started in 13 weeks or 5 weeks (summer semester). I wanted my students to believe that it is possible to do the impossible, and to do that well.
You are not ready to start your business? Why would you be unless you get yourself ready. No one else should be more anxious then you to equip yourself.
Entrepreneurship, like everything else in life, is not about making the right decisions. It is about righting each decision. Be bold enough to bite some bullets (like start up a venture, take on a new market, employ a new CEO) and then move on, don’t look back. Decide you’ll never regret. Then, infuse the new attempt with passion. You will succeed.
Read these case studies, glad many get to do something they might never ever do again while our paths crossed.
Students prior to Class of 2009
Lim Hong Zhuang and LX Holdings Pte Ltd
Zhuang was in my TWC class during Autumn 2006. Seated on the last row, he listened to everything with a crooked smile across his face.
He fought to collect the lollipops I gave out during Q&A, only to horde them in his pencil case till the end of the term. To him, it was a challenge to see how many he could collect for the course.
Read about LX Holdings Pte Ltd and Lim Hong Zhuang here.
Zhuang came back to share with our class as a speaker. Read what our students say about Hong Zhuang by downloading the file below.
Download the file below to read Hong Zhuang’s interview with Newpaper in April 2009.
Vincent Lai and Tocco Pte Ltd
Vincent was in my TWC class until December 2008. Particularly curious about my experience as an entrepreneur. He would pounce on every chance he can to ask me about my adventure as an entrepreneur. Vincent subsequently asked me to look into his legal problems he ran into with a bank. It turned out that it was just a scare. Nevertheless, I am sure it is an experience that Vincent and his team will treasure and value when they look back one day.
Read about Tocco Pte Ltd and Vincent Lai here.
More case studies here…
Businesses from the Class of Spring 2010
Every semester, I’ve amazed again at how one class performs better than the previous. Students never fail to impress me with their innovativeness, entrepreneurial spirit and that ‘never say die’ attitude. Indeed, I have learnt as much as I have taught in this class. Thank you for showing me what perserverance is. Thank you for the precious lessons I have learnt through your grit and unending faith in me.
Our Art Workz
by Eric
This is the brave Eric’s one-man-show. I am glad that Eric made every milestone of the course even though he is one person doing the job typically groups of 4 or 5. The effort is simply commendable. However, I believe this is just a project for Eric, I believe he learnt that this project is NOT meant for him. This is a good outcome of the course. Despite the funding support and the business plan in place, I believe it is important to know when to attack and when to retreat.
Do visit this truly amazing effort from just one person, in 13 weeks. I’m sure you will agree with me that he is phenonmenal.
Laplock
by Florian, Si Wei, Michael, Kenny, and Kwang Sheng,
Laplock started out with a very simple and feasible idea and ended up with the same. This is a group of very focussed entrepreneurs.
Their mission is to protect your valuable laptop and other electronics and the data within these hardware. Through the weeks, they have pitched their ideas to different interests groups and even managed to find a mentor who will work with them.
With that kind of teamwork and the die-hard attitude, I just cannot imagine how they won’t succeed. Here’s wishing the group the best!
Pop Art Inc by Wan Yi, Priscilla, Leonard, Shoko, and Bevan,
Pop art group put in substantial effort in bringing their business to ‘live’ this semester. As a group, the group travelled to Vietnam in search of a supplier, got ‘conned’, found some ‘angels’ and had a lot of fun. They even managed to squeeze some time for corporate ‘retreat’ and some spa services!
I am very sure, they have had their share of bad experiences which are really stepping stones to success. Yes, I do look forward to some success in this group, and you would too.
Fink by Xihao , Adriel, Dennis, Ashley and Riccardo
Fink started when a group of enthusiastic cyclists decided to provide good transport for the rest of the world with an idea as simple as car pooling, but as sophisticated as having the location of your potential car pool partner’s location appearing real-time on your mobile or internet devise. I like this idea a lot, but most of all, I like the synergy of the group and how they met prior to starting the business. It is good to work with friends. You work, dine, and sweat it out together. Most of all, you grow up together. I do look forward to their very interesting and promising future.
ZoneFider by Jacqueline, Gordon, Mariyam, Shaguftha, Perry, Janice, and Edmund
Zonefinder amazes me! The prototype they created within the 15 weeks is simply impressive! This is the first time I see a 3D prototype done in 13 weeks. Well done! Zonefinder’s business is simple to understand yet powerful. Helping you locate the car – just that. Yet, it is such a commonsensicle thing nobody has really spent time working on.
Kudos to the group for going so far with your idea. I know it will go even further after the class ends. In fact, it is just the beginning!
Here’s wishing, hoping and knowing you’ll become great!
R-squared by Jessica,Clement Elvin and ,Vincent
Team R2 from Vincent LAI on Vimeo
R2 did not start from the class. It started in my office a few weeks before the course started with my 3 business partners. Together, we had come out with an idea of a new organization that will enhance the value of our company. We decided that this new initiative, to use mobile devices to provide retail rewards to consumers be started out as a new venture. This new idea eventually was taken up by this group, and the name retained – R2 is Retail Rewards. From just an idea, the group has crafted out an excellent business plan, built a website and even a prototype in 12 short weeks. There is also a clear and comprehensive marketing plan in place. Not to forget the financials was also crafted out. Come visit us here and be amazed at how your handphone can be transformed into a payphone!
HeyChinatv.com by Zhihao, Jolene, Mingjie, Marilyn, and Steve
Ragbug is the place where you can try out the latest gadget without the initial outlay. Customers can choose to purchase or return the loan gadget after the trial period. Like a second hand bookstore, but for the latest gadgets.
Throughout the 15 weeks in the course, I saw how a simple but very innovative idea evolve into a fundable business. The group also managed to pitch the business idea to IIE in SMU.
I do hope to see this business idea continue where it left off in the class. I do believe this very novel idea fine-tuned and then eventually get funded and move on to bigger things.
Shopaholic Remedy by Keshia , Ili, Melissa, Sudeshna
Shopaholic Remedy is the place to go if you have been missing great deals from your favourite blog sites. The team has put together a perfect solution to ensure you will never miss a single sale on any blog again.
All girls team, having a solution for the die hard blog fan. With the blogging trend going strong, I am sure there is a market for such customized service on the web. Have fun shopping!
Kudos to a very committed team, who managed to piece everything together in 13 short weeks!
Businesses from the Class of Autumn 2009
This is the biggest Technical Entrepreneurship class that I have ever conducted. The challenge is to get big groups to work together, to understand each group’s business idea and be able to guide them, and at the same time to get to know the entrepreneurs in our midst.
This semester has been unusually satisfying. We managed to bring up some very interesting businesses, and it looks like many will go on operating the business even after the class. Better yet, this is where the SMU Hatch!, a place for entrepreneurs to hatch their ideas started. Teaching this class was truly an amazing journey for me. I do believe it started many new things which will manifest in the years to come.
Foodex
by Andrea, Choon Kit, Marco, Zaria, Benjamin, Wei Zhong, David, Jasmine and Grace
Foodex.com will be a site where close to expiry and safe can be bought and sold at a low price. The target customers include charities, hawkers, restaurants and any organization that have immediate use for manufactured food.
The Foodex idea came about when the group saw an opportunity to create a platform to resell manufactured food that are about to expire (about 6 months to expiry).
In the short 15 weeks, the members comprising of local and exchange students went on to contact suppliers and potential customers to collect feedback on their novice idea. The group members gained more than just ideas during the weeks. I believed they learned much more about the food industry than they expected.
Print My Dezign by Yue Lin, Candice, Karen, Yuping, Shawn, Derek, Elvin, and Sharon
At Printmydezign.com, you can submit your favourite T-shirt design, get friends to vote and buy your design and then earn some money from it.
Print My Dezign started off as Chupchaipeng.com. The initial idea was to become the food delivery company. I’m glad that after an initial feasbility study, the group decided there’s no business case and came up with the new T-shirt design / competition site instead. In the entrepreneurial process, it is always good to review and ensure the business is viable every step of the way and change when there’s a need to.
I do hope to see how the business will proceed from here. Watch this space!
The Sixth Avenue by Feiyi, Yvonne, Keng Yin (Jik), Clara, Han Ying and Justin
An avenue for local and Asian fashion designers to ‘professionalize’ their trade. TSA provides consultancy and the assist budding fashion designers market their wares and sell their designs.
I first heard of The Sixth Avenue from Yvonne, who was my TWC student. The business has gone from just an initial idea to more than a business plan on paper. Kudos to a cohesive and cooperative group!
This group’s enthusiasm and creativity rubs on the whole class. I’m sure they had a lot of fun as well: the fashion shows and the many functions they attended as a group, and their pitching sessions to the various government bodies added a lot of excitement in our class as well..
LitBullPen by Lizhen, Jeremy, Myat, Krista, Jane, Paul, Sanjay and Jeanie
LitBullPen.com is a site for amateur writers to submit their articles for the world to read.
Throughout the weeks, not only have the team completed a very comprehensive business plan, they also managed to get the site in working condition, ready for business.
Since the members in this group are graduating students, and no one will bring this forward, I will be buying this business from the group rather than seeing their effort go to waste after the class. I do hope someone would take it from here and make it into an interesting business one day. That’s the reason I’m buying this business. I’m a placeholder, so if you are interested in this business, give me a buzz. It will be an offer you cannot resist!
Fursa Forex
Two strangers can become business partners and build an interesting business. That’s what I did in one of my ventures many years ago.
Fursa Forex aims to be the pioneer in Islamic Forex field.
I admire the entrepreneurial spirit in Ahmad, he is into everything! Real estate, forex, etc. Those were areas I ventured into when I was young as well.
I also admire Johannes’ unfailing support for Ahmad. And I respect their tiredless effort in trying to explain their business plan to the class, investors and guests that can hardly understand Islamic foreign exchange and how their business is about changing the traditional interest-bearing forex to a different revenue model, that’ll be first of its kind..Very impressive!
Ragbug by Rachel, Jian Hong, Ernie, Yee Kai, Benjamin Koh, Filip and Jia Qing
Ragbug is the place where you can try out the latest gadget without the initial outlay. Customers can choose to purchase or return the loan gadget after the trial period. Like a second hand bookstore, but for the latest gadgets.
Throughout the 15 weeks in the course, I saw how a simple but very innovative idea evolve into a fundable business. The group also managed to pitch the business idea to IIE in SMU.
I do hope to see this business idea continue where it left off in the class. I do believe this very novel idea fine-tuned and then eventually get funded and move on to bigger things.
Condosg by Tianyi, Johan, Joel, Kok Boon, Vincent, Ben Lew, Eric and Lin Ming
Condosg.com is the place you can get a room or two for the short term if you are visiting Singapore for a few months. It is a gap that the group saw and wanted to fill. Target customers include students, expatriates posted to Singapore and in search of a permanent place.
A very capable bunch. I saw how the group hashed and rehashed their ideas time and again to arrive at the current business model. Nevertheless, I do believe the moment a business plan is completed, it is time to rewrite it. It is a living document.
The team managed to get the business started, had a few properties listed on their site and printed nice brochures to be handed out. What an achievement in just 15 weeks! Some companies cannot do all these in 15 months!Kudos to a very committed team!
Businesses from the Class of Autumn 2009
This is the biggest Technical Entrepreneurship class that I have ever conducted. The challenge is to get big groups to work together, to understand each group’s business idea and be able to guide them, and at the same time to get to know the entrepreneurs in our midst..
This semester has been unusually satisfying. We managed to bring up some very interesting businesses, and it looks like many will go on operating the business even after the class. Better yet, this is where the SMU Hatch!, a place for entrepreneurs to hatch their ideas started. Teaching this class was truly an amazing journey for me. I do believe it started many new things which will manifest in the years to come.
Foodex
by Andre and Uday
Uday and Joel make a very creative team. I remember how they switched ideas in lightning speed: from rugby ribbons to banking software solutions and suddenly, they decided to become ambassadors to healthy food. But once they have decided the right business idea to pursue, it was no turning back. During the 5 weeks in class, they managed to polish their business plans to near perfection, created a sample jingle for their company’s advertisements, a blog for their weight loss diary, a podcast and even a website professional enough for a business! To top that off, they managed to lose some weight as well!!! Here, go visit them here.
SMU Co-operatives Part 2by Joshua Thio, Vendra Soh, Harshita, Niko, Syahidah, Jonathan, Wei Ren, Joshua Loke and Victor
This group took over from the previous founding SMU Co-op group. Their task is even more difficult and challenging. Time has been too short, but this group achieved much. They revamped the website so that it is ready for business. They rewrote the business plan, started negotiations with groups and faculties in the university to rally support. They also did up the by-laws even though none of them is trained as a lawyer. Entrepreneurial spirit and talent are evident in this group. The SMU community will look back and remember who they owe for having the best university co-op in the world! Click here to visit them.Froodby Beti,Talal and Zhu Chao
Three foreign students, one Singaporean cuisine. They plan to bring the best of Singaporean food that they have experienced during their stay in Singapore to the rest of the world! What a great ambition! I really hope to see the cuisine I grew up with sold anywhere in the world, and common as the humble pizza. During the course, this group met up with Prima Taste, the company known best for their pre-packaged Singaporean mixes, to discuss business opportunities. They also managed to clinch 2 deals in China to be their flagship Singaporean cuisine restaurants. With the success of these 2 restaurants, Frood plans to franchise the concept. After the course, only Zhu Chao will continue to run the business, I am sure he will continue to bring this business to greater heights!
StickDees
Two strangers can become business partners and build an interesting business. That’s what I did in one of my ventures many years ago. While StickDees was more a project than a real business for these 2 final year students, I am impressed with the seriousness and enthusiasm they brought to the class and business. The result? They launched a website, built some prototypes, contacted and surveyed the market players and learnt a whole lot about entrepreneurship in a handson manner. I’m so glad that the entrepreneurship experience helped Charles in getting a job in these job scarce times..
Content-ed.comby Lenz, Benny, Van, Zhan Xiang, DJ, Jasmin and Daniel
This group is a collection of the most organized entrepreneurs I have ever met. They are meticulous in getting their work documented and communication perfect. Check out their work log. They have done in just 5 weeks many companies cannot in 6 months! Despite being the most challenging online system to build in the class, they managed to get theirs in a great working condition too! Nice prototype in just 5 weeks! The link shall be available once the system is uploaded successfully. I do hope that a member or two of the group will bring the business forward after the course. Check out their prototype here!
Pash International by Ajay and Kumar
Pash International did not startup in our class. Ajay had just started the business when he came into the class. He wanted to use the class to further work on his business in a practical way.
I remember telling him that I was cool with that as long as he was willing to share information freely with the class. He did. We saw how from a T-shirt printing service, this group went on to create a new brand of T-shirts (Rochelle), and then on to a new line of branded formal wear (B&R). Passionate and eager to listen to feedback, are their assets. We don”t need to know everything, but we need to learn!
Businesses from the Class of Spring 2009
Of course I have to be crazy to think of running a class like this. How can I help 32 students start new businesses and bring these businesses to operation in 13 to 15 weeks?!
But I am an entrepreneur and I like challenges and risks. For some reason, I also have a lot of faith and trust in students who land in my classes. If these folks would try a new course like Technical Entrepreneurship, then I must dare to give them an experience they can never forget. Afterall, I came to the university with an intention to teach people and not teach a given syllabus.
The result? It is always my pride that my students never fail – I believe that from Week 1. Look what they’ve done in 13 weeks! Measure their successes by how much they have grown and learnt! If the business becomes a hit? A bonus – not at all important to me.
FoOD on Demand
by Ambrose, Daniel, Preston, Xiao Fang and Terence
The FoOD business idea was conceived in the Technical Entrepreneur class. The objective was to fulfil the hunger of some SMU students who had to wait in line and would not get their food in time during peak hours.
Through the weeks, we researched and found that the FoOD model could potentially be larger than what it started out to be. There are existing viable business model based on similar concepts in other countries. The team is looking into the possibility of expanding the business further to other parts of Singapore.
SMU Co-operatives
by Melvin, Feng Yi, Yi Han, Claire, Rachel and Dennis
The group started off wanting to be the sales arm of another PC distribution business. Cheap laptops could be sourced at least $1000 discount, which would then be passed on to students.
While working on this initial idea, we realized the business model could be changed for better effects. The group decided to set up a Co-op to serve the SMU community, with a wider range of products.
During the course, the group rallied support from faculties, students and government bodies like SNCF. Very pro-active group!
Talent Sport
by Benjamin Ho, Soo Teng and Ben Pua
Three bubbly, determined and enthusiastic students came up with a business plan that features sports for youngsters- something that is still in its infancy in Singapore.
It’s been a tough journey so far: the market is not receptive, parents are not open. Nevertheless, I am confident that these initial entrepreneurial setbacks will be the reason for their successes one day.
Lobo Lobo
by Alan, Winston, Reema and Camilia
Lobo Lobo started out with the vision of being the Amazon of ebooks. To provide a site where good ebooks are sieved, recommended and sold. Through the weeks, the group has defined the business further and fine tuned it to something that is executable.
This team has impressed us with their professionalism, enthusiasm and the willingness to work hard.
As their project is a large one, there’s much that need to be done.
Fund-a-friend
by Leong, Don, Jolyn, Dawn, Andy, Sam and Yuet Ching
The social entrepreneurial group in our class started off wanting to develop a for-profit idea to redefine banking services in the midst of a world-wide financial crisis: peer-to-peer lending. After much research, we chanced upon a unique proposition : to feature needy folks in this financial crisis so that discerned donors can put a name and face to their beneficiaries.
Fund-a-friend is the place where there is transparency to the donor’s money, without diluting the cause.
Spree Republic
by Elizabeth, Kim, David, Kriti and Shang Lin
Spree Republic’s model will redefine the way we shop and buy consumer items. The company brings to the best-of-breed products from all over the world to their customers’ fingertips. Customers can shop from anywhere in the world, tapping on the price and forex differences. There’s no longer geographical, physical or price barriers when it comes to shopping.
A new concept to shopping the world tapping on the team’s professionism and prompt services.
Odyssey Partners
The firm started as the Venture Capitalist in our class. Indeed, to be successful, most startups need the support of ethical VCs, which is what both of them wanted to be.
With further research into the new development and regulations in Singapore, the partnership has moved to the next level.
The firm now deals with micro-finance projects and legalized money lending activities.
A business that is very viable and useful given the current economic climate. Encounter them here.
