Students to leverage ASEAN opportunities
with BIGFund’s $1 Million Commitment
with BIGFund’s $1 Million Commitment
Regional
Ideation Lab to propel simultaneous Proof-of-Concept Launches in Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam
Ideation Lab to propel simultaneous Proof-of-Concept Launches in Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam
SINGAPORE, 24
April 2017 — Three international student
groups were awarded $150,000 in cash grants and resources to propel
their business ideas locally and overseas at the inaugural Super Pitch Day on 17
March. The winning teams, Home-X-Man, Trabeller Co. and Professional
Companionship, will each receive $50,000 investment via BIGFund – Southeast Asia’s first regional start-up ideation lab created by Entrepreneur’s
Resource Centre (ERC) Holdings.
April 2017 — Three international student
groups were awarded $150,000 in cash grants and resources to propel
their business ideas locally and overseas at the inaugural Super Pitch Day on 17
March. The winning teams, Home-X-Man, Trabeller Co. and Professional
Companionship, will each receive $50,000 investment via BIGFund – Southeast Asia’s first regional start-up ideation lab created by Entrepreneur’s
Resource Centre (ERC) Holdings.
The winning teams will receive the necessary support
to ensure that they are provided with the optimal environment and resource. Each
team will enjoy:
to ensure that they are provided with the optimal environment and resource. Each
team will enjoy:
·
Workspace and meeting room
access at ERC’s existing co-working spaces, BIGWork, currently available in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh and
Singapore.
Workspace and meeting room
access at ERC’s existing co-working spaces, BIGWork, currently available in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh and
Singapore.
·
A cash grant for developing
a prototype for feasibility testing in different markets.
A cash grant for developing
a prototype for feasibility testing in different markets.
In addition, the start-ups also
benefit from ERC’s regional network such as:
benefit from ERC’s regional network such as:
·
The ability to tap on ERC’s domain
expertise in the hospitality, education, entrepreneurship and real estate
sectors to gain industry insights and attend exclusive networking sessions.
The ability to tap on ERC’s domain
expertise in the hospitality, education, entrepreneurship and real estate
sectors to gain industry insights and attend exclusive networking sessions.
·
Regional market access
programmes where established panel of industry experts across financial,
marketing, legal, retail and hospitality backgrounds will serve as mentors,
providing guidance to translate paper business models into reality.
Regional market access
programmes where established panel of industry experts across financial,
marketing, legal, retail and hospitality backgrounds will serve as mentors,
providing guidance to translate paper business models into reality.
As the gateway to BIGFund, Super Pitch Day 2017 is
closely aligned with the Singapore government’s priority to help Singapore
firms to scale globally, as shared in the recent Singapore Budget 2017 announcement.
closely aligned with the Singapore government’s priority to help Singapore
firms to scale globally, as shared in the recent Singapore Budget 2017 announcement.
BIGFund is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur and
Chairman of ERC Holdings, Andy Ong. It offers an acceleration programme for
entrepreneurs to nurture scalable ideas to commercialisation stages within 6
months with the potential to roll out across the ASEAN cities.
Chairman of ERC Holdings, Andy Ong. It offers an acceleration programme for
entrepreneurs to nurture scalable ideas to commercialisation stages within 6
months with the potential to roll out across the ASEAN cities.
“Grooming the next generation of entrepreneurs in a
supportive and pro-business environment remains the priority for ERC. In the
past two decades, ERC Holdings has achieved successes with our own start-ups across
different business silos with operations spanning multiple cities such as
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The regional ERC presence has extensive
experience in education, co-working space, and hospitality projects, we hope to
tap on our domain expertise and cultivate a unique BIGFund experience for young
entrepreneurs. With BIGFund, participants are assured of a network of
like-minded individuals who are each dedicated in growing their product,” said
Andy Ong, Chairman of ERC Holdings.
supportive and pro-business environment remains the priority for ERC. In the
past two decades, ERC Holdings has achieved successes with our own start-ups across
different business silos with operations spanning multiple cities such as
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The regional ERC presence has extensive
experience in education, co-working space, and hospitality projects, we hope to
tap on our domain expertise and cultivate a unique BIGFund experience for young
entrepreneurs. With BIGFund, participants are assured of a network of
like-minded individuals who are each dedicated in growing their product,” said
Andy Ong, Chairman of ERC Holdings.
The three-month pitch process received a total of 20
applications from ERC’s education arm, ERC Institute’s (ERCi), existing students and alumni from across four countries namely
Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and China. The participating teams include a mix
of current students and graduates, ranging from diploma, graduate and masters
education levels.
applications from ERC’s education arm, ERC Institute’s (ERCi), existing students and alumni from across four countries namely
Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and China. The participating teams include a mix
of current students and graduates, ranging from diploma, graduate and masters
education levels.
The competition unveiled three winning teams whose
business ideas address some of the pertinent social issues we are facing in
today’s society. The three winning teams at Super Pitch Day 2017 are:
business ideas address some of the pertinent social issues we are facing in
today’s society. The three winning teams at Super Pitch Day 2017 are:
1. Home-X-Man (Vietnam)
Home-X-Man took an existing social issue; parenting
problems faced by Vietnamese and translated the issue into their product. Home-X-Man
is a service platform that provides families who face parenting problems with
professional support.
problems faced by Vietnamese and translated the issue into their product. Home-X-Man
is a service platform that provides families who face parenting problems with
professional support.
The Home-X-Man team pitched remotely from BIGWork Ho
Chi Minh at Super Pitch Day 2017, made possible by ERC’s established network
and presence in the regional market.
Chi Minh at Super Pitch Day 2017, made possible by ERC’s established network
and presence in the regional market.
2. Trabeller Co.
(Singapore)
(Singapore)
Trabeller Co. is an all-in-one travel platform where
users can access help in itinerary planning, find the best quotes from travel
agencies, and make bookings for their travel needs. Through the use of Big Data
Analytics and Predictive Algorithm, Trabeller Co. also brings about convenience
for group travellers as they can collaborate with their friends to plan an
itinerary based on everyone’s preferences, maximising satisfaction with their
trip.
users can access help in itinerary planning, find the best quotes from travel
agencies, and make bookings for their travel needs. Through the use of Big Data
Analytics and Predictive Algorithm, Trabeller Co. also brings about convenience
for group travellers as they can collaborate with their friends to plan an
itinerary based on everyone’s preferences, maximising satisfaction with their
trip.
3. Professional
Companionship (China)
Companionship (China)
Professional Companionship is a social community
platform that allows skilled professionals
to “buy” and “sell” their time for remuneration. The start-up concept acts as a
marketplace for consumers to find and hire skilled professionals to meet specific
needs of companies and households.
platform that allows skilled professionals
to “buy” and “sell” their time for remuneration. The start-up concept acts as a
marketplace for consumers to find and hire skilled professionals to meet specific
needs of companies and households.
The winning teams will be supported with ERC’s
immediate infrastructure, network and resources available in-house to grow and
propel their business ideas beyond the local market to other ASEAN cities.
immediate infrastructure, network and resources available in-house to grow and
propel their business ideas beyond the local market to other ASEAN cities.
Concluding a successful pilot season of Super Pitch
Day 2017, which was only opened to ERCi students and alumni, the next Super
Pitch Day now accepts applications from ERCi students, alumni and the general
public across three cities – Singapore, Ho Chi Minh and Bangkok. Interested
applicants can send in their business ideas to BIGFund by 31 August 2017.
Day 2017, which was only opened to ERCi students and alumni, the next Super
Pitch Day now accepts applications from ERCi students, alumni and the general
public across three cities – Singapore, Ho Chi Minh and Bangkok. Interested
applicants can send in their business ideas to BIGFund by 31 August 2017.
BIGFund has plans to add seven more cities across
the ASEAN region to its programme by 2020. For more information on the
next Super Pitch Day, please visit http://fund.thebiggrp.com/.
the ASEAN region to its programme by 2020. For more information on the
next Super Pitch Day, please visit http://fund.thebiggrp.com/.
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