ShareThisThe above was the topic of discussion held at the 2nd annual ASEANpreneurs conference at NUS on May 26. The panel discussion which was moderated by myself contributed insights from Dr Lai, CEO of Buzzcity, Dennis Goh of Hungrygowhere and Bernard Leong of Chlkboard. While there was a general consensus among the panel that entrepreneurship success in Asia can be achieved, replicating the Silicon Valley model was not the answer.
As Dr Lai pointed out, one of the main reasons for Silicon Valley’s success is the concentration of talent in the region. If ASEAN wants to follow suit and establish a similar hub locally we need to “look around us and see in this region what can we do that (the west) cannot do”. Although no definitive answers to what that is were made, all the panelists concurred that it involved leveraging the mix of diverse talent and culture in the region. Dr Lai and Dr Leong, both founders of technologies that utilise the mobile infrastructure also felt that mobile could spur the next technology wave with many untapped opportunities to explore in the ASEAN region.
I was very excited to work with the team at ASEANpreneurs which falls under the larger NUS Entrepreneurship Society. The team demonstrated complete professionalism both while organising the event and during it. It’s really awesome to see a committed group of young people whose aim is to foster a culture of entrepreneurship within our very own region. They don’t do it because they have to or want the extra cca credits, they’re passionate about what the society stands for and its overall vision.
I strongly advocate students getting involved in the community and worthwhile causes as a complement to their academia. As and when they leave the safe confines of university to enter the real world of work, employers want to see how you’ve made a difference as a young person. The guys at ASEANpreneurs will stand out as more aspiring and ambitious than others that are content with cruising along in their tertiary studies without getting involved. Employers will usually ask you in an interview setting about your organisational ability, teamwork and leadership capabilities so drawing on your extra-curricular experiences gives them an insight into your character and how you can add value.
My hats off to the ASEANpreneurs team and I wish them all the best for the upcoming year.
Read about the ASEANpreneurs conference in Today Online and the Business Times.
