UOB-SMU Entrepreneurship Alliance (USEA) was formed as a collaboration between the Singapore Management University (SMU), the United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB), and some two hundred alliance partners, including local businesses and individuals, who contributed to the Fund.

USEA was officially opened on 20 September 2005 by President of SMU, Professor Howard Hunter, and the Deputy Chairman of UOB, Mr. Wee Ee Cheong.

The three main thrusts of USEA are: Education, Outreach and Research.

The three objectives are largely addressed via Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SME) consulting project undertaken by SMU teams (supervised by a project advisor) that are largely sponsored by USEA. The level of subsidy for these projects range between 70% and 90% of the cost of the project. Requests from SMEs are approved on the basic criteria that they benefit the SMEs and the students, creating a win-win situation. Majority of these projects were market research projects. The other areas the project teams have consulted for included business planning, human resource and feasibility study projects. Other possible areas include branding, advertising and promotion plan and operations management.

USEA also organized talks on a bi-monthly basis that are beneficial to both entrepreneurs and students. Topics range from entrepreneurship, growing your business, establishing a market presence in a foreign market to succession planning.

SME Consulting Programme

The Centre aspires to assist SMEs through the involvement of the students, project advisors and affiliates.

• If you are an interested local enterprise, please visit our pages for SMEs.
• If you are an interested student consultant, please visit our pages for students.
• If you are an interested project advisor, please visit our pages for project advisors.

Events

The Centre organizes talks/seminars/workshops that are beneficial to both entrepreneurs and students.

• If you are interested to attend our talks/seminars/workshops, please visit our pages for Events.
• If you are interested to give talks/seminars/workshops that are beneficial to both entrepreneurs and students, please email us at usea@smu.edu.sg.