"The government's role is to complement and support the private sector. No government can ever take the place of individual flair. Ultimately, it is this spirit of innovation and enterprise in all of you that will enable us to build our future as a vibrant global city - filled with creative and entrepreneurial and compassionate people."

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan,
at the BlueSky Exchange & Evening

The evening of 30 August witnessed a lively exchange of ideas among students and entrepreneurial business leaders at the new SMU campus. It was, in fact, the first time that an academic institution has hosted the BlueSky Exchange & Evening, an entrepreneur networking session.

Organised by Action of Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE), the BlueSky Exchange & Evening is a regular networking session for entrepreneurs where participants can raise ideas, share insights and build contacts with diverse groups of people. Participants at the session reflect on entrepreneurial initiatives, explore enterprise issues, and seek business and education advice.

Panelists for the evening included Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth & Sports and 2nd Minister for Trade & Industry; Ms Elim Chew, Managing Director, 77th Street; Mr Ban Yinh Jheow, Chairman, Stikfas; SMU Associate Professor Arcot Desai Narasimhalu, Chairman, SMU Business Innovations Generator; and SMU student Shashank Nigam, President, SMU Ventures.

The evening also provided an occasion for ACE to recognise Leonard Lin, Managing Director of TYLER Projects Pte Ltd - the first SMU student entrepreneur to be awarded funding through ACE's $25 million Entrepreneurial Talent Development Fund. The Fund provides matching financing over the next four years to IHLs such as SMU to help seed their students' business ventures. Mr Lin's start-up is also the first to have moved into the University's brand new incubation laboratory, an important initiative of the SMU Business Innovations Generator (SMU BIG), allocating space within the SMU campus for selected student groups to operate and execute their business ideas. In line with SMU's mission to nurture visionary entrepreneurs and global leaders with social responsibilities, SMU BIG was set up to promote and nurture entrepreneurial initiatives in the University.