IIE News

🗳️ Vote for the Finalist that inspires you for The Kajima Book Prize in Innovation 2026!   The Kajima Book Prize in Innovation honours graduating SMU students who have dared to think differently as Mavericks, challenged the status quo as Disruptors, and strengthened communities as Ecosystem Builders throughout their university journey.   ✨ We're delighted to announce the 6 students shortlisted for the 2026 edition of the Kajima Book Prize in Innovation!   🗳️ Join us in celebrating their journey and vote for the profile that inspires you.   Your vote will play a part in determining who will emerge as the THREE recipients of this prestigious award of $5,000 each!   👋 Let's show YOUR support by casting your votes! Remember, each person gets only one vote, so make it count!   👉 Voting is open until Sunday, 20 Sep 2026, 23:59 SGT 🔗 https://bit.ly/KAJIMABook2026_Vote   #KajimaBookPrize #SMUIIE #TheGEAR #TheGEARByKajima

🗳️ Vote for the Finalist that inspires you for The Kajima Book Prize in Innovation 2026! 💥 The Kajima Book Prize in Innovation honours graduating SMU students who have dared to think differently as Mavericks, challenged the status quo as Disruptors, and strengthened communities as Ecosystem Builders throughout their university journey. ✨ We're delighted to announce the 6 students shortlisted for the 2026 edition of the Kajima Book Prize in Innovation! 🗳️ Join us in celebrating their journey and vote for the profile that inspires you. Your vote will play a part in determining who will emerge as the THREE recipients of this prestigious award of $5,000 each! 👋 Let's show YOUR support by casting your votes! Remember, each person gets only one vote, so make it count! 👉 Voting is open until Sunday, 20 Sep 2026, 23:59 SGT 🔗 https://bit.ly/KAJIMABook2026_Vote #KajimaBookPrize #SMUIIE #TheGEAR #TheGEARByKajima

Not everyone steps up — but you might be next. 🌱 We're looking for the next cohort of Student Community Managers at the Jay & Marilyn Ng Greenhouse. Run events. Build relationships. Get inside access to Singapore's startup ecosystem — before most people even know it exists. Are you in? 👇 🔗 https://bit.ly/4swc9xH

Most students know the terms. Few know when they matter. Join us for a special panel discussion on Intellectual Property and Commercialisation, featuring leaders from legal practice, industry, and entrepreneurship. Hear how founders, businesses, and investors think about: When to patent and when not to Protecting ideas without slowing execution Licensing, ownership, and commercial rights Turning research and innovation into market opportunities Common IP mistakes startups make Whether you're building a startup, investing in one, or simply curious about how innovation moves from idea to market, this session offers practical insights from those who navigate these decisions every day. 📅 9 September 2026 🕛 Time: 1700-1800 📍 Jay and Marilyn Greenhouse, SMU Connexion L4 Register at: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/CbjZ3sAW3S

Crossing Borders: Taking a Deep-Tech Startup into Indonesia, the Philippines & Singapore · AUN-UIE Webinar 2026 Series Turning research into a company is one challenge. Running that company in a second country is another, and the rules are rarely clearly explained in one place. Get to meet four industry experts who can answer all your questions! Atty. Kevin Baldonado — Co-Founder, Taxumo (Philippines) (Moderator) Atty. Carmina Reyes — Director IV, ICT Industry Development Bureau, DICT (Philippines) Dr. Agus Cahyadi — CEO, EBM Science & Technology (Indonesia) Gabrielle Tan Lay Khim — Senior Assistant Director, SMU Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Singapore) Join us at our moderated panel with a live Q&A section to clear all your doubts! 📅 9 September 2026 · 🕒 2:00–3:00 PM SGT (1:00–2:00 PM WIB) · 💻 Zoom · 🎟 Free, open to all 🔗 Register Now: https://luma.com/00xrif3qhttps://luma.com/00xrif3q

Are you ready to navigate the AI-driven job market? 👀 Join us for “Graduating into the AI World”, a panel by early career women exploring how AI is changing careers, hiring expectations and the important skills needed across both tech and non-tech industries. Here’s what you can look forward to: 🎤 GOH Sharing & Panel Discussion 💼 Real-world Insights on Job Hunting & Interviews 🤖 Optimising AI for Your Career & Job Search 🧠 Key Skills to Develop 💬 Audience Q&A 🤝 Informal Networking Hear first-hand experiences from young professionals who have navigated internships and job hunting in the AI world, from startups and MNCs. 🗓️ Date: Monday, 24 August 2026 🕐 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM 📍 Location: SMU Jay and Marilyn NG Greenhouse Organised by Women in Tech Singapore, Protege Ventures, SMUIIE, SMUAI and SMUWiT. Sign up HERE by Sunday, 23 August 2026 and take the first step towards preparing for your career in an AI-driven world!

🌱 Singapore Climate & Energy Ventures Programme 2026 Interested in turning climate & energy innovations into real-world ventures? Applications are now open! Who can apply? • Graduate students, research fellows & research associates at Singapore universities/research institutes • Individuals with relevant commercial experience • Students from all Singapore IHLs What to expect: Meet researchers, form a team around a selected innovation, and gain experience in customer discovery and venture building with industry experts and mentors. 📅 Key Dates • Application deadline: 25 Aug 2026 • Social Mixer: 31 Aug, 5–7 PM • Final Team Design: 8 Sep • Programme: 10 Sep–26 Oct 2026, Thursdays, 9–11 AM 📍 A*Start Central 🚀 Funded by EnterpriseSG and open to all Singapore IHLs. 👉 Apply by 25 Aug 2026: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/r9z3xbWxhh

Semester's starting soon — and if "get real-world experience" is on your list again this term, we built something for you 🌱 Introducing Spring Board: a curated opportunities board by SMU's Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Hear from founders as they share their startup stories — the wins, the chaos, what it's actually like inside an early-stage team — and give you a first look at the projects they're opening up to students this semester. Also in the room: visiting professors from Harvard and MIT, and VCs from our network. Come with questions. Leave with a gig (maybe 👀). 📅 Wednesday, 12 August 2026 🕒 3:00–4:00 PM 📍 Level 5, SMU Connexion RSVP via: https://luma.com/4j41j10q It's time to level up. See you there! 🚀

Have an invention, research outcome, or innovative idea? 🚀 Join us to learn the fundamentals of intellectual property, research commercialisation, licensing, and how universities transform knowledge into real-world impact and market opportunities. Open to SMU faculty, staff and postgrads - no prior bkgd needed Friday, 28 August|10.30am–12.00pm Jay & Marilyn Ng Greenhouse | lunch after 👉REGISTER: https://luma.com/qov81n0v

Registration open   Your next deep-tech venture could find its launchpad in Guangzhou.    Jointly organized by the Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the 2026 Guangzhou Sci-Tech Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition Global Division cum HKUST One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition Guangzhou is now open for applications themed Startup@Guangzhou. Shortlisted semi-final and final teams gather in Nansha to pitch live, meet investors, and explore the Greater Bay Area ecosystem.    What you can gain:    💰 Global Division prizes up to RMB 4.5 million (cash + cloud compute, incorporation, IP, legal and more)  🎪 Nansha Ignite Entrepreneurship 🚀 Pathway to the HKUST One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition national final  🌏 Grand Final & post-event site visit: Organising covers transportation, accommodation and meals    Apply by 14 Aug 2026, 17:00 (Beijing GMT+8)  https://1m.hkust.edu.hk (Guangzhou Division)

🚀 The Singapore-India Hackathon (SIH) 2026 Applications Are Open! SIH returns for its 4th edition — 60 students from Singapore, 60 from India, 36 hours to build cross-border solutions. 📅 15–17 Nov 2026 | 📍 SMU ⏰ Apply by 15 Aug 2026 4 Tracks: ⭐️ FinTech & InsurTech ⭐️ Sustainability & Climate Action ⭐️ Emerging Technologies ⭐️ Social Innovation & Inclusive Development Why apply: 💰 $88,000 in prizes 🚀Opportunities for incubation & funding support at SMU 🌏 Cross-border market access 💼 Internship pathways with partners Who can apply: Uni & poly students in Singapore Are you ready to build the future? 👉 Apply: bit.ly/SIH2026

Think you have what it takes? We’re looking for students with curiosity, drive, and a passion for startups - not with finance background. 🚀 Sign up as a Protégé Ventures Student VC Analyst: https://bit.ly/pvinterest2026

"Protégé Ventures has been an incredible springboard into the startup ecosystem for me." That's Ying Wei, one of our Partner 25/26 alumni, reflecting on her time with us - from learning VC fundamentals in the classroom to hands-on startup calls and a network of peers and investors built through our office hops. We're recruiting our next cohort of analysts. If you're curious about venture capital and want real exposure — not just theory — apply now: https://bit.ly/pvinterest2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗿. ⚙️⚡️ Every organisation has at least one. The person who asks "why do we do it this way?" and doesn't accept "because we always have" as an answer. They see the exception others dismiss. They take the ordinary others overlook. And they build something new from both. The Kajima Book Prize recognises exactly this kind of thinker - SMU students whose ideas challenge convention and create real impact. If that sounds like you (or someone in you know), Apply here: https://bit.ly/kajimaapplication2026 Nominate someone here: https://bit.ly/kajimanom2026

𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝. No polished pitches. No rehearsed answers. Just honest conversations. What does it really take to build a startup? What goes wrong? What keeps founders going? Join us for an evening of candid stories, practical lessons, and the conversations you won’t usually hear on stage. Meet founders, connect with fellow builders, and explore startup booths showcasing innovative ventures from our ecosystem. 🗓 24 July 2026 🕕 6.00–9.30pm 🎟 Secure your spot: https://bit.ly/pvvu2026

Want more than an internship on your resume before you graduate? Being a Student VC Analyst means a real portfolio, real decisions, and startups you actually backed — not just tasks you completed. Protégé Ventures is recruiting analysts for AY26/27. No finance background needed. You'll: → Evaluate real startup pitches alongside senior investors → Sit in on investment decisions that affect real founders → Build a track record you can speak to in any interview → Connect with senior VCs Walk away with something no internship can give you. Register and apply here 👉 https://bit.ly/pvinterest2026 Not sure yet? Come to an info-session and find out. 👉 https://bit.ly/PVRecinfo2026 📅 4 July | 📅 11 July

The Kajima Book Prize in Innovation 2026 is officially open. ✊⚡ A $5,000 award that looks beyond grades and recognises SMU students who've built, disrupted, and shown up differently. Three prizes. One deadline: 31 July 2026. Apply or nominate someone → https://bit.ly/kajimaapplication2026

Hello Student Clubs, The Kajima Book Prize in Innovation 2026 is officially open. ✊⚡ A $5,000 award that looks beyond grades and recognises SMU students who've built, disrupted, and shown up differently. Three prizes. One deadline: 31 July 2026. Apply or nominate someone → https://bit.ly/kajimaapplication2026