Where we stand in 2016 — Ever since I first dipped my toes into Singapore startups back in 2007, I’ve always kept an eye on its development. I previously observed that the lack of software engineering talent was limiting the tech startup ecosystem. Startup and engineering ecosystems are symbiotic. Looking back at the historical development of…

Skip it. Last month, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) launched Accreditation@IDA, a scheme designed to “accredit promising and innovative Singapore-based technology product start-ups to establish credentials and position them as qualified contenders to enterprise buyers, including the Singapore Government”. A Closer Look While Accreditation@IDA certainly sounds promising in theory, I am skeptical about…

http://www.etsy.com/shop/reflectionsoflight Last year, I visited Cabo da Roca — the western most point of continental Europe. Amidst the incredible scenery, I couldn’t help but notice the irony that surrounded me. Tourists were busy scuttling around, taking photos of all possible permutations, before hopping back onto their buses.

And where we are now. — http://etzlucini.deviantart.com/ Ever since mobile phones have become our de facto camera, the cost of taking a photo has plummeted. We are now taking more photos of the world around us than ever before. Photos have become such a crucial piece in the consumer app space that companies are basing entire…

Perceived logic vs conceptual logic — M.C. Escher’s Waterfall As with any review site, we had to deal with user ratings. In our case, our users rated a place between 0 (bad) to 10 (great!). One straightforward approach to aggregate ratings is to use a simple average. But that comes with an inherent problem. …

Every opportunity has its costs. On hindsight, we celebrate the great ones and try not to regret the missed ones. How then, should we approach opportunities that come our way? To me, it’s about understanding how we want to mold ourselves, and using that to influence our decisions accordingly. Two…

He arguably fries one of the best plates of char kway teow, an intricate noodle dish constructed from the most basic of ingredients. For the past 40 years, Mr Kwee has been frying the same plate of noodles, every day. Mr Kwee is a hawker in Singapore. Hawkers serve food…

Fixing the lack of engineering talent in Singapore — A while back, I wrote about how the lack of home grown computer engineering talent is harming the progress of Singapore’s startup scene. I believe that there are two possible remedies to the talent problem. Import Singapore’s Economic Development Board, and Infocomm Development Authority, should continue to make a concerted push…

Lessons from Startup Roots Singapore — A week ago, Qin En — founder and director of The HUB Internship Program — wrote an engaging piece describing his discouragement over the future Singapore’s startup scene, based on his experience of running the program. I actually do agree with his over-arching themes. Singapore’s youth could be better infused…