NUS and Tanoto Foundation help strengthen regional social sector

Team iChange wins inaugural “Crossing the Chasm Challenge,” an initiative that brings together social enterprises, industry mentors and students to address the first Sustainable Development Goal

Singapore, 21 September 2016 – Students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) worked together with top ASEAN social enterprises, to compete through the inaugural “Crossing the Chasm Challenge” for prizes amounting to S$75,000. The Challenge focused on students working with industry mentors to help social enterprises helping to end poverty devise marketing plans and pitches for success.

Organised by the Asia Centre for Social Enterprises and Philanthropy (ACSEP) at NUS Business School, with financial support from the Tanoto Foundation, this is the first time social enterprises and students were matched with industry experts to advance the social sector in the region, and have their solutions be pitched to a panel of judges to win prizes.

Team iChange, comprising NUS undergraduates Vincent Ng, Jared Ho, Terence Teoh and Tan Yan Ni, and their social enterprise, SDI academy, won the grand prizes of S$12,000 and S$30,000 respectively. In the final round of the challenge held on 16 September 2016, the team proposed strategic solutions to address the Singapore-based social enterprise’s outreach issues to empower migrant workers with communications skills.

Team Krakakoa, comprising Yale-NUS undergraduates Angela Ferguson, Anjali Hazra, Jermaine Pan and Regina Ng Si En, and their social enterprise Krakakoa, won the runners-up prizes of S$8,000 and S$20,000 respectively. The team proposed key differentiation and unique selling propositions for the Indonesian chocolate producer who was looking to expand into the Singapore market. The team also bagged the People Choice’s Award, winning additional S$2,500 each for their team and for Krakakoa.

Launched with the goal of offering students the opportunity to learn from real world social enterprises and enable them to contribute to the sustainability of the businesses, the annual Challenge encourages the participation of industry mentors to work closely with NUS students in conceiving and developing innovative solutions and approaches.