Called Innovators Academy, it will open opportunities to 1,300 Singapore students across 17 cities worldwide

The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) announced today the launch of a programme to help local students immerse themselves in international entrepreneurship internships.

The programme is called Innovators Academy and it will include funding to help ensure money is not the reason a student skips the opportunity.  It is linked to the Global Innovation Alliance, a Singaporean programme to help the city’s local businesses reach international markets.

The plan was revealed today at the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) by Heng Swee Keat, the Singapore Minister for Finance.

“By exposing Singapore students to a diverse range of innovation ecosystems abroad, the Innovators Academy hopes to groom future innovators and business leaders with a global perspective,” said Heng in a speech.

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Innovators Alliance is open to all Autonomous University students via partnerships with  National University Singapore, Nanyang Technical University, Singapore Management University and Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Other Autonomous University students can participate via Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

To highlight how this will work, Singapore Management University (SMU) and QBO, a Filipino innovation hub, signed an MOU today which will help facilitate the transfer of SMU students to the Philippines to work in local startups.

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The longterm plan is to build partnerships in 17 cities globally and open the programme to 1,300 students. The cities range dramatically in culture, size and location. For example, students could stay in Southeast Asia via Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City. They could pursue the China-experience in Shanghai or Chengdu. Or, they could visit an American college town in Boulder, Colorado.

The goal is to groom the future entrepreneurs that will help Singapore grow into a global innovation hub.

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