This is an optional programme primarily for students in their 2nd year. However, entrepreneurial students in the other stages, who have the business acumen and can add value to the projects may also be considered for enrolment.

• Incubation Programme allows you to start up and run your own company in an incubation centre specially created to provide basic facilities and advice.

• The Length of Programme can be for the duration of the remainder of the degree course.

• Participating in the Programme for at least 6 months will be recognised, subject to satisfactory performance, as fulfilling the requirement for the 6 months Industrial Attachment. To qualify for incubation, students will be required to participate in some preparatory activities, i.e. Workshops and Seminars, and to submit a business proposal for consideration.

1) The Programme Outline

The total programme outline is as follows:

1. Preparatory Workshops (approx. 20 hrs) - Sessions take place throughout the year
2. Concept Plan Development - Begins after enrolment
3. Full Business Plan Development - Submission when ready
4. NSTB Business Plan Competition (First prize of $50,000) - This item is optional Seminars from technopreneurs, venture capitalists, sponsors, mentors, etc - Held throughout the year
5. Starting up in the Incubation Centre - Earliest starting date during first semester 2000 (For "Direct Entry", see paragraph 3)

2) Facilities to be made available to "Incubators"

These will include:

• Incubation space, within the "Incubation Centre" 

• Telephone, fax, computer networking, printing, copying, etc.

• Use of the laboratories, workshops, CAD/CAE facilities and other infrastructure

• Mentoring and consultancy from Faculty staff or assistance to locate suitable people from outside of the Faculty

• Sources of technology

Note: The start-up companies will be offered the above items depending on availability and on terms and conditions to be negotiated between the Faculty and the companies.

3) Flexibility

The workshops, although ideally completed before the start of incubation, may be spread over 1, 2 or 3 semesters, i.e. to allow "Direct Entry" to incubation. Here, some self-starting student project groups with very good proposals, sound business acumen and excellent business plans, may be allowed to start up their companies without first completing the workshops. These students can participate in the workshops during the time they are in the Incubation Centre. 

The length of incubation can vary and will generally extend up to graduation, when the graduates will take the companies off-campus.

4)The Programme Outline

4.1 Workshops - approximately 20 hours

The workshops will cover, for example, an overview of the venture process, business plan development, teaming, financials, evaluation of ideas, intellectual property protection, raising capital, negotiations, and lessons from successes and failures.

Students must achieve good attendance and substantially participate in the exercises and discussions.

Students who take the "Technopreneurship Minor" module may be exempted from the workshops.

4.2 Seminars - evenings and day time, at NUS or elsewhere

Approximately 3 seminars per semester will be available on technopreneurship and related topics. These will be announced to students. 

Students must attend at least 4 seminars.

4.3 Concept Plan 

During the workshops, the students will be asked to propose their own "technopreneurial" ideas and then develop a Concept Plan for it. The Concept Plan may be developed during the time of the workshops or shortly afterwards.

4.4 Full Business Plan

The development of the full business plan must result in a realistic and professional plan.

4.5 Business Plan Competition (OPTIONAL)

Students' business plans can be entered in the NSTB Business Plan Competition which is organised by CMIT. However, this will not be on the critical path of the Programme - it will be a parallel and optional activity. 

4.6 The Incubation Phase

Students in project teams of say 3 to 6 students per team who qualified with their business proposals and wish to proceed to form their companies will be invited to join the Incubation Centre. Each project team will be assigned a studio space within the Incubation Centre, and they can avail themselves of the facilities there and within the Faculty. The studios can be used by the students as their work and study space. 

The incubated start-ups are expected to be "self-starting" and "self-directing". It is a "real life" technopreneurship start-up where the aim is to develop a home-grown new company. The start-ups will have to take the initiative and find investors and willing helpers. A General Manager will be appointed to assist in seeking investments and managing the day-to-day operation of the Incubation Centre. He may also act as CEO of the new start-up companies - particularly to safe-guard investments which come via NUS and its partnering investors from outside. 

Faculty staff will be assigned to monitor the diligence and academic performance of the incubation students. The Faculty staff may be solicited, as needed, by the start-ups to act as consultants. Consultants may be offered equity in the companies in lieu of payment. 

5) Further Details

The Technopreneurship Programme Departmental staff representative, shown below, can give you more details.

6) To make further enquiries about enrolling into the Programme

Contact your Departmental Technopreneurship staff representatives:

Note: Students who wish to make a direct entry into an Incubation Programme (see Paragraph 3 above) should apply to the Technopreneurship Programme Director through your departmental representatives.