About the Programme

The Impact Startup Challenge (ISC) is an entrepreneurship bootcamp where students form teams, engage in brainstorming sessions, validate their business ideas, design prototypes, and present a pitch in front of a panel of judges. Students will benefit from opportunities to connect with experts from different domains by engaging with startup and local communities.

Key components of the programme include:

Structured lessons and mentorship on the Lean Startup methodology
Visits to the local startup ecosystem
Get-out-of-Building sessions to conduct interviews with the local community for validation of ideas
Cross-cultural collaboration with local students

Upcoming Tracks

January 2026 Semester

CDO303SU ISC in Sustainability

Location: Mumbai, India
Pre-Programme Session: 16 Dec 2025, Tuesday, 7-10pm SGT, SUSS
Programme Date: 4 – 11 Jan 2026 (Inclusive of travel)

May 2026 Special Semester

CDO303GER ISC in Gerontology (Global ISC)

Location: Singapore, SUSS
Pre-Programme Session: 27 Apr 2026, Monday, 7-10pm SGT, SUSS
Programme Date: 10 – 16 May 2026

CDO303ACI ASEAN-China-India ISC

Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Pre-Programme Session: 18 May 2026, Monday, 7-10pm SGT, SUSS
Programme Date: 25 – 30 May 2026 (Inclusive of travel)

Assignments

10% - Javelin Board [GBA01]
10% - Value Proposition Canvas [GBA02]
60% - Final Pitch to Judges [GBA03]
20% - Reflection [TMA01]

Programme Fees

Credit bearing students: Course fee and travel-related costs.
Non-credit bearing students: Programme fee of S$180 (w/o GST) and travel-related costs.
For eligible SUSS students, 80% subsidy (capped at S$900) available for travel-related costs.

What happens after ISC?

Students who are interested to launch their impact-driven ventures can join the SUSS Venture Builder Programme or SUSS Cert/Minor in Entrepreneurship.

Venture Builder Programme

The SUSS Venture Builder (VB) Programme is a 3-month structured programme to support aspiring and existing founders in building and sustaining their impact ventures, powered by Ngee Ann Kongsi, Mrs Lee Choon Guan and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

Learn More

Cert/Minor in Entrepreneurship

A 30 credit unit bearing incubation programme for startups with a minimum viable product and ready to take their startups to the next level. Through the programme, startups will receive resources, mentorship from industry experts and gain access to local and regional networks. Startups that secure substantial funding or achieve $250k annual revenue will complete the programme and be awarded a Minor or Certificate in Entrepreneurship.

Learn More

Have questions?

Learn more about eligibility, timelines, and other key details.

View FAQ

Captured Moments

Impact Startup Challenge - Featured Articles

Finding Humility Through Business

For Kishanraj S/O Selvaraj, a full-time Bachelor of Social Work student, he never imagined himself in a startup bootcamp. But through the Gerontology edition of the Impact Startup Challenge in Taiwan, he discovered that entrepreneurship and social work share the same foundation: listening, testing, and co-creating solutions with people.

More Than a Startup Pitch Challenge

For Ng Wei Xuan, a full-time Business Analytics student, the question of how many of us are truly equipped to spot opportunities and create real value came to life when his classroom extended to the streets of Hechuan, Chongqing. His team’s startup idea—a medical escort service—couldn’t stay abstract.

Not a Startup Person?

For Germaine Tan, a full-time Psychology student, caring about ageing and healthcare is simply second nature. Through the Global Impact Startup Challenge, she learned to see problems differently—mixing ideas from around the world and across disciplines—and exploring angles her textbooks never showed her.