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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.
Features
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Structured lessons and
mentorship
Learn through hands-on workshops and guidance from experienced mentors.
Local startup ecosystem visits
Meet founders and ecosystem partners, and experience the local startup landscape first-hand.
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Develop a business idea
Turn your insights into a business concept with a clear value proposition and business model.
Pitch to investors
Present your solution to a panel and receive feedback to strengthen your idea./asean-china_isc.png?sfvrsn=fbcd3b26_1 "ASEAN-China_ISC")
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Hear from Our Students
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Beyond Demo Day: Why One Student Kept Building After
What changed the way you thought about entrepreneurship?
Abhinandan: I didn't expect the professors to go so in-depth. They really wanted us to explain everything: the financial statements, the logistics, whether the idea would actually work. They kept asking, "Have you gone down and spoken to people?"
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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.
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Finding Humility Through Business
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Not a Startup Person?
Frequently Asked Questions
ISC is designed for students without prior business or startup experience and welcomes students from all programmes of study. The programme encourages innovation and teamwork with participants of diverse backgrounds and allows participants to be exposed to startup ecosystems and what is like to be entrepreneurs. Participants are not required to register a company upon completion of the programme.
Eligibility
The programme is presented with credit bearing (CDO303XXX) and non-credit bearing options. The non-credit bearing option is offered to all SUSS students – full-time (FT), part-time (PT) undergraduate and postgraduate. The credit bearing option is offered to students who have sufficient credit units in the following baskets:
- Students matriculated before July 2023 semester
- General Electives
- Minor in Introduction to ASEAN-China-India Electives
- Minor in Food Security and Sustainability Electives (For CDO303SU)
- Minor in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Electives (For CDO303, CDO303SU and CDO303GER)
- Minor in Applied Ageing Studies Electives (For CDO303GER)
- SUSS Core Unrestricted Electives
- Students matriculated from July 2023 semester
- Free Electives o Minor in Introduction to ASEAN-China-India Electives
- Minor in Food Security and Sustainability Electives (For CDO303SU)
- Minor in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Electives (For CDO303, CDO303SU and CDO303GER)
- Minor in Applied Ageing Studies Electives (For CDO303GER)
- SUSS Core Compulsory Engagement, in lieu of NIE351 (up to July 2026 semester only)
| Credit Bearing (CDO303XXX) | Non-Credit Bearing | |
| Fee (before GST) | S$857 for Singaporean citizens (5 CU equivalent course fees) | S$180 |
| Canvas access | Yes | No |
| Assignment submission | Yes, graded | No, but contribution towards group work is required |
| Grade | Contributes 5 CU to academic requirements, letter graded | No grade |
| Certificate | No certificate presented, reflected in academic transcript | E-certificate of completion presented |
| Attendance | Full attendance across all programme dates required | Full attendance across all programme dates required |
Students wishing to overload in the semester of participation must request approval from their Head of Programme (HoP) by writing to Student Services. Please note that requests are granted on a case-by-case basis.
3-4 tracks to different cities are offered per semester. Students should choose only one track, as the content is the same across all cities.
To account for the safety of all students, flight and accommodation will be arranged as a group by the SUSS-appointed travel partner. Students cannot make their travel arrangements independently or alter travel dates.
| Day | Agenda |
| 0 | Pre-programme session
|
| 1 | Team formation Ideation and Javelin Board |
| 2 | Customer and Problem Hypothesis Startup/Incubator/VC visit 1 |
| 3 | Designing Experiments Startup/Incubator/VC visit 2 Get-out-of-building |
| 4 | Value Proposition Canvas Solution Testing |
| 5 | Pitch deck preparation Pitch rehearsal |
| 6 | Demo day – Pitch to Investors and Startup Mentors |
Teams are formed with local students of the host city on Day 1 of the programme. Participants need not form teams before the programme.
There are 4 assignments to be completed – 3 group-based assignments (GBAs) and 1 tutor-marked assignment (TMA). GBAs are completed during the 6-day programme, and all assignments must be completed and submitted within 1 week upon completion of the programme.
- 10% - Javelin Board (GBA01)
- 10% - Value Proposition Canvas (GBA02)
- 60% - Final Pitch to Judges (GBA03)
- 20% - Reflection (TMA01)
CDO303XXX is a letter graded course. The course is eligible for the pass/fail option (for more details please refer to the New SUSS Undergraduate Curriculum FAQs).
- Credit bearing option (w/o GST): S$857 (5 CU equivalent course fees)
- Non-credit bearing option (w/o GST): S$180
Other costs include flight, accommodation (twin-sharing), local transportation, travel insurance, visa (if applicable), vaccination (if applicable), and personal expenses. The cost ranges from S$1,000 to S$1,500, depending on the city.
Please note that students are not allowed to tap on multiple sources of financial support for the same expenses.
Step 1: Pre-register via events publicised on Success Gateway. QR codes and registration links will also be shared through eDMs and information sessions.
Step 2: Upon receiving confirmation of your registration,
- (Credit bearing) Register for the course during the eCR (online course registration) and Add/Drop periods.
- (Non-credit bearing) A separate link will be sent to you via email, where you will need to fill in your particulars and make payment for the programme fee.
Please note that pre-registration does not guarantee your placement until Step 2 has been completed.
Each track can accommodate a maximum of 25 SUSS students.
