It is with a heavy heart yet again this time of the year where another batch of founders are graduating from Founder Institute Singapore. This is my fifth run and it has been an interesting ride to say the least.
It went by really fast and not without drama even though Adeo was not here to kick off the semester. We tested a few things running the semester this time round and spent a little more time getting to know the founders in and out of class. The Founders in the Bay 2012 trip gave a boost to the class from a fellow founder Sam from Family Play who was with me and 9 other founders in the Bay Area.
It is always heartening to watch them grow, mature, harden like real steel in the world of business and startups. Towards the end of the semester, ideas get sharper and more focused. Visions become bolder but executable. Many of them have put on more “confidence” as they will all soon know enough they will be jumping into the unknown. Several will do very well, some of whom have received term sheets before graduating, which is interesting considering we are an idea stage incubator. Finally, we have the largest female cohort (25% are female grads) ever to graduate at one go, and all of whom are pretty special. They are determined and can hustle with the best men and women out there.
In closing, a few words for those of you who are graduating:
YOU ALREADY HAVE THE BALLS TO GO THROUGH WITH THIS AND FINISH, SO PLEASE AIM BIG. LOOK TO CHANGE OR REINVENT OLD INDUSTRIES IF NOT THE WORLD (NOONE SAID IT IS GOING TO BE EASY). IT IS NOW YOUR JOURNEY TO BUILD THE COMPANY YOU WANT TO WORK FOR, NOONE CAN TALK YOU OUT OF IT EXCEPT YOURSELF. THE @FOUNDING FAMILY IS ALWAYS HERE.
HOWEVER MUCH YOU HAVE LEARNT, GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. YOU ARE HEADS ABOVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE SINGAPORE ECOSYSTEM SO BE PROUD AND SHOW THEM THE WAY.
NO GOODBYES, LET’S START DOING.
Thank you again to all mentors and sponsors alike who made SGFI happen!