Written by Michelle Beeler & Marija Atanasijevic
Today, on the 4th of July, we had the privilege of visiting the ACE Ideation Center, an inspiring hub dedicated to nurturing startups. ACE, which stands for Action Community for Entrepreneurship, is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit that Singapore has. The center’s mission is to advocate for the interests of startups and members, foster innovation and collaboration among ecosystem players, and enhance the capabilities and capacities necessary for startup growth. ACE focuses on three main pillars: encouraging youth entrepreneurship, building a sustainable ecosystem for startups, and promoting global connectivity and expansion.
During our visit, we were introduced to two successful startups.
Founded in 2017, Agegracefully is transforming the market for walking sticks with its smart, stylish, and innovative designs. Recognizing the need for mobility aids that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing, the company has developed a range of walking sticks that incorporate advanced safety features. These aren’t any ordinary walking sticks—they come equipped with LED lights, auto fall alarms, radios, MP3 players, built-in chairs, built-in umbrellas, and interchangeable quad bases to suit varying conditions. Agegracefully’s products demonstrate a deep understanding of the needs of the elderly, offering them not just support but also style and safety.
Speco, another impressive startup founded in 2017, is at the forefront of biotechnology, committed to eliminating invisible health threats through safer, more sustainable cleaning supplies. The inspiration for Speco came from the founder’s experience leading a social enterprise that supported cleaning jobs for various individuals. He observed that elderly cleaners suffered from “no fingerprints” due to the harsh chemicals they used daily. Determined to find a safer alternative, Speco developed innovative cleaning solutions, which reduce the product usage amount and minimizes chemical waste. Speco gained significant recognition during the Covid-19 pandemic, emerging as a key player in the fight against the virus. Today, Speco’s customers includes prominent names like Singapore Airlines, Changi Airport, and Mitsubishi.
Visiting the ACE Ideation Center and learning about startups like Agegracefully and Speco was an interesting experience. It highlighted the importance of support systems like ACE in fostering entrepreneurial success, and showed us what it is like to build a startup in Singapore.
After lunch, we listened to an interesting presentation about EPAM, a company composed of consultants, designers, engineers, architects, and trainers. Their main goal is to help their customers stay competitive and disruptive in the marketplace through innovative technology solutions. EPAM helps its customers be more competitive by delivering solutions that combine best-in-class engineering with strategy, design, consulting, and innovation services.
The presentation highlighted how EPAM operates on a global scale while maintaining the agility and dynamism of a start-up. Their approach involves working in diverse teams to deliver exceptional results for their clients.
After the presentation, we had the rest of the day free to relax and reflect on everything we had learned.
Many thanks to the ACE Ideation Center, Agegracefully, Speco and EPAM for their time and dedication as well as their exciting presentations.
