Govt too tardy in recognizing its own talents

robertteh SG

If someone has a good idea in Singapore and tries to visit one of the agencies like Spring, EDB as I have once done most likely he will be asked: "Has your idea worked and how has it worked or do you set up a company to market your product?"

In other words if you are only a starter and even if you have very good systems which worked for you these agencies are not interested. What they want are mature ideas which already worked. They are not interested in seeing a new ideas which may be better than existing ideas on their table.

Then by this time when you are totally turned off by all the conditions and getting no headway, and start asking for more help, you will most likely be given some names and telephones like Chamber of Commerce agencies etc.

So you called or emailed those persons from CEOs to some other high sounding personalities you will be referred from one person to another with excuses like they only look after some other matters and you are barking up the wrong trees.

My conclusion is that Singapore government does not help talents to flourish because they only look for mature and successful people to bet on safe horses and not the budding talents.

So forget it !! Let the Spring and EDB and ministers continue to do their boasting and look-good assistance schemes for entrepreneurs.

These schemes are not intended to grow the budding entrepreneurs but to share their glories or a piece of the cake.

How hypocrites work. That would be the end of your entrepreneurship in this little red dot which only looks for mature and successful entrepreneurs to get a ride or for greenhorn foreign talents which give them good international publicity free. Back to top

phil30k SG

The only advice I can give you is start small.

Use your smaller ideas, make them successful. You'd learn a lot along the way. Build up your expertise and experience so that you'd be in a better position to tackle the big ones. With some kind of track record you'll be in a better position to gain some capital, from friends, family or left over from previous business success.

If you don't come from a rich family with connections you're definitely at a serious disadvantage but it won't be impossible.

marcolow SG

It's heartening to note that EDB and SPRING actually listened to your ideas.

Since a few schemes are indeed in place to aid entrepreneurs-wanna-be, the organisations which you have mentioned probably prefer interested parties to apply for these when they call for submissions, instead of approaching them separately. This would allow them to examine and judge applications concurrently, in a convenient, effective and fair manner. As funds are limited, a rigorous selection system is essential.

The same relates to many corporations' recruitment process as well. To fill a vacant post, companies invite potential candidates for interviews and choose from this pool of talent, rather than waiting for suitable individuals to come knocking on their doors.

kilua SG

http://www.igda.org/Forums/showthread.php?s=42eff0be80ec0491006dcd0921034252&threadid=1846

The Creative and EDB story.

The post below is what I got from a forum about Creative's
CEO Sim Wong Hoo's encounter with the EDB/NCB.

This poster echoes my opinion about govt participation
in entrepreneurship. They are a hindrance and barrier
to ordinary people like us.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Frog3" wrote in message
news:[email protected]

Lee Kuan Yew can keep his illusions about a citizenry
brutalized by a police state in a bankrupt system turning
out to be entrprenuers. Just for the record he openly
denigrated Singapore's most successful entreprenuer,
Sim Wong Woo when Sim's Creative hit a bad patch about 4
years ago.

Lee believed that his "top talent" could do better.
==================================================
==
I will give u a more interesting story about Sim Wong Woo
and the scholars and the government.

Whe SWW had developed the 8 bit cound card, he came to
NCB (National Computer Board, now known as iDA)to explain
what he has done and why he needed $ 250K to market this
at Comdex ( trade show in the U.S.) The CEO of NCB was
Lim Swee Say (current Minister) and the Chairman was
Tan Chin Nam (now Perm Sec of MoM).

Both of them ended up ridiculing him, saying that no one
would every want to hear a sound from the PC. And moreover
also mentioned that he was just a poly dip holder and thet
he needs to develop something for the local market for
which NCB would give him assistance. They also shunted him
to TDB, which finally ended up giving him a $15K grant to
participate.

SWW went to Walden's office who ended up giving him $800k
immediately for an undisclosed stake and the rest as they
say is history.

In 1994 and 1995, after Creative's success, the CEO of
NCB ( Ko Keng Hwa, now CEO of EDB) and various other
officials tried very hard inviting him to sit on committes,
Boards and others. He didnt even return calls.

In one year when the nomination committee nominated him
for the Entreprenuer of the year award (1994, I think) he
declined. That year it was given to the Thakral group.
Subsequent year, needed a personal persuation from the PM.

He has considerably mellowed down but I dont think he has
forgotton the insult and embarassment.
==================================================
=======
In late 1993, Aztech wanted to do the sound cards and
actually hired 2 engineers from Creative. ITI (information
Technology Institute) which has now become KRDL and Aztech
signed a joint MOU to develop multimedia products. But,
their real agenda was to try and reverse engineer Sound
Blaster and make a better chip. After 5 months they did
come up with a prototype, but was highly unreliable.
Aztech pursued other initiatives and tried to clone
SoundBlaster. They infringed several copyrights and lost
their case both in singapore and U.S.

All, I am saying is that if at all there was roadblocks,
it was the Government.

Hence I respect SWH for having been steadfast in his
approach. I take my hats of for him
==================================================
======

FYI Aztech is a GLC.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

If this can irk you enough, you might as well hold a job, rather than start a business.

HyperFocal SG

... isn't surprising at all really,.. they are only good at helping themselves & not anything else...

... wtf you expect Robby?

... it's like those Artificial Food displays you see at restaurants - nice to look at but not edible...

... they only look after their own interests lah... never pin ones hope on the government...

mistyblue SG

why do you want to give your ideas to Spring and EDB? They will listen and then turn you away. next thing you know, it will be implemented by the government and you will lose any rights.

One of my class mate (the footballer from Australia who broke his leg on the 1st game and then never played onwards but still carried a 10K salary in Singapore and even bought a 10k facial package), he said Singapore had this stupid idea that enforce that foreigners had to hand over their business ideas when they want to come in and ask for a grant and start some business. He said that no one in their right mind will hand over a business idea or plan. Because, for all you know, the government agency will copy it and that's the end of their business idea.

Aye, foreigners are not stupid ok. Why Singaporeans are so naive .... save your ideas and go implement it somewhere else where your idea will be appreciated and you can make money and not have it copied by some govt linked corp.