Profile
Startup activity is rarely a straight line, and this 96.5-hour, part-time SCTP programme from NUS accepts that from the outset. The learning journey is built around the actual sequence of founding a business, not just the pitch deck. You begin with validating a problem and identifying a viable customer segment, then work through the decisions that shape a new venture: business model design, pricing, and the legal and regulatory groundwork for operating in Singapore.
Early sessions ground you in the practical mechanics of getting an entity off the ground. Expect to work through financial planning for early-stage companies, basic cash flow management, and the operational structure a small team needs to function. As you progress, the focus shifts outward—toward customer acquisition, distribution, and early revenue conversations. The part-time format means you can test what you learn against real customers or a day job, which is often where the hard lessons surface.
The second half of the programme moves into positioning and resilience. You learn how to refine an offering based on feedback, pitch to stakeholders, and manage the inevitable pivots that come with limited resources. There is deliberate attention on managing yourself as a founder as well—time, stress, and decision-making under uncertainty. By this stage, you are not just absorbing concepts; you are applying them within a structured, mentored environment.
By the end, you should be able to launch a business and steward it through its first period of operation. That means articulating a value proposition backed by evidence, setting up basic financial and operational systems, securing customers or early revenue, and making adjustments when results differ from plan. The course references TGS-2025052421 and is eligible for part-time Training Allowance support, which may ease the financial strain of re-skilling while you work.
What matters is the outcome: a founder who has moved from initial idea to a reasoned, funded and testable plan—and has the confidence to act on it. If you are mid-career and considering a start, or already experimenting with a concept and want structure without quitting your job, this journey is worth examining closely.