Industrial Seminar Series (ISS): The F&B Sector

On 19 November 2021, we welcomed our Statistics alumna Stella WANG, Founder of food technology company QuantFood and her business partner, Clement YANG, Business Development Manager at food startup incubator Innovate 360, who shared their career pathways and experiences with our students.

This was the last ISS in Semester 1 and attendees were mainly students majoring in Food Science and Technology, Chemistry, Life Sciences and Data Science.

Stella’s sharing, at times brutally honest, covered the numerous obstacles she faced trying to secure her first job after graduation. This resonated with our students and assuaged some of their concerns on venturing into the workplace. She continually emphasised the importance of self-confidence and job interview preparedness, and offered practical tips from her perspective as both an employee and a hiring manager.

Her passion as an entrepreneur came across clearly when she spoke on her brainchild, QuantFood, a Sichuan cuisine food and lifestyle company she founded in 2018. This was coupled with anecdotes and advice on the trials and rewards in launching her own business.

Clement Yang painted a vibrant scene of the food startup ecosystem, where aspiring entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds such as food science, business, and data science have translated their dreams into reality through sustainable and healthy food creations. Innovate 360, the first food accelerator with facilities in Singapore, was founded by local sugar magnate Cheng Yew Heng, and it provides infrastructural support, industry connections and venture funding to local food startups.

The ISS will resume in Semester 2 with selected employers including Micron Technologies, HTX and Cargill.