Unlocking the power of social entrepreneurship

Data Science and Analytics (DSA) student Ervin ONG is passionate about leveraging venture capital to create social impact. The summers of his undergraduate studies were spent in single-minded pursuit of his goals. He interned at various organisations that allowed him to contribute to this cause in different ways, including the national co-operative federation, an enterprise dedicated to changemaking, as well as a venture capital firm with a focus on healthcare, food and education.

His sojourn at NUS’ Overseas College (NOC) Norway was hence a natural extension of his interests.

At the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Ervin caught a glimpse of the School of Entrepreneurship’s curriculum, which “supported my learning of venture creation and bridged the theoretical and practical aspects of running a startup”, he says.

He also attended networking sessions, pitch nights and interesting events, such as comedy shows and the local TED event, TEDxTrondheim, and toured parts of Berlin and Amsterdam with his peers, enabling him to interact with the locals and delve into the culture.  He cites, as memorable moments, attending Olavsfest, a week-long local festival to commemorate St Olaf’s Day, where he sampled its unique culinary offerings such as reindeer burgers and its famous brown cheese, as well as Fårikål Feast Day where he tried Norwegian lamb and cabbage stew.

The support network of his peers proved to be invaluable, not just in helping him to adapt to the new environment but also to make the most of his limited time abroad. Navigating a foreign environment, cooking his own meals, managing his finances and adjusting to a much colder climate – these were but some of the challenges he faced. “Being at the other end of the globe without the comfort of home…I’ve grown more independent and resourceful as a result.”

Ervin interned at Hera Solutions, a company dedicated to streamlining waybill documentation and optimising freight transportation. As a developer, his role involved “designing and implementing innovative solutions” for web and mobile applications. This “reinforced the theories I learned, as I got to apply my knowledge of cybersecurity and data structures in professional settings,” he says.

These experiences have shaped Ervin’s aspirations as an entrepreneur. The international exposure from NOC highlighted the importance of global perspectives and opened his eyes to pursuing roles that involve cross-cultural collaboration and global impact.

At NOC, Ervin and his friend kicked off an F&B supply chain startup to optimise the ordering and stocktaking processes in food businesses and this has since gone on to receive the Venture Initiation Programme Award. This is his first step towards his future goals, where he plans to combine his expertise in data science with an understanding of social issues to “create meaningful and equitable change” through social entrepreneurship.