International Womens Day 2023 – 12 Visionary Women Leaders in Entrepreneurship Education for Young Children International Womens Day 2023 is on Tuesday, March 8, 2023. This day is celebrated annually to recognize the achievements and contributions of women in various fields, including social, economic, culture,…
Andreas Schleicher, the director of education and skills at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development was speaking at the World Innovation Summit for Education in Paris and he said, “teaching kids to code is a waste of time” and we couldn’t agree more. By the time kids grow up, coding will be obsolete. By the way, things are moving, intelligent applications will be able to create digital products without having to code.
CEO and founder of Momboss Academy
Michelle Hon is the CEO and founder of Momboss Academy, a platform to help moms start and scale their own businesses. She is also an author, investor and leader for 4 businesses, from F&B, publishing, digital marketing to education. Her story has been featured on Channel News Asia, Lifetime Asia, Money Asia, Parenting World and more. In 2019, Zine named her one of the Top 10 Mom Influencers in the world.
Lead Coach, Founder & CEO – Kidspreneurship
Swati holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and a Masters in Communication Management and Entrepreneurship. She has over 10 years of experience and has spent the better part of her career helping corporates, startups, small and medium enterprises with digital marketing strategies. She is an entrepreneur at heart and has raised investments to scale her business. In 2018, while consulting an edtech startup she realized the gap between industry and school curriculum and created a new age curriculum & blueprint that focuses onn entrepreneurial mind-set for pre-teens. Swati is a regular trainer with many enrichment centers and schools in Singapore. GIIS recognized her valuable support as a mentor and judge for Star Young Achievers Program. Swati has trained thousands of students till date. She is now seeing an increased number of training request for Early Entrepreneurship Education from schools across Asia (including International Schools in India). Most parents observed increased emotional intelligence and an enhanced problem solving ability in their kids after few sessions with Kidspreneurship. Some students came up with extraordinary ideas during the class and are now pursuing those ideas. Kidspreneurship program developed by Swati has also been awarded “Leaders in Early Entrepreneurship Education” at the fifth annual Singapore Awards by APAC Insider. Swati has trained several professional trainers in Singapore including some veteran trainers from Adam Khoo Learning Centre, a leading education brands in South East Asia. All of them unanimously found the program to be extremely beneficial for their students. Enrichment centers have incorporated the trainings for their students. She is on a mission to create an edu-system that promotes entrepreneurial mindset through workshops & regular programs for kids and teacher training programs for educators.
Entrepreneur & Venture Investor
Prantik is an entrepreneur & venture investor and acts as a Digital Transformation Catalyst in organizations to drive change, growth & impact.
After graduating from NUS, he kick-started his career with the Singapore government to drive international trade promotion for the country.
He started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade scaling up one of the most awarded independent digital marketing services firm, before a successful exit to dentsu International.
He is a regular columnist and in 2015, he was recognized as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Marketers in the World.
Serial Entrepreneur
Rahul Narvekar, CEO & Founder, India Network and India Angel Fund, the man behind several successful entrepreneurial ventures, is on a mission to create a million entrepreneurs in the next three years. Everyone calls Rahul the North Star of Entrepreneurship. One would imagine why? Well, the North Star is the anchor of the northern sky and helps those who follow it to determine direction while navigating them towards a purposeful destination.
An HR thought leader in my professional life and an Explorer in my personal life. I love to understand the ‘WHY’ behind almost everything. I am seasoned talent management, learning, leadership and organization development leader with 15+ years of experience working with the CXOs, setting up the L&OD function and scaling learning programs globally. I have worked with some of the world’s best-known companies; across the US, Middle East, India and the Asia Pacific. I have a reputation as an outcome-focused enabler, who challenges and reframes thinking.
Co-founder and CEO, CRIB
Dr Elaine Kim is a medical doctor and entrepreneur. She is the co-founder and CEO of Trehaus, an integrated co-lifestyle space for families with a preschool, office space/ business club with creche, and family club. Trehaus School is a Silicon Valley-inspired preschool and childcare that is changing early education, focuses on building character and future skills, and lets parents be present for their children’s learning journey. Prior to taking the helm at Trehaus, she was the CEO of CRIB, a social enterprise she co-founded to empower women to become successful entrepreneurs through networking, co-founder and investor/start-up matching and training and equipping of female founders. Her experiences inspired her to start Trehaus and provide a solution for other working parents to find work-life integration, pursuing successful careers and businesses while prioritizing family and not missing out on their children’s’ precious, formative first years. After a decade as a doctor caring for terminally ill patients, she continues her involvement in palliative care through her work with the Singapore Ministry of Health Ageing Planning Office and remains involved in various charitable causes, especially through the philanthropic arm CRIB Gives Back that she launched at the helm of CRIB. She is married to venture capitalist John Kim of Amasia VC and they have 3 young children.
Founder and Chief Of All Things, indigrow
Kshama Alur is the Founder + Chief of All Things at indigrow, an early culture learning platform to raise confident and empathetic kids of tomorrow. She is also founder of The Better Alternative a sustainable consulting agency. Formerly in senior positions with Unilever and ABInbev, she has more than 17 years of brand marketing strategy, innovation and sustainability planning experience. She left the standard corporate life to be an entrepreneur and diligently juggles between her two companies. On one hand, she specialises in designing and facilitating customised learning workshops on branding, digital marketing and sustainability through her company The Better Alternative. On the other hand, she heads up indigrow, which makes delightful books and games that create cultural connections for little kids growing up to be global citizens of the world. While not wearing her entrepreneur hat, you can find her sipping on her favourite craft brew or spending time in her garden with two lovely dogs and her two-year-old son.
Ujjwal Sarao has been successfully working in the upper echelons of talent management across Asia Pacific and has been on the forefront of innovation in the HR industry for over two decades. During her career she has managed talent at all levels at international organization’s and has helped future proof organizations using her unique talent management & learning approaches. In her years working at the highest level she has become a strategic business partner for the CEO and the executive leadership team. Not only did she become a strategic business partner for C-level executives at organizations like Dentsu, Aegis Media, ESPN, CNBC and ESPN Star Sports, but she also has been pivotal in developing young, promising processionals in these organizations and help them reach their full potential.
Hariharan has been leading Singapore start-up Third Wave Power for the past several years. Third Wave Power develops affordable and innovative portable renewable power solutions that serve portable energy needs for consumers living in off grid rural areas. The solutions range from solar lighting, solar education, entertainment, and livelihood solutions. Hari brings more than 25 years’ experience from the information technology industry. In Hewlett-Packard Company and Wipro Infotech, he was in general management roles as well as senior positions in sales and marketing. Among the various roles at HP, he held the position of Vice President/General Manager for the worldwide Monochrome LaserJet Division and also served as Vice President of Sales & Field Operations for the Imaging/Printing Business for Asia-Pacific. Hari is also on the Board of several companies. Hari has extensive experience in Product Marketing as well as building go-to-market for consumer and business products. Throughout his career, he has been involved in scaling many New and Emerging businesses. Hari holds a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Chennai and a Master degree in Business Administration from IIM Bangalore.
He is the Director of Corporate Training at Buoyancee. He has a knack of making people to perform better, by helping them to discover themselves, enable and monitor to develop the right tools, enhance skills & productive habits, and mentor them to reach their goals. He trains all over India in 6 languages and has been a part of large change initiatives of Adidas, Ajax Fiori, Bisleri, Brigade group, Canara Bank, ITC group, Lupin Pharma, SBI, and many more blue-chip companies. With his 15 yrs experience in the industry spanning sales/ marketing, production/ planning & admin/ training at top positions in blue chip companies, he is able to connect employees who work in cross-functions, and make them gel as performing teams. He has conducted schooling for the Rotary & the Lions executives in 4 states, and through their projects, empowered over 200,000 teens and youth, all over India. Apart from training over 50,000 parents and another 25,000 teachers all over India, he had the privilege to conduct training for over 2500 engineering college lecturers, through the world bank aided TEQIP – Technical Education Quality Improvement Project in Karnataka and Goa.
MOE Certified Instructor
Location – Singapore
Swati is a certified happiness coach specializing in kids’ well-being (Certified by Happiitude & Berkeley Institute of Well-being, California). In 2018, while consulting an ed-tech start-up she realized the gap between industry and school curriculum and created a new age curriculum & blueprint that focuses on an entrepreneurial mindset for young students. She started Kidspreneurship, an edtech venture focused on inculcating an entrepreneurial mindset in kids. Swati is a regular trainer with many enrichment centres and schools in Singapore. GIIS recognized her valuable support as a mentor and judge for Star Young Achievers Program. Kidspreneurship program developed by Swati has also been awarded “Leaders in Early Entrepreneurship Education” for two consecutive years at Singapore Awards by APAC Insider. Swati has trained several professional trainers in Singapore including some veteran trainers from Adam Khoo Learning Centre, a leading education brand in Southeast Asia.
Location – India
Sidra is a dynamic trainer with experience in conducting offline and online training sessions for pre-schoolers, and primary and secondary schools. At a young age, Sidra has already trained for 300+ hours and helped students develop problem-solving abilities. She is immensely passionate about teaching students about skills, mindset, and knowledge required to think like an entrepreneur. Sidra believes education should prepare students for their lives and it needs to evolve. Sidra loves reading books and writing. She has around 2 years of experience in teaching.
Location – Hong Kong
With 7 years experience in digital space, Somya started her own entrepreneurial journey by establishing a digital agency in Singapore. She has been associated with Kidspreneurship since 2019. She has conducted sessions on building self-esteem & confidence, problem-solving, growth mindset, design thinking and entrepreneurship for primary school students. She has experience in conducting offline and online training sessions.
MOE Certified Instructor
Location – Singapore
Silas Koh is a dynamic trainer with experience in developing training materials and conducting training for Junior College students in public speaking for Model United Nations (MUN) conferences. Silas also conducted workshops on leadership skills. This was done in his capacity as president of the MUN club in Victoria Junior College; he also won several personal accolades at various MUNs during his time at the club. Silas believes in igniting passion in students towards learning.
MOE Certified Instructor
Location – Singapore
Yama Min is a visionary entrepreneur with extensive experience focused on technical training and innovative education. He is a founder and managing director of in3labs learning, a technological and engineering education company that aims to empower the young generation to be creators of technology, inspiring individuals, and the next generation of entrepreneurs. He was also featured in all the leading media publishing outlets for robotics and coding education. He has been actively involved in business development, collaborative partnership, and management of the business operation, and plays an important role in organizing the annual Asia Pacific Youth Robotics Competition (APYRC), an annual event that attracts 800+ students from more than 5 countries. Yama believes that an entrepreneurial mindset can help students develop a positive attitude towards life and learning. It changes students’ outlook. Hence, the associated himself with Kidspreneurship and created a program “Technopreneurship”.
MOE Certified Instructor
Location – Singapore
Ivan has more than 6 years of experience in conducting training sessions for corporate organisations, MOE schools, private enrichment centres and even pre-schools. Ivan doesn’t transfer subject knowledge. More importantly, he seeks to develop the participants’ thinking skills, character strengths and moral values through the subjects that he teaches. Learning is most effective when the learners are actively engaged and having fun – so that is something Ivan tries to do for every lesson. Ivan has a knack to engage his learners. He is also a certified financial planner. He has worked with close to 60 MOE schools in Singapore and trained on subjects related to Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking, Financial Literacy, Public Speaking and more.
MOE Certified Instructor
Location – Singapore
Sharon Wan is a dynamic trainer with experience in conducting offline and online training sessions for primary and secondary schools in Singapore. Sharon Wan believes mindset training is very critical for young students as it sets them up for success. Sharon Wan has over 10 years of experience. She has served as a French Teacher at Global Indian International School from 2009 to 2014. She has also been serving as an Adjunct Lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic from 2012 to the present.
MOE Certified Instructor
Location – Singapore
Maggie Theresa Chua Suan Eng is a dynamic trainer with experience in conducting offline and online training sessions for pre-schoolers and primary & secondary schools in Singapore. Maggie Theresa Chua Suan Eng has trained on topics like developing problem-solving ability. Maggie Theresa Chua Suan Eng believes in nurturing children to be self-directed and independent lifelong learners Maggie Theresa Chua Suan Eng loves reading, exercising, cooking, and taking up courses to upgrade herself. Maggie Theresa Chua Suan Eng has over 23 years of experience in teaching. She has trained primary school students on various topics including design thinking and environmental sustainability.
MOE Certified Instructor
Location – Singapore
For more than 27 years, Ronald is highly experienced and dedicated in his interest and passion to engage and enrich every learning moment for learners, both online and face-to-face, for pre-schoolers, and primary and secondary schools in Singapore. Ronald exercises great care and, coupled with his vast experience, infuses strong values whilst developing the mental, social and emotional competencies of learners to effectively problem-solve. Over the last 2 years, he has served 30+ public schools (primary & secondary) on social skills.
MOE Certified Instructor
Location – Singapore
Yeo Eng Pheow, Johnny has 12 years of experience as an adjunct Lecturer in Supply Chain Management diploma modules at Republic Polytechnic including 8 years of lecturing on Cognitive Processes (including design thinking) and Problem-Solving modules for all first-year students. He has also served 4 years as Adjunct Lecturer and Tutor at the Business School in Temasek Polytechnic. Yeo Eng Pheow, Johnny has 2 years of life skill training for Business School undergraduates at SIM which included subjects like Personal Mastery, Leadership, Emotional Intelligence and Strategic Thinking. He also has 8 years of experience in conducting Tony Buzan Mind Mapping and Habits of the Mind to Secondary Schools assigned by the Nurture Craft and Brain Capital Group. He has taught learners in all age groups.
