Månad: augusti 2018

We got the amazing opportunity to visit some local startups here in Singapore, accompanied by the Slush team and the volunteers. The companies we visited were:

Shopback: A loyalty and discovery platform for online retailers. Customers who use Shopback find and receive discounts easier.

Glints: A recruitment platform for companies to find the best talent on the market.

99.co: A firm focusing on making it easier to rent and sell property via an online platform.

Xfers: A financial technology firm with a vision to build a unified banking payment platform in Southeast Asia.

We learnt a lot about the company cultures and how their day to day business looks like. In the end there was a interesting panel discussion. The panelists consisted of workers from the startups we visited, and they shared their backgrounds and insights in working in a startup versus corporation and gave some career advice.

 

One of the things that makes Slush so special is that it is a volunteer driven event. Last year Slush Singapore had over 200 volunteers from 22 different countries and this year we got to help with the recruitment.

Aada, Annica and Jontte was given the opportunity to go on “roadshows” to local universities. The purpose of the roadshows is very simple: recruiting the best volunteers possible.
The task was surprisingly demanding as one had to be very out there and “in your face”. Even though the days on the road were tiring they were a lot of fun, we got to meet a lot of different people and it was great connecting with people who genuinely were interested in Slush and in the different tasks we had to offer.

The days came with a lot of rejection, but the times that we succeeded and got an awesome person to join our awesome team were worth all the cold showers.

All in all the days were a lot of fun and we were happy to do something important for Slush, because without the volunteers the event is impossible to pull off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kelvin, Annica and Jontte chatting with potential volunteers.

We have two offices that we work in here in Singapore. Both of them are co-working spaces, where different startups can rent either their own office, or just get access to the common areas in the office. Collision 8, at High Street Center, is our main office were we have our own office space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also work at The Great Room, which is about 400 m from Collision 8. Here we only have access to the common working areas.

We enjoy our working environments a lot, they give a nice boost to your workday and the views are amazing!

 

 

The core of Slush is to build a worldwide startup community for change-makers, by change-makers. Slush has always been about its vibe – an explosion of energy and drive, fueled by passion.

We believe that by challenging ourselves and our entrepreneurial minds we can overcome some of the biggest problems of today. Technology and inspiration are not enough alone. Change happens by pushing boundaries, and this is exactly what Slush Singapore 2018 calls for, change makers to join us in pushing these boundaries.

This year we are challenging you with five different tracks that are the core themes of Slush Singapore 2018; In the Labs, What’s next really?, Ethos and Virtue, Hustler’s DNA and last but not least Everything’s Finite. With these themes we are trying to push you to push your boundaries and to think about what happens next.

In other words Slush Singapore is much more than only a tech conference. It’s about building a worldwide startup community and the yearly event is a platform for doing just that.

The Slush core team with their huge expertise and know-how, guides us in our work and we are grateful for the warm welcome. We have already been given various challenging and exciting tasks within marketing, investor relations, volunteer and program management. We will get good insight into many aspects of organizing an unique event like Slush. 

Here you see almost all of the core team and us Finns.

Aada Willberg, 24, Turku, Economics

 

If you had a superpower what would it be?

Reading other’s thoughts. I know it would be super exhausting but I’m too curious to know what’s going on in other people’s heads.

Three things that pop in your mind when thinking of Singapore?

Crazy buildings, fried food and that Chewing Gum is illegal

One thing you already learnt about Slush?

It’s not another tech conference! It’s much much more

Share a life advice/ life lesson?

It’s tattooed so I don’t forget it; Dream.

Michaela “Mischa” Hagelin, 25, Turku, Comparative Religion/Organizations & Leadership 

If you had a superpower what would it be?

Power mimicry. Being able to write like J.K. Rowling, invent like Elon Musk and train like Cris Cyborg would be a dream come true.

Three things that pop in your mind when thinking of Singapore?

Futurism, fried food and Singlish.

One thing you already learnt about Slush?

The ideas converted into action stem from a diverse community of speakers, volunteers, thinkers and innovators.

Share a life advice/ life lesson?

A person’s true character shows in how they treat those who can do nothing for them, instead of how they treat their “equals”.

 

Miko Weckström, 21, Porvoo, Accounting 

If you had a superpower what would it be?

Teleportation! I could work here in Singapore, but at the same time be with my friends, family and my wonderful girlfriend in Finland!

Three things that pop in your mind when thinking of Singapore?

Food, harbour and moist.

One thing you already learnt about Slush?

The people working here are truly special and wonderful!

Share a life advice/ life lesson?

Focus on the important things in your life. Your life will be so much better if you just stop caring about the little things that don’t really matter at all in the long run.

 

Annica Sigfrids, 24, Turku, Social Sciences 

If you had a superpower what would it be?
Definitely flying! Wanna see the whole world.

 

Three things that pop in your mind when thinking of Singapore?
Noodles, Business center of Asia, Durian…

 

One thing you already learnt about Slush?
Slush loves it’s volunteers!

 

Share a life advice/ life lesson?
“De är som det är, och det blir som det blir” = It is what it is, and it’ll become what it’ll become.

 

Jonathan “Jontte” Nyström, 22, Turku, Business management 

If you had a superpower what would it be?

Breathing underwater, I love swimming and diving and would love to explore the oceans.

 

Three things that pop in your mind when thinking of Singapore?
Surveillance cameras, beautiful architecture and Singlish.

One thing you already learnt about Slush?

Slush Singapore doesn’t want you to learn something, it wants you to change something.

Share a life advice/ life lesson?

Be the one you are and accept yourself, no one else can be you.

 

Five crazy Finns landed in Singapore a couple of days ago and our adventure with Slush Singapore started right away. After some sleep we headed straight to our office and met the amazing Slush team whom we are helping for the next month. The first days has been a whirlwind, but we are slowly getting a hang of at least something and settling down.  

This means we also want, need and have time to tell all of you who we are, what we are doing, some insights to Slush Singapore and maybe also some shots from buzzling Singapore with its skyscrapers. We are already thankful to Åbo Akademi for making this opportunity possible. So don’t disappear, stay and take part of all the exciting updates!