Understanding the pressing issues of inequality and the climate crisis, Pioneers in Innovation investigates how we can create meaningful solutions using technology. What are the ideas that we need? How can we communicate these ideas? What does Singapore need to do to support our youths in their innovation journey?
To engage with these questions, we have a personal sharing by Tan Min Liang and a debate featuring Isaac Timothy Tay and Lien Choong Luen. We also have two panel discussions featuring Gaurav Keerthi and James Chan in one panel and Viveka Kalidasan, Ainul Md Raib and Kong Man Jing in another.
11 March 2023
7.30 pm
Pioneers in Innovation
The Speakers
Min-Liang Tan
CEO and Co-Founder of Razer
Tan Min-Liang
Min-Liang Tan is the co-founder and CEO of Razer – the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers. Under Min’s leadership, Razer grew from a two-man start-up to a global unicorn. He oversees the design of all Razer products, and today, Razer is one of the largest gaming ecosystems in the world, encompassing hardware, software, and services. Min graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law.
Viveka Kalidasan
Head of Let-Lab
Viveka Kalidasan
Viveka Kalidasan heads Let-Lab, the innovation lab of Ultra Clean Holdings Inc in Singapore. It creates new ventures from start-ups that address unmet needs in the semiconductor industry 4.0 space. She has been recognised as MIT Technology Review's 35 Innovator under 35 and also one of the top 100 Women in Technology in Singapore, particularly for her work spearheading the translation of WiSe, a Wireless Sensing platform technology. She founded The Edify Project, a one-stop mentorship platform. She dreams of a world in which more girls and women pursue STEM and has been a mentor for young women in this area.
Gaurav Keerthi
Creator of non-profit digital tools and leader of BetterSG
Gaurav Keerthi
Gaurav Keerthi held a diverse range of senior command and staff appointments in MINDEF/SAF and the RSAF for over 20 years. As Head of Joint Plans and Transformation, he developed concepts for the Next Gen SAF. In his final tour, he was the Commander Air Defence and Operations Command, where he oversaw networked operations and cyber defence for the RSAF. As the first Chief Innovation Officer in the RSAF, he led the organisation-wide digitalisation effort and cultural change. He has built numerous non-profit digital platforms and tools, and leads the national “TechForGood” volunteer-run charity, Better.sg.
Ainul Md Razib
Software developer and content creator
Ainul Md Razib
Ainul Md Razib works full-time as a software developer at a global software consultancy. She graduated in 2020 with an engineering degree in Information Systems from the Singapore University of Technology and Design. As content creator @AinLovesCode, she produces educational content on coding education and tech jobs. With over 50 thousand followers all over the world, she inspires many to pursue tech careers. She actively volunteers with various community organisations to share her tech career journey and teach workshops, having collaborated with Yayasan Mendaki, AMP, and Women Who Code Singapore.
James Chan
Founder and CEO of ION Mobility
James Chan
James Chan is the founder and CEO of ION Mobility, an electric mobility and new energy company focused on Southeast Asia. ION combines hardware and software with human-centred design to deliver smart electric two-wheelers and electric charging and energy storage solutions. He was trained as an electrical and computer engineer and has been on all 3 sides of the table as a public servant, investor and serial entrepreneur across industries like fintech, 3D printing, robotics, and venture capital and public policy. He volunteers at The Birthday Collective, a non-profit organisation he co-founded that serves as Singapore's "Heart, Hand and Brain trust".
Musa Fazal
Senior Director, Ministry of Trade and Industry
Musa Fazal
Musa has been in the public service for two decades. He started his career at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and has served in various government agencies including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Manpower and Skillsfuture Singapore. He currently heads the Futures, Strategy and Plans division of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, where his team identifies key shifts in Singapore’s economic strategies and plans in response to future risks and emerging opportunities. Outside work, Musa has been actively involved in the Singapore theatre scene as actor, director and playwright since his days in the Raffles Players, and is the current President of the Stage Club, Singapore’s longest running theatre company.
Kong Man Jing / Biogirl MJ
Science educator, co-founder and host of
Just Keep Thinking
Kong Man Jing
Kong Man Jing - aka Biogirl MJ - is the co-founder and host of an influential local Science channel on social media, Just Keep Thinking, whose aim is to share Science knowledge in a light-hearted, bite-sized manner that will reach out and appeal to the mass audience of all ages. She also identifies as a Science Educator and Communicator and has worked with diverse institutions such as the Wildlife Reserves Singapore and National Parks Board. When she's not on camera, she is a wildlife nature guide and also conducts physical workshops for various organisations.
Lien Choong Luen
Singapore General Manager at GOJEK
Lien Choong Luen
Lien Choong Luen is currently the Singapore GM for Gojek and concurrently the head of Driver Platform across all markets. Prior to Gojek, Lien spent five years at McKinsey, first in China, then as the South-East Asia Head for the McKinsey Centre for Government. In 2016, he spent half a year in Sierra Leone rebuilding its healthcare sector post-Ebola crisis. Lien volunteers actively. He is the President of Singapore Athletics as well as a board member of Banyan Tree, Singapore Land Authority (SLA), Singapore Centre for Social Entreprise (raiSE), IMDA’s Digital for Life fund and Climate Governance Singapore.
Isaac Timothy Tay
Vice-president of ShopBack
Isaac Timothy Tay
Isaac Timothy Tay is currently serving as the Vice-President of Product for ShopBack, Southeast Asia's largest shopping, rewards, and payments app for both online and in-store. Prior to this, he also co-founded Honestbee in 2015, an online grocery and food delivery service. Isaac also performs stand-up comedy and has performed in many cities, including Bangkok, Moscow, and Berlin.