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01 Sep 2021
5 Min Read
Ming Yang , PR & Comm Strategist
When Taylor’s Bizpod first came into light, it was through a rebranding and repurpose competition at the end of 2018. Previously known as ‘thesetup’, Bizpod was created with the ultimate aim of being Taylor’s arm as a hybrid incubator and accelerator for Startups and entrepreneurial projects within the walls of the university. It provides a holistic helping hand and guidance light with a structured entrepreneurship training program to encourage young and creative minds. But most importantly, it is the platform that elevates those with a passion to create and turn their dreams into reality.
Many have often referenced that entrepreneurs are solo fighters in the business adventure and only a few come out victorious. But the reality is, behind every successful entrepreneur there exists a very capable and compatible team as well as a strong support system. This very support system is what Bizpod is offering Taylorians of all disciplines. Getting a business off the ground might not be that difficult to achieve, but to make the business successful, sustainable and profitable, it takes a lot more than a set of theories taught in classrooms.
Bizpod, throughout the years since its inception, has created an ecosystem that is well-suited to nurture potential ideas into viable business models. Taylor’s University which features a multi-faceted layer of teaching and learning is always brimming with bright and innovative ideas coming out from its boiling pot of student projects. Throughout the whole journey of a student learning to gaining practical skills and knowledge, Bizpod can handhold these students to collide academic knowledge to harsh realities of industrialization and commercialization. Bizpod’s support system exposes its students to venture capitalists and mentorship programs with actual successful entrepreneurs and industry professionals. And all these while the student is still at the undergraduate level.
Startups, entrepreneurs and SMEs play a vital role in sustaining the country’s technological and economic growth. Needlessly to point out, the entrepreneurial mindset has to be cultivated at all stages across all industries. Bizpod is able to provide students with a head start into their entrepreneurial journey no matter which course they are enrolled in. The startup culture that is created within and surrounding Bizpod will be able to provide students with easy access to the support that they need. Bizpod comes fully equipped with a central workspace, seed funding opportunities, mentoring and training. One of the elements that has been the factor of success in Bizpod is its full-fledged mentorship programme.
Bizpod as an incubator and accelerator, focuses a lot of resources to fully support its incubatees. These student incubatees hail from various schools across Taylor’s University. As highlighted, the support system for any startup is crucial during its infancy stage. That is the reason why successful mentors are key to guide these younglings towards maturity. The role of mentorship and coaching is also often underestimated in the success of a startup. These mentors who are industry experts and business coaches can give entrepreneurs the right guidance in formulating business strategies, understanding local and international market landscapes and forming the right partnerships, giving them a fresh perspective to address impending issues. Currently, Bizpod is actively mentoring eight different businesses, monitoring their progresses weekly and if required, assigning them to different mentors based on experience and domain expertise. There are nine mentors available from various fields, including Vincent Kok from the digital industry, serial entrepreneur and angel investor Kenneth Ho, Dr Aly Alias Stephen Nah in the medical field and Taylor’s College alumnus Dato' James Foo in business, to name a few.
