ESSEC signs MoU with Singapore’s Economic Development Board & Enterprise Singapore

ESSEC Business School today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) and Enterprise Singapore (ESG). The MoU formalizes a common understanding between the three parties around the establishment of a new initiative by ESSEC to support Singapore-based businesses in accessing the French-European market and France-incorporated businesses in accessing the Singapore-Asian market.

Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry, and Mounir Mahjoubi, France’s Secretary of State for Digital Affairs, attended the signing ceremony at Station F, a business incubator in Paris noted for being one of the world’s largest start-up facility. Professor Kevyn Yong, Dean, ESSEC Asia-Pacific, Chan Ih Ming, Director, Global Innovation Alliance Programme Office, EDB, and Jonathan Lim, Director, Start-up & Global Innovation Alliance Division, ESG, were on hand to sign the MOU.

The programme, under the ambit of the Global Innovation Alliance initiative, will serve to connect Singaporean entrepreneurs and start-ups with the thriving business and innovation communities of France. In driving the project, ESSEC will facilitate access to the French ecosystem of local talent, investors, customers and potential collaborators. At the same time, ESSEC’s platform is also designed to help French start-ups interested in understanding and accessing Singapore’s business and innovation environments.

As an international business school with campuses in both France and Singapore, ESSEC intends to establish networks in France for Singaporean entrepreneurs and start-ups to participate in. This includes organizing activities such as pitch sessions, fire-side chats, and business meetings for the participants in Singapore and in France. In the process, the hope is that more collaborations between French and Singaporean entities will emerge. 

Speaking about the new initiative, Professor Kevyn Yong, Dean, ESSEC Asia-Pacific, said, “ESSEC’s long tradition in entrepreneurship and innovation, coupled with our historical roots in France and fast-growing international presence in Singapore, make ESSEC a natural champion for bridging the business communities of these important countries. Our pioneering spirit is something that entrepreneurs and innovators share. We aim to provide an open platform to help businesses exchange knowledge, ideas, and identify talent; and in so doing, foster cross-border collaborations to drive innovation.”

 Chan Ih Ming, Director, Global Innovation Alliance Programme Office, said, “ESSEC is an institution with core competencies in innovation and entrepreneurship, and has a strong track record in supporting student-launched start-ups. We are confident that Singapore-based entrepreneurs and start-ups can benefit greatly by leveraging ESSEC’s expertise and networks to identify suitable partners and pursue opportunities in France and the wider EU region.”

Jonathan Lim, Enterprise Singapore’s Director for Start-up and GIA said, “This partnership with ESSEC aims to boost Singapore’s start-up ecosystem by promoting exchange between French and Singaporean startups, especially in deeptech. With Singapore’s vibrant startup ecosystem and proximity to Asia’s growing nations, we are confident that French start-ups will find suitable partners in Singapore to co-create and co-innovate solutions for the Asian market.”

Find the press release