[19 February 2009]
SMU brings on board LASALLE for its Interactive Digital Media business incubator

LASALLE College of the Arts is the newest member to join SMU, Nanyang Polytechnic and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in the joint incubation scheme

Singapore, 19 February 2009 – The Singapore Management University (SMU) welcomes another tertiary institution as a new member to its joint incubation programme for the Interactive Digital Media (IDM) space. LASALLE College of the Arts is the newest member to join “Athena Innobator” – SMU's joint incubator with current members Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) which helps individuals and start-ups transform their innovative ideas into useful applications and breakthroughs.

With LASALLE coming onboard, Athena Innobator has further entrenched its position as the first and only joint incubation programme in Singapore to grow and develop the IDM sector which comprises cross-tertiary institution members. Athena Innobator marks the first time in Singapore where four educational institutions have joined hands to contribute their individual niche competency, strength and expertise to groom student entrepreneurs with good business ideas that can succeed in the high-growth IDM space. The multi-institution collaboration will achieve the following synergies:

• SMU will extend the expertise, resources and business incubation function of its Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) to help young start-ups develop their IDM prototypes. The University will also contribute its research strengths in management, finance, business consulting, marketing, entrepreneurship and information systems to the business development of the projects.

Since early 2008 when Athena Innobator was established at SMU, it has been administering the Micro Funding Scheme of the IDM Jump-start And Mentor (i.JAM) initiative which dispenses grants of up to S$50,000 per start-up which meets the qualifying criteria. A total of eight student start-ups are presently housed in Athena Innobator and have successfully qualified for funding under i.JAM. The eight business projects, which joined Athena Innobator between early 2008 and now, comprise members made up of faculty and students from the four tertiary institutions as well as young entrepreneurs and freelance researchers from the wider community. Their business prototypes – mostly still at the developmental stage – range from international mobile roaming service, real-time 3D movies, web-based car design tool, mind fatigue alert system, consumer behaviour mining, streaming of sports video content to brand evaluation games. Beyond dispensing grants under the i.JAM Micro Funding Scheme, Athena Innobator provides mentorship, networking and speed-dating opportunities, matching experienced and established business leaders to the start-ups. Athena Innobator will also facilitate fund-raising from early stage venture firms, business angels and private investors to help start-ups who require more financing.

Said Practice Professor Arcot Desai Narasimhalu, Director of the Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at SMU: “We welcome LASALLE into this exciting coalition of aspiring entrepreneurs in the Interactive Digital Media space. The inter-disciplinary, non-homogeneous composition of different institutions is deliberate in order to nurture teams made up of students schooled in different skills and backgrounds.”

Said Mr Edward Ho, Deputy Principal/Development, NYP: “It has been a little over a year since Athena Innobator (AI) was established. Within this short period, we are heartened to see so many great ideas and tangible projects from our students. NYP will continue to contribute to the AI initiative through our domain experience and expertise in interactive and digital media. We are happy to welcome LASALLE into the AI. With this strengthened partnership, we can look forward to more successful ventures.”

Said Dr Tang Seung Mun, Vice President (Academic), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts: “One of the objectives of this cross-institutional, multi-disciplinary programme is to promote team work and cultivate team spirit. Hence the integration of LASALLE College of the Arts as an additional member into Athena Innobator will enhance such an objective and benefit all the student participants.”

Said Mr Venka Purushothaman, Vice President (Academic) & Provost, LASALLE College of the Arts at the signing ceremony, “LASALLE is delighted to be part of the joint incubation scheme. Our Media Arts programme invests in research capabilities and innovation to push the boundaries of Interactive, Animation and Video Art, thereby keeping us abreast of current developments in the global media scene. Participation in this project will provide a further platform for LASALLE to contribute to the global media industry.”

Start-ups interested to join Athena Innobator can contact Ms Adeline Tan, Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at SMU at DID: 68280655, email: adelinetan [at] smu.edu.sg ( ) or visit www.smu.edu.sg/institutes/iie for more details on application procedures.

About the Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at SMU

The Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IIE) at SMU has been set up to nurture and grow the innovation and entrepreneurial culture amongst students, staff and faculty of SMU through collaboration with the community. IIE is committed to help innovators commercialise their ideas and aspires to build high quality and robust start ups within SMU and the larger community through research, strategy, training, R&D, business incubation and knowledge sharing. IIE will play the role of a strategic innovation partner, working closely with SMEs, large enterprises, early stage venture capitalists, academic institutions and individual researchers. IIE's vision is to become a leading research and practice center for innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. There are currently two different incubators available and located in SMU – the SMU Business Innovations Generator (BIG) and the Athena Innobator. SMU BIG is the University's first incubation laboratory and seed funding initiative while Athena Innobator is a joint incubation programme between SMU, Nanyang Polytechnic, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and LASALLE College of the Arts to develop Interactive Digital Media prototypes.

About the IDM Jump-start And Mentor (i.JAM)

The IDM Jump-start And Mentor (i.JAM) initiative aims to grow a self-sustaining capacity for continuous grassroots innovation in the Interactive Digital Media (IDM) sector. Administered by Interactive Digital Media Research and Development Programme Office (IDMPO) of the Media Development Authority (MDA), it supports startups in their exploration of the technical merit or feasibility of technologies and ideas that have the potential to create business disruptions and build new industry sub-sectors. Individuals and start-ups with breakthrough ideas that can be developed into innovative products and services will be matched with appropriate mentor support and funding, to bring about their realisation. The i.JAM initiative marshals support from industry players, business mentors and technology suppliers to provide bottom-up support to the transforming of innovative ideas into useful applications and breakthroughs. Under the scheme, the grant covers up to a cap of S$50,000 qualifying cost of the project.

About the Singapore Management University

Incorporated on 12 January 2000, Singapore Management University (SMU) aims to groom outstanding business leaders and creative entrepreneurs capable of excelling in a rapidly changing and dynamic world. The University is known to be a pioneer for its interactive pedagogy of seminar-style teaching in small class sizes which remains its unique hallmark. Today, SMU is home to more than 6,000 students and comprises six schools: Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Accountancy, School of Economics, School of Social Sciences, School of Information Systems and School of Law. SMU offers bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. degree programmes in business and management-related areas, ranging from Accountancy, Economics, Finance, Wealth Management, Law, Information Systems and Social Science. It also has a dedicated Office of Research, a number of institutes and centres of excellence, and provides public and customised programmes for working professionals through Executive Education. Collaborations with leading institutions, including The Wharton School, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago, allow SMU to draw on academic and research strengths across all major disciplines. The SMU campus is a state-of-the art facility located right in the heart of Singapore's civic and business district. www.smu.edu.sg

About Nanyang Polytechnic

Established in 1992, Nanyang Polytechnic is a premier tertiary institution that offers quality education in Engineering, Design, Information Technology, Interactive & Digital Media, Business Management, Health Sciences and Chemical & Life Sciences. NYP offers 45 full-time diploma courses and a suite of customized courses for continuing education. Nanyang Polytechnic's School of Interactive & Digital Media (SIDM) supports Singapore 's vision to be an Interactive & Digital Media hub. SIDM offers 6 unique courses that integrate art, design, entertainment and technology for the digital age - the Digital Media Design (Animation), Diploma in Digital Media Design (Games), Diploma in Digital Media Design (Interaction Design), Diploma in Entertainment Technology (Games), Diploma in Motion Graphics & Broadcast Design and Diploma in Digital Visual Effects. Together, these courses prepare students for the exhilarating world of animation, games design and development, interactive media, visual effects, advertising and the entertainment industry. For more information, please visit www.nyp.edu.sg

About the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

The Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) is widely recognised as Singapore's foremost tertiary institution for artistic studies. It has produced a long line of Singapore's most accomplished artists and designers since its inception in 1938. NAFA currently offers 17 Master's and Bachelor's Degree programmes in collaboration with six prestigious universities; Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and China. In addition, it offers 11 Diploma courses in the visual arts, performing arts and fashion studies to more than 2,200 full-time students of diverse nationalities and ethnic backgrounds. Taught by a globally-experienced faculty from eight departments – 3D Design; Arts Management & Education; Dance; Design & Media; Fashion Studies; Fine Art; Music and Theatre, NAFA's mix of high quality courses and innovative curriculum reflect the breadth of opportunities in Singapore's burgeoning creative industry for talented individuals from Singapore, as well as the region. NAFA's School of Young Talents (SYT) offers Certificate and weekend courses in Junior Art, Junior Music, Junior Dance and Junior Drama for children and young people between 4 and 17 years of age. NAFA's purpose-built campus, strategically located in the vibrant Arts & Culture belt of the city, boasts modern facilities; cutting-edge technology and a conducive environment which promise an enriching learning experience for all who pursue creative excellence. For more details, please visit www.nafa.edu.sg

About LASALLE College of the Arts

LASALLE College of the Arts provides tertiary arts education within a practice-led learning environment that reflects the collaborative and interactive processes inherent in artistic practice. The Media Arts programme under the Faculty of Media Arts provides the academic framework for undergraduate programmes in a range of areas of specialisation, appropriate to existing and emerging media art practices and creative industries. It aspires to provide the local and international community with graduates of enhanced ability, knowledge and diversity of experience, particularly in the skills of communication, teamwork, problem solving, creative endeavour, and presentation of original work. The programmes emphasise collaborative and interdisciplinary modes of teaching and learning, which are responsive to the professional standards in the creative industries, and encourage active engagement with cultural and communicative forms and practices.