A veteran innovator with more than 40 years of experience in creating and launching cutting-edge technologies, Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) at SMU Director and Professor of Information Systems Arcot Desai Narasimhalu teaches innovation and entrepreneurship. However, he wondered if at undergraduate-level  was too late in this students’ lives to be taught these subjects and if anything could be done to instil an innovative mind set among Singaporean students even before university. The solution, according to Prof Desai, is to create an innovation academy that plans and executes a tiered approach to the study and practice of innovation in Singapore for students from upper primary all the way to junior colleges and polytechnics. SMU is also doing its part. Last year, Prof Desai’s institute designed and launched the Youth Innovation Challenge for secondary school and junior college students. IIE also runs a gamut of events promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, including lunchtime talks, training, business incubation, fund-raising, joint research and development with small and large companies, and business development support for start-ups