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Elisabetta Jiang

Social Innovation Park supports youth empowerment initiatives

Updated: Oct 16, 2023



In the spirit of celebrating the entrepreneurial journey, Social Innovation Park took part in National Youth Council’s supported initiatives on Saturday 3 December 2022, held at the Somerset Youth Park. The events were a part of Somerfest, which includes presentations of youth-led projects across a range of themes, such as mental wellness, creative arts, and sports.


It was a bustling day for the youth park, with two events happening in tandem.

Our Social Innovation Park representative and team member, Amani Nizari, attended the following sessions organised by Sandbox Somerset and Merlion Project, respectively:

  • SandX Series 11: To Invest or Be Invested In (Panellists: Ming, Krux Asia; Nison Chan, SEED Ventures; Carmen Low, Afterglow Concepts; Moderated by: Desmond Pang, Stark Media)

  • SandX Series 12: About NFTs and how to get involved (Panellists: Jaye Foo, Jayefunk; Benjamin Chua, Dreamland Genesis; Tammy Tay, Fickle Beauty; Moderated by: Roshaanth Nara, Cryptobengz). Fun fact – did you know that musician and entrepreneur Jaye Foo launched Singapore’s first NFT bar and lounge, The Parlour?

  • Merlion Project’s Human Library experience – Close Conversations with Entrepreneurs (Featuring: Ramesh Krish Kumar, Founder of food tech start-up Asmara; Lee Gim Siong, Founder of Smitten Ice Cream Bar; and Ken Tan, Founder of Fish Sh-nack, DOCO Donburi)

Key takeaways from the event included gaining first hand insights from both investors’ and entrepreneurs’, understanding their perspectives on the entrepreneurial journey, getting to know the setbacks in the start-ups and how they overcame their struggles and challenges.


Conversations around diversity and inclusion were also unpacked when discussions around being a more mindful and inclusive community were explored. The event concluded with a networking session amongst participants and organisers of the event, where bright ideas and conversations overflowed, and synergies were explored.


Snippets from the event can be viewed on our TikTok reel here.


About Sandbox Somerset

Sandbox Somerset is an event organised by Invade, in partnership with the Somerset Belt Office, powered by the National Youth Council, held at the Somerset Youth Park. It is a collective effort by various organisations aimed at rejuvenating the Somerset Belt along Orchard Road by convening 100 youth founders and industry professionals in one place.


The event featured panel discussions, networking and mentorship opportunities, performances by young artists, and even a Shark Tank-style pitching event by SEED Ventures. There are also retail and F&B pop-up stores for entrepreneurs to showcase their products.


About Merlion Project

The Merlion Project is a ground-up initiative aimed at collating and celebrating stories of struggles and success. Its human library events feature local founders of Singapore brands, allowing participants the opportunity to get up close and personal with these entrepreneurs and ask them questions about their entrepreneurial journey, in an intimate setting of 10 – 12 audience per room.

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