Why this firefighter invested in learning more about startups and venture capital (Part 1) | Call 159

On Call with Insignia Ventures

We are back with another Academy Afterthoughts episode, where we go on call with alumni and mentors of Insignia Ventures Academy’s programs, primarily the Certificate in Venture Capital course which is open for applications to its 7th (March) and 8th (June) cohorts! Talk to our program manager Jiaway Koh and learn more here: http://www.insignia.vc/u/calliva

In this episode we have Leon Yip from Cohort 2, whose career spans firefighting to now working with startups as they develop solutions for public safety and security.

In Part 1 of our conversation, he shares about his time at the Singapore Civil Defense Force, going from the frontlines to innovation development at headquarters. Then we talk about his experiences and takeaways from his 12 weeks at Insignia Ventures Academy, and how that impacted his personal and professional development.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next Monday, where we talk more about deep tech solutions for public safety and security across various use cases, especially in light of Singapore’s greater push for more global activity to find its place in the country, from Asia stopovers for global artists like Taylor Swift to becoming a hub for more digital asset transactions in the region.

Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction;

(02:36) Leon’s days at the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF);

(06:29) Leon’s Insignia Ventures Academy experience;

(15:50) How Leon’s IVA experience impacted his career post-program, leading up to his work with deep tech startups at Hatch;

About our guest

Leon Yip is an alumnus of Cohort 2 of Insignia Ventures Academy’s Certificate in Venture Capital course. Prior to IVA he had built a career in the Singapore Civil Defense Force, from frontline responder to part of the headquarters’ innovation development team. From IVA he was exposed to philanthropic capital at Plans and Development of the Temasek Foundation. Currently he bridges the gap between lifesaving and the startup ecosystem at the Home Team Science and Technology Agency’s Hatch, which curates and accelerates impactful deep tech innovations to thrive in the public safety and security domain.

The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Insignia Ventures⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.