Based in Singapore. Connected across Southeast Asia.
Spend six months immersed in Singapore’s startup ecosystem — working with an entrepreneurial company, learning through entrepreneurship courses, and connecting with founders, investors, mentors and the wider NUSX community.
Singapore gives you a front-row seat to a startup ecosystem built for both local innovation and regional growth. From here, companies build for Singapore, expand into Southeast Asia and connect with markets across the region.
6 months · Startup experience · Entrepreneurship learning · Up to 20 credits
Apply for NOC Singapore
Why Singapore?
Plug into a startup ecosystem with regional reach.
Singapore is a major business and innovation hub for Southeast Asia. Its connectivity, business environment and concentration of regional headquarters make it a base from which companies can pursue opportunities across the region. For an NOC Singapore student, that can mean exposure not only to the Singapore market, but also to the customers, partners and growth ambitions of companies looking across Southeast Asia.
You will also be close to a diverse startup landscape spanning AI and digital technologies, fintech, healthtech and biotech, agritech, cleantech and sustainability, as well as selected deep-tech and advanced-manufacturing opportunities — areas aligned with Singapore’s broader innovation priorities.
Being based in Singapore does not mean thinking only about Singapore. It means learning from an ecosystem where many companies are built with the region in view.
More Than a Local Internship
NOC Singapore is designed to prepare and inspire you to think and act like an entrepreneur.
A regular internship gives you work experience within an assigned role. NOC Singapore goes further by combining hands-on startup experience with entrepreneurship courses, ecosystem exposure, networking and opportunities to test ideas.
TAKE OWNERSHIP
Work on real problems where the answers may not be obvious.
EXPERIMENT
Test assumptions, learn quickly and adapt when things do not go as planned.
CONNECT
Build relationships with entrepreneurs, alumni, investors and the startup community.
BUILD
Develop the confidence, judgement and resourcefulness needed to turn ideas into action.
Plug into the NUS Enterprise Community
NOC Singapore connects you to an entrepreneurial community that starts at NUS and extends into Singapore’s wider startup ecosystem.
Through NUSX and B71, students can connect with startup founders and NOC alumni entrepreneurs, join ecosystem events, and explore relevant mentorship, investor, workspace and venture-building resources. The NOC team also actively introduces students to the B71 community.
Access to particular resources may depend on suitability, programme criteria and the stage of your venture. The value is not a checklist of guaranteed benefits, but a pathway into a community you can continue to engage with as your entrepreneurial journey develops.
Already Building a Startup? Keep Building.
For eligible student founders, NOC Singapore may provide a pathway to continue building their venture.
If you are already working on a business idea or building a startup, NOC Singapore can be an especially relevant choice. Suitable student founders may continue developing their own venture within the programme, while tapping into entrepreneurship learning and relevant mentorship, validation, pitching and venture-building opportunities.
As your company develops, you can connect with founders and alumni, validate ideas and customers, build your network, and explore incubation at B71 or The Hangar and other appropriate NUSX pathways. Deep-tech ventures may also explore GRIP where relevant and subject to programme requirements.
Who Will You Work With?
NOC Singapore internship opportunities are predominantly with early-stage startups and venture-backed companies. Depending on the intake and available placements, the mix may also include deep-tech startups, corporate innovation teams, venture capital or ecosystem builders.
Whichever environment you enter, expect more than a tightly defined job description. You should be prepared to contribute, ask questions, take initiative and work through ambiguity alongside entrepreneurial teams.
Is NOC Singapore for You?
NOC Singapore is for students who want to get close to entrepreneurship — and participate in it.
You will get the most from the programme if you are proactive, entrepreneurial and resourceful; comfortable navigating ambiguity; interested in startups; willing to build relationships; and prepared to learn by doing.
You do not need to arrive with a startup idea. But if you are already building one, NOC Singapore may be particularly well suited to your entrepreneurial journey.
You can choose Singapore deliberately: deep access to Singapore’s startup ecosystem, the NUSX community and companies with ambitions across Southeast Asia.
From NOC Students to Startup Founders
The NOC community has produced founders who have gone on to build companies in Singapore and beyond. NOC alumni-founded companies include Carousell and PatSnap, alongside ventures such as blood, Ecovolt, Lightsage and Hivebotics.
Read more on Singapore’s start-up ecosystem
Singapore Startup Ecosystem 2026(opens in new tab)
Expanding your business into Southeast Asia: A practical guide to using Singapore as a launchpad(opens in new tab)
Scale across Southeast Asia from Singapore(opens in new tab)
Singapore Market Overview by U.S. International Trade Administration(opens in new tab)
Alumni Voices
Ashley Mun Yit Jit
NOC Singapore Alumnus | Jul 2023 Intake
College of Design and Engineering | Mechanical Engineering
The reason I chose to sign-up specifically for the NOC Singapore programme was for me to understand the Singapore start-up scene, and learn from various mentors throughout the programme about how to scale a business, and essentially how a real and successful start-up operates. As my business is based in Singapore, I wanted to leverage on my connections built from NOC Singapore, which can benefit me greatly in my small business, or future start-up projects. Read More!
Loo Wee Sing Caspian Michael
NOC Singapore Alumnus | Jul 2023 Intake
School of Computing | Computer Science
It's not just the successes but the setbacks that shape a robust entrepreneurial journey. This realization has shifted my perspective from seeking immediate results to embracing a long-term view of building sustainable value. The NOC Singapore programme has been a transformative experience, equipping me with the skills and mindset to navigate the complexities of the startup ecosystem with confidence. Read More!