NOC launches into the “best kept secret in North America”
Do you know which country gave the world some of its best inventions – the light bulb; the zipper; insulin; the electric wheelchair; Java programming language; even Basketball and the Wonderbra just to name a few? Or which city now houses the “Godfather of Deep Learning", Geoffrey Hinton; and a company working on the Hyperloop, a revolutionary transport system that could save about 80% traveling time? Yes, Canada, and Toronto to be exact, that’s who!
Toronto, a city simmering with entrepreneurial talent, opportunity and a strong entrepreneurship foundation. It is no surprise that Google, Uber and Amazon have considered Toronto for their newest outposts and there are at least 4,000 tech start-ups just in the city working on ground-breaking innovations ready to launch into the world.
Now known as a global “Artificial Intelligence Powerhouse”, Toronto is also ranked one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world, with half the population being foreign-born. In addition to making for a diverse and interesting population, it sets a good precedent for the birth of start-up businesses, as there has always been a strong correlation between immigrants with the sense of adventure to relocate and entrepreneurial activity.
NOC Toronto-Waterloo is a year-long programme and its pioneer batch was from July 2018. With the success of our year-long programme, we are opening NOC Toronto-Waterloo to NUS Medicine students for their electives annually from March to June.
Apply now and if you need further reading, please take a look at the following articles and links:
Toronto Global Business Case for NUS
Toronto Takes on Silicon Valley to Become AI Startup Hub
Toronto would like to be seen as the nice person’s Silicon Valley, if that’s not too much trouble
Tech Workers And Global Companies Are Choosing Canada
Why Toronto is the new Silicon Valley
How Toronto Became a Global Powerhouse for Artificial Intelligence Startups and Giants
Who Just Beat the Bay Area in Tech Jobs? Toronto
Toronto is emerging as a tech superpower as immigrants choose Canada over the US
Best Communities for Healthcare
Student Testimonials
Justin Tan Yan Feng
NOC Toronto Alumnus | Jul 2022 Intake, School of Computing | Computer Science
Many of my computing peers in NUS chose Silicon Valley for their internships, but I recognised Toronto as the city with the highest number of AI start-ups globally. As a developer at Quincus, I work closely with the Vice President of Research to create innovative machine learning solutions to solve real-world logistics challenges.
At UofT, our entrepreneurship courses are located downtown, amidst sporting and cultural events, buzzing restaurants and neighbourhoods. In my free time, I compete in prestigious hackathons with my housemates, challenging the brightest students from UofT and Waterloo. All these experiences contribute to an exhilarating and fulfilling adventure.
Clara Khoo Hui Xin
NOC Toronto Alumna | Jul 2022 Intake, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences | Comms & New Media
At TRIYO, I work hand in hand with my CEO to create impact for our clients. I am privileged to have a mentor who entrusts me to lead projects and manage teams. Our company is based within OneEleven, a hive of start-up activity in downtown Toronto, so I get to meet founders and like-minded entrepreneurs every day.
Hardik Dobariyapatel
NOC Toronto Alumnus | Batch 1_Jul 2018 Intake, Faculty of Engineering | Electrical Engineering
Taking on this stint under the NOC program was pivotal both in terms of my personal growth and career. Notably, spending a year working at a 3-man startup gave me the confidence of venturing out on my own. Adulting overseas made me appreciate the safety, systems and warm weather we have back home. Travelling around the Americas showed me how despite the cultural diversities, people are the same everywhere - mostly kind and hard-working, on a path to find what's best for them. Best of all, learning and growing alongside the highly driven individuals that were my batchmates earned me lifelong friendships. I am grateful for this rollercoaster of a journey and excited for anyone that chooses to take up the challenge!
Alexandra Zhang
NOC Toronto Alumna | Batch 1_Jul 2018 Intake, School of Design & Environment | Real Estate
NOC Toronto has been the main highlight of my NUS undergraduate journey. Being the pioneer batch, all 9 of us had to navigate our way through new challenges - from securing visas, housing, to navigating our way through (-30°C) Canadian winters.
During my time there, I had the privilege to work at an automotive startup, run a marathon and raise funds for a cause, as well as develop our startup idea (Factorem.co) from scratch. One of my mentors I have and am still in touch with today is actually the CEO of my internship company. One of my fondest memory was meeting the professors from the University of Toronto who taught us so much about entrepreneurship. These bonds and friendships formed will last for a lifetime. I've grown so much personally and professionally.
As a NOC location, Toronto would remain my favourite pick - it has a vibrant tech and film scene, a diverse community, and a lot of Tim Hortons! A big thank you to Harpreet & NOC team for making Toronto happen for us!