Bringing Startups to Students: The MEC Startups Fair

Aiming to bring together local startup peers, key industry thought leaders, mentors, educators, and investors, the Startup Fair was an opportunity for companies to meet Monash University Malaysia students.

As part of the week-long event at the Monash University Malaysia school grounds, from 19-23 September, startup companies to personally pitched and recruited students for internship opportunities fo two days. 

Participating startup companies include Bumbung, Ittify, GetDoc, Hostel Hunting, MovingWalls, WeStyleAsia, and EasyUni, which is also the event's media partner. 

Student Liu Wei Shen said she is grateful for events such as this as she was able to apply to companies easily. It is also a chance for her to ask questions directly to companies she applied to. 

One of the participating companies, GetDoc's Geng Qian Choo echoed the same sentiments. "It is definitely beneficial for startups as well," she said. "We can talk to students face to face and they can ask questions if they have doubts. I know information is a lot out there, but when people read from the internet, they might not have a real idea behind it. It's really cool."

Isabelle James from Hostel Hunting added, "It's beneficial for startups because you can get fresh grads right from the colleges and universities. We can learn more from the students, while students can learn much, much more from us as well."

Brendon Chew, Project Manager of the Startup Career Fair shared that he is glad that the event has benefitted both students and startups. "Our mission is to help provide internships for students during their break this coming November till March," he said. "This is a chance for the startups to showcase their products and staff, and at the same time, introduce students to them," he added.

"We will definitely have another one of this next year," Chew assured. "We will make sure there is another Startup Career Fair better than this year's so stay tuned."

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Aside from the Startup Career Fair, the ASEAN Entrepreneurship Week also featured Speaker Series events which featured movers and shakers in the industry: Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, AO of Sunway Group and Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, Dato's Sri Shazalli Ramly of Axiata, Tan Teng Boo of Capital Dynamics, Leon Sing Foong and Joel Soh of Uber Malaysia, and Brian Loo Woi Lip of Chatime. 

The event also featured the biggest bazaar to be held this year at Monash University Malaysia--the ASEAN Campus Bazaar.