2324T2 Silicon Valley/Participant Information/Guganesh
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About Guganesh
SMU email: guganeshs.2020@scis.smu.edu.sg
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-guganesh/
Academic Year: Year 4 - will be graduating in Year 5
Degree: BSc Information Systems (Major in Digitalisation and Cloud Solutions & Business Analytics)
Why Virtual TSM?
- What motivates you to join TSM?
I hear from my seniors of the companies visited and the fun
- Where would you like to visit?
Silicon Valley: Google, Meta, Netflix
Starting a business
What types of business interest you?
I am drawn towards the transformative power of technology and am very interested in deep tech businesses. Especially businesses that offer cutting-edge technological solutions across various industries. This is because I truly believe that harnessing technology gives us boundless possibilities in effecting change for future generations. One such example of this is OpenAI which has led groundbreaking developments in AI in recent years, with a focus on creating advanced natural language processing models that have literally changed the way traditional tasks are being performed. What I find particularly inspiring is the challenging nature of deep tech startups in creating and scaling solutions that combine multiple fields of study. If granted the opportunity to join this course, I would leverage it as a unique chance to gain firsthand insights into how these startups make use of innovation to disrupt the markets they're in.
What plans do you have in starting a business?
While taking modules like IDP (IS211), ESD (IS213), and TWC (COR2201), I have thought of a few tech-based solutions such as:
- Asset Management Tool
The idea for this digital tool struck me when a friend of mine was talking about how small businesses find it challenging to manage their inventory. For example, hospitals that have physical therapists need to constantly keep track of their rehabilitation equipment. They need to track where the equipment is, what condition they are in, and who is responsible for them, etc. They also have to ensure that these items are available when a patient comes i. Hence, it'll be useful to somehow integrate this with an appointment scheduling system. Hence, I thought of a digital asset management tool that can effectively track physical assets which can then be easily used with other systems. You may view a prototype of this here -
- Geospatial Analysis Software
After taking IS415, I learned more about the different capabilities of spatial analytics and the vast number of business applications that it has. It occurred to me that many small businesses would gain tremendous value in using spatial analytics software to perform tasks such as site selection, targeted marketing, delivery route optimisation, competitive analysis, etc. However, not everyone has the tools and knowledge to perform such complicated analyses. Hence, I thought of creating software that offers tools that can help them with such tasks. The application I made for IS415 is based on this idea. It is a tool that performs geographically weighted regression for users who do not have any knowledge about it. You may view it here - https://guga-nesh.shinyapps.io/regress_rangers_app/
However, that being said, I keep getting stuck at this ideation and prototype stage and would love to gain more experience and knowledge on how I can transform these ideas and many more into businesses that can add value to others.
Past Experiences
Internships:
- Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific [Software Development (Data Application) Intern] - Jun '22 - Jan '23
During my internship, I played a pivotal role in enhancing data accessibility and streamlining operations across geographically diverse teams in Singapore and Japan. This experience has enhanced my knowledge of data engineering, analysis and visualisation which are extremely important in this data-dependent era. I was also able to gain real-world experience in communicating and empathising with the unique pain points and requirements of teams despite the language barrier.
Hackathon/Challenges:
- Hungry for Change Challenge (DBSXNEA) - Oct '23 - Present
- Shopee Code League - May '22 - Aug '22
- Ellipsis Code# - Feb'22 - Mar '22
Participating in the Shopee Code League alongside 9,300 programming enthusiasts and immersing myself in the week-long coding challenge has enabled me to significantly enhance my technical proficiency and problem-solving abilities to tackle and deeply understand the latest problems faced by businesses, especially in this ever-changing world that we live in. I am currently taking part in the Hungry for Change Challenge, which was launched by DBS and NEA, where I am building an innovative solution to help reimagine and mitigate the food and packaging waste issue. This experience has enabled my ability to tackle complex real-world problems while committing to sustainable solutions.
Other experiences:
- Mentor @ SMU Coders' Assembly - Jan '22 - Apr '22
- Programming Tutor @ Ngee Ann Polytechnic - Sep '21 - Mar '22
Tutoring programming students have strengthened my technical skills and instilled in me the importance of mentorship and collaboration. Additionally, through these experiences, I was given the opportunity to demonstrate my commitment to helping others overcome challenges. I look forward to the possibility of applying these qualities in TSM, should I be selected, as we explore the vibrant startup ecosystems in Silicon Valley.
