2324T1 Tokyo/Participant Information/Zachary Lian
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About Zachary
SMU email: zacharylian.2021@scis.smu.edu.sg
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharylian/
Academic Year: Year 2 (2021)
Degree: BSc Information Systems (Major in Business Analytics & Digitalisation and Cloud Solutions)
Why TSM?
What motivates you to join TSM?
Since young, I have always been fascinated by Japan’s deep culture, exquisite food, and fascinating architecture. However, I admittedly have overlooked Japan’s wide array of contributions to the tech industry. With avenues such as the Startup Ecosystem Tokyo Consortium, I am curious to learn more about the myriad of innovations which the Japanese have to offer, and how I can integrate their creative mindset into my own way of thinking. By participating in TSM, I will be able to learn and compare the differences in startup cultures between Japan and Singapore, while gaining new insights on the rising technologies being utilised in Japan.
As someone who is interested in the latest developments of data science, I would love to take this opportunity to garner such invaluable knowledge and apply them here in Singapore. Experiencing and sharing with these talented entrepreneurs would definitely fuel my passion for agile development and the overall startup culture. This would allow me to broaden my understanding of what types of business processes work in Japan, while challenging myself to take part in something impactful.
Where would you like to visit?
- Tokyo: VAAK, SmartHR, Sony, SEGA
- Kyoto: Hacarus, Nintendo
Starting a Business
What types of businesses interest you?
I am particularly interested in businesses that handle large amounts of data and leverage machine learning to gain insights and drive decision-making. As someone who is passionate about game development, I am fascinated by how game developers use data analytics to better understand player behaviour, refine gameplay mechanics, and optimize game content. The potential for machine learning to enhance the gaming experience and create new and exciting gameplay mechanics is immense, and I am eager to explore this exciting field further.
What plans do you have in starting a business?
Currently, I do not have any concrete business ideas yet that could “shake” the tech industry. However, I would love to venture towards starting a business in the gaming industry, especially with Japan being a powerhouse in the global market for game development. With TSM, I could tap on the knowledge of Japan’s talented game developers, and possibly integrate rising technologies such as prompt-based learning into game development.
Past Experiences (optional)
Internships:
- Accenture: App Developer Intern (May '23 - Aug '23)
- F5: Digital Marketing Intern (Feb '21 - May '21)
CCA:
- SMU Business Intelligence & Analytics: Data Associate (Dec '22 - Mar '23)
- SMU .HACK: HEAP Mentee (May '22 - Aug '22)
- Ellipsis: Marketing Executive (Dec '21 - Dec '22)
- SCIS Freshmen Orientation Camp Metamorphosis 2022: Marketing Director (Apr '22 - Aug '22)
- Handball: Member (Aug '21 - Aug '22)
