2324T2 Silicon Valley/Participant Information/Chan Yun Xue Richie

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About Richie Chan

SMU email: richie.chan.2020@scis.smu.edu.sg
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richie-chanyx/
Academic Year: Year 4 (2024)
Degree: BSc Information Systems (Major in Digitalisation and Cloud Solutions & Financial Technology)

Why Virtual TSM?

• What motivates you to join TSM?

Since the inception of my university journey, I've been deeply entrenched in Singapore's dynamic startup culture. My internship with Innovate360 exposed me to the intricacies of food-related businesses in Singapore, while my my involvement with SolanaFM focused on enhancing Solana blockchain data accessibility. Despite these enriching experiences, most of my startup interactions have been confined to local and virtual realms. In between my stint at Innovate360 and my involvement with SolanaFM, I also tried to launch a startup with a few of my SMU peers called SentientCharts during the GameStop hype which intended to scrape data from social media and track investor sentiments. Unfortunately, it had to be shut down due to unforeseen costs. This course offers an invaluable opportunity to broaden my horizons by delving into the workings of startups beyond Singapore. I'm excited to make meaningful comparisons across different geographical spaces, and as someone who has never visited the United States, this prospect is incredibly appealing to me. Participating in this course signifies a significant milestone in my entrepreneurial journey, providing a platform for learning, growth, and active engagement within the global startup community.

• Where would you like to visit?

Silicon Valley: Google, Meta, Netflix and other tech startups

Starting a business

• What types of business interest you?

Personally, I am interested to see how other Web3 start ups function and also speak with more mature tech start ups to understand their previous pain points and how they have overcome them.

• What plans do you have in starting a business?

I am currently fully committed to SolanaFM, however I do aspire to start my own tech business in the future that is able to provide valuable services.

Past Experiences (optional)

Startup:

• Company name: [Solana.fm]
  • The most readable explorer on Solana built on speed and power
  • Founders: Nicholas Chen, Fathurrahman, Chin Bing Huang
  • Years: Jan '22 - present
  • Role: Software Developer (first 10 founding developers)
  • Achievements:
    • Built first indexer for Solana
    • 39k Active Monthly Users ( Q2 2023 )
• Company name: SentientCharts
  • Stock data platform with emphasis on retail investor sentiments
  • Founders: Shaun Ang, Bryan Cheng
  • Years: May '21 - Dec '21
  • Role: Operations Manager and Software Developer

Internships:

• Innovate360 -
  • Role: Summer Intern
  • Years May '21 - Aug '21