Startup Semester Programme Grants Top Student A Taste of Entrepreneurship in UC Berkeley

As one of the global partners of the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology (SCET) of the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), U.S.A., the University recruits elite students to join the Startup Semester Programme held by SCET every semester since the 2018/19 academic year.

Last semester, BSc in Computer Science undergraduate Varia Vrushank Dipesh is one of the students awarded the opportunity to join the Programme, studying a five-month immersive entrepreneurship programme at SCET.

“My entire UC Berkeley experience was a dream,” said Varia. “The courses I took over there were so engaging and gave students the opportunity to learn in a multitude of ways, such as through guest lectures, speakers and team activities.”

To Varia, the venture building experience in the Challenge Lab courses was the best part of the entire study experience. “The most amazing experience was being able to build a venture throughout the semester with the same team and pitch the product to a panel of judges. At the end of the semester, my team qualified for the Collider Cup,” he said.

The Collider Cup is the all-star showcase of the best student teams at SCET. Varia’s team, SolTix, finished in the third place out of around 120 teams in the event.

The overseas study experience also helped him grow personally. “[It] allowed me to become more independent as it was the first time that I lived by myself,” he said. “I encountered many challenges which pushed me out of my comfort zone, but it was all a great learning experience.”

Relished the time he had during the Startup Semester, Varia highly recommends students who aspire to pursue entrepreneurship to join the Programme. “There is really no better way to build your network, gain professional experience and have the best time of your life all at the same time,” he said.

Organised by the University’s Knowledge Transfer Office and Business Entrepreneurship Support & Training, the Faculty of Science, and the Department of Computer Science, Startup Semester Programme aims at nurturing top-notch undergraduate students to become future young entrepreneurs.

Students qualified for the Programme are awarded the opportunity to study at UC Berkeley for one semester as well as sponsorships to subsidise their tuition fee and airfares. Designed to increase students’ technical knowledge of entrepreneurship and innovation, the Programme emphasises hands-on venture-building and creates ample opportunity for students to study a wide range of subjects.

During the five-month immersive entrepreneurship programme, students develop their skills in entrepreneurship and innovation, grow their global network, form teams to develop their projects. They can also learn from world-class faculty and mentors, serial entrepreneurs, accelerators, and investors, immersing in the dynamic Berkeley and Silicon Valley ecosystem.