The Future of Work: Can startups Out-Innovate Corporate Giants

DATE: July 16, 2025

TIME: 7 PM - 8:30 PM (GMT +8)

VENUE: Launch Programme Room, National Library, Level 7

Startups move fast, break things (sometimes literally), and thrive on bold ideas. Big corporations, on the other hand, bring scale, structure, and—let’s face it—a fair bit of red tape. So who truly has the upper hand in shaping the future of work?

In this energising session, two speakers with experience across startups, government agencies, and large corporations will share honest reflections and real-world stories from both sides of the table. From navigating bureaucracy to embracing scrappy innovation, they’ll explore how innovation actually happens in different settings—and whether startups can truly outpace the giants, or if the future lies in bridging both worlds.

Agenda: 

• 19:00 – 19:15: Registration 

• 19:15 – 19:45: Fireside Chat “The Future of Work: Can startups Our-Innovate Corporate Giants” 

• 19:45 – 20:00: Q&A

• 20:00 – 20:30: Networking 

Speaker: 

About Mr Cliff Chew

With a background in Economics from NUS, Cliff pivoted into tech and analytics before analytics was a sexy field. Cliff’s professional experience spans across several government agencies, research institutions, tech unicorns and even as a fractional analytics consultant. Currently, Cliff works in a full-time role as a Lead Data Analyst, where he runs end-to-end analytics projects for his organisation, while grooming his team of analysts. In his free time, Cliff likes to play with data from social science domains, build and test prototypes using different tech stacks, and think about how to use data to make our society better.

About Ms Selyn Chan

Selyn is a highly experienced innovation manager with a proven track record of success in connecting people, engaging communities, and partnering with international organizations. With over 10 years of work experience, she has consistently delivered exceptional results by building and training high-performing teams in ambiguous situations.