This summer, I had the opportunity to intern with a group of talented individuals as they built Wastetide, an AI tool for waste detection and efficient recycling solutions. My role focused on preparing the company for its pre-seed fundraise, starting at the end of the summer, and with my background in transaction advisory and M&A, it was a perfect fit.

• Read more about Didn’t ‘Waste’ My Summer!

Five years ago I was in Abu Dhabi for one of my last INSEAD GEMBA modules by Professor Philip M. Parker. It was titled Al Strategy for Startups and C-Suites. This elective course was designed to introduce, demystify and investigate value creation strategies in ecosystems relating to AI, machine learning (ML) and and advanced analytics. I was curious and apprehensive as I knew nothing about AI beyond science fiction. And especially how this could be applied in my daily life or work.

• Read more about Wine and Artificial Intelligence: A Tasting of the Future

Professionally speaking, I am the reasonable type. I have always restrained myself from doing crazy things. So, if five years ago you would have told me that I would be starting my own company in the wine business, I would have thought that *you* were mad.  Let me tell you the story of how I decided to dive into my passion. 

• Read more about Diving Into Passion: My Wine Adventure

Team Start-up Mates: Lien Nguyen, Shwetali Sinkar, Hillary Yee Backstory Team Start-up Mates was very intrigued when they first heard about this ‘special’ summer start-up tour in Australia this year.

• Read more about Catalysing Early-stage Ventures in Western Australia

At INSEAD, we learn how business can be used as a “Force for Good”. With a strong interest in entrepreneurship and a dream to have a start-up ourselves someday, my classmate, Gijs Wilbers, and I, Manasvi Srivastava, wanted to discover how entrepreneurs are using technology, particularly in the financial world, to disrupt the industry and positively impact society.

• Read more about Tour of the Baltics: INSEAD MBA Start-up Journey

I never saw myself as an entrepreneur before INSEAD. In my mind, entrepreneurs with the likes of Steve Jobs or Elon Mask have a certain level of coolness; they are free spirits with a tremendously high risk-seeking appetite. I imagine them to be working day and night in T-shirts and jeans in their tech-enabled cozy offices, drinking coffee and ordering late night takeaways, pushing the team towards new breakthroughs with excitement!

• Read more about Startup Bootcamp: A Glimpse of the World of an Entrepreneur