GRIP, Internships Abroad So Close Yet So Far

KK Fund - Singapore

Admittedly, perhaps half the reason I initially applied to KK Fund in Singapore was because of the location. As someone coming from Hong Kong applying during COVID-19 times, I wanted to believe that an in-person internship was perhaps possible given the proximity of Hong Kong and Singapore and the travel bubble in between. However, as Singapore’s conditions worsened and GRIP became virtual, I begrudgingly accepted the fact that I would do the virtual internship from Hong Kong. Given the virtual nature, I had low expectations for the internship coming forward.

I’m pleased to say that my virtual internship with KK Fund so far has far exceeded my initial expectations. One of the biggest things I was excited about in my first two weeks was how involved I could be as an intern. I had previous experiences interning at large corporations and organizations, and thus never quite had a fully hands-on role in a company’s work. With KK Fund, however, I got to meet startup founders, listen to speed-dating rounds of pitches, and discuss with team members the potential of different startups all within the first week. In the first week already, I was encouraged to come up with questions and opinions on different startups, something I thought I’d only be able to due weeks into the internship. This high engagement has allowed me to learn so much about the Southeast Asian tech startup ecosystem. As someone born and raised in Hong Kong, this was particularly eye-opening as I saw the differences that the startups made in my environment and home.

I was also initially interested in this venture capital because of my interest in the Southeast Asian tech startup ecosystem. One of my main goals this summer was to learn the process, culture, and trends of the Southeast Asian tech ecosystem. With KK Fund and my later internship this summer in a fintech startup in Hong Kong, I would be able to fulfill this goal by learning from both a venture capital and a fintech startup’s perspectives. Given the pace of work and learning in this internship, I can definitely say that I will learn a lot. One thing I’m looking forward to seeing more is a global cultural experience. It is understandably hard to experience a local culture virtually, but I think I’ve already seen some aspects of how Singaporean firms function and think both in their local startup events and through the way my colleagues interact.