Today, after months of construction work, we finally launch the Joyful Frog, our 4,800sq ft innovation campus at Blk 71 Ayer Rajah Crescent! Founders, funders, freelancers, and friends of innovative business are very welcome to join as members and residents. Seasoned entrepreneurs get a home-from-home to meet, work, and relax alongside first-timers, international mentors and teams selected for our accelerator program.
Joyful Frog members enjoy unlimited signature drinks from full-time Sista Barista Sharon, a choice of ‘lily pads’ and meeting rooms for work and discussions, plus priority access to a program of seminars and events. In addition, a unique partnership means residents at the Joyful Frog automatically become general members of TiE, the world’s largest entrepreneurship organization, with instant access to a network of 13,000 other achievers in 61 cities across 17 countries.
The innovation campus is Meng Wong’s idea, based on his belief that bringing the right people together is the key to fostering innovation, wealth and prosperity. He previously co-founded Singapore’s very first co-working community Hackerspace.SG, which continues to thrive as a haven for software developers, web designers, and other geeks. In contrast, the Joyful Frog serves a different community: entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and other players in the startup scene.
“We’re building a new kind of academy. MBA schools teach workers to climb the corporate ladder; at JFDI.Asia, entrepreneurs learn to build much earlier-stage businesses by discovering and engaging with customers,” says Meng. “We offer start-up founders an experiential education because, in the era of the Internet, the ‘know-what’ facts traditionally taught in formal education effectively come for free. Success now depends on other, very human factors: ‘know-how’ and ‘know-who’. The Joyful Frog is a place to share insights, connection and mentoring face to face.”
The innovation campus starts from a solid foundation. So far 60% of the companies passing through our accelerator have raised funding totalling S$3.9m. Along the way they have created over 40 high-value jobs in Singapore.
Today’s announcement follows a successful three-month pilot and remodelling of JFDI.Asia’s incubation space. The Joyful Frogcampus combines a cosy café with meeting rooms and seminar space, and a large quiet ‘jungle’ retreat where 9 start-up companies are now part-way through their 100 day program, hoping to raise S$600k each at Demo Day on 3rd June.
Hugh Mason, CEO of JFDI.Asia, said: “The Joyful Frog is a place where people don’t just talk about the future – they make it happen. Visitors value the inspirational people they meet here because of the open culture and the fact that some of our residents are willing to back their advice with cash is very unusual. There is nowhere else quite like the Joyful Frog in Southeast Asia. We now have a community of several thousand around the region who ask us to consider expansion to their countries too if the campus concept succeeds.”
The Joyful Frog will offer memberships and a limited number of residences.
The Joyful Frog’s first official individual resident is Hian Goh, creator of the Asian Food Channel, and an early investor in Chope.com which raised funding last week.
TiE Singapore is the innovation campus’ first corporate resident. TiE Chairman Ravi Mantha said: “The Joyful Frog adds huge value because it brings together the movers and shakers of Singapore’s startup community. TiE will curate the program of events and seminars and is uniquely placed to link residents with other achievers in every corner of the world. Based on my experience with the JFDI.Asia team, I am certain that this journey will be both fun and fulfilling.”
Individuals and companies interested to learn more about joining the Joyful Frog are welcome to write to info@jfdi.asia
The Joyful Frog holds an open house event every Friday at 5.30pm when anyone is welcome to visit. Details are online at: http://www.jfdi.asia/openhouse