“Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” ~ Robert Frost
Indeed, those who build startups from scratch walk the path less traveled, detracting from conventional paths of success by striking out on their own. And what a difference it has made – these 8 startups in Singapore have achieved phenomenal success, some even reaching “unicorn” status, valued at over $1 billion today.
Good news for those of you looking to climb, no, fly up the career ladder – these star startups actually have job positions available!
P.S. For those of you who’re trained in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields, you’re in luck, as your expertise is highly sought after here.
When you think of going on that dream vacation, you would fret over what to do and the costs of doing these things. This is where Klook steps in.
Founded in 2014, this travel startup offers attractively low prices on more than 50,000 activities across over 200 Asian destinations on its platform. That means cheaper and fast pass tickets to Universal Studios Japan, or a discounted Swiss Travel Pass for your vacation to Switzerland – all accessible on your phone.
In just four years, Klook has rapidly expanded to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and even Dubai and Switzerland – and we’re betting it’ll continue to grow, so show ’em how your expertise is needed to move things along. (Free travel doesn’t hurt, too).
Career positions available:
If you think Grab is the only company in Singapore who does it all – taxi transportation, mobile payments, and food delivery – think again. Go-Jek is the next big guy to enter the scene.
Originally from Indonesia, Go-Jek does all that and even provides cleaning and massage services. So, if you’re looking to gain experience in multiple industries within a single company, keep Go-Jek within your sights.
Plus, if you’re a techie who understands the quirks of C++ or Python, Go-Jek is on the lookout for you, rolling out a range of tech roles like iOS/Android Engineers and Software Leads.
Career positions available:
Image credit: Glassdoor
Lazada has become a familiar name for most of us, for it rolls out generous deals on products ranging from beauty & wellness to even baby strollers – all through their app or online portal.
Originally launched in 2012, Lazada operates in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. And of course, the huge diversity of Lazada’s key markets means more job openings. If you have an interest in e-commerce and are keen to work in a pretty sweet office, this might be right up your alley.
Note: Lazada is particularly in need of those among you who’re experts in engineering!
Career positions available:
Explore the full range of Lazada’s jobs here.
It’s okay if Sea doesn’t ring a bell with you, but if you happen to be a gamer, a shopper, or better still, a combo of both, you’ll have heard of their digital platforms: Garena and Shopee. Sea was originally just Garena when it was founded in 2009, but it has since then expanded to include online shopping (Shopee), and more recently, digital finances (AirPay).
With operations extending all over Asia in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, Sea is set to continue growing and expanding its operations. Translation: more job openings for you, especially in data and software development areas.
Career positions available:
Explore the full range of Sea’s jobs here.
99.co has made its mark as a successful real estate startup in Singapore.
Founded in 2014, it’s basically a property search portal that helps buyers and tenants find properties that match their needs. A simple concept, yes, but one that has been very successful, with 99.co not just incorporating a whopping 100,000 of Singapore’s properties on its portal, but also succeeding in entering Indonesia’s market.
Career positions available:
We all know how frustrating it can be to make restaurant reservations the good ol’-fashioned way: by phone. We can’t call them when they’re closed, and even when they’re open, they usually can’t pick up the phone because they’re busy.
Chope was born in 2011 to tackle this issue – simply use their smartphone app and you can chope a good seat anytime, anywhere.
Chope’s success is so great that by 2017, it has expanded to engage more than 3,000 F&B clients across Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, and Thailand.
Career positions available:
So you just spent an entire afternoon drawing up these plans for a memorable date – except the effort’s wasted as you don’t have a date. Here’s where Paktor enters the scene. An alternative to Tinder and OKCupid, Paktor sets itself apart by providing a more localised, made-in-SG mobile dating experience.
And Paktor has grown significantly, now spreading the love to Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, with its user base expanding to over 15 million. With Paktor’s success, of course, comes the opening of jobs – so if you’re that friend who’s forever trying to matchmake others, this might just be your calling.
The business of matchmaking has definitely expanded far beyond the days of bringing 2 people together physically IRL – you can now do that digitally! If the idea of helping people find their S.Os in this digital age attracts you and you are a computer science specialist, good news: Paktor is looking for you, offering Android Engineer and Junior Web Developer positions.
Career positions available:
Snap. List. Sell. That’s all you need to do to start decluttering your room, and Carousell is THE go-to avenue to make money off all those unwanted stuff you hoard. It’s amazing how far Carousell has come, starting from 3 friends who just wanted to declutter their homes.
Today, Carousell has expanded to become a massive online marketplace selling everything from appliances to makeup and even property. It also has a presence in other Asian cities, including Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Manila.
Career positions available:
If you’ve noticed, besides marketing and business development skills, the above startups are looking for people with skills in data analysis, software development and even ethical hacking.
These more technical skills generally fall under a degree in STEM courses (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math) and will help you gain an edge over the competition when applying for these coveted jobs.
Luckily for you, private education institution PSB Academy offers comprehensive courses that’ll help you develop the skills needed for the above jobs:
Being expertly skilled is one thing, but there is just one more crucial component that you need to really complete the puzzle of excelling at your job: human connections. And what better way to meet and network with the right people than through industry events?
Attend PSB Academy’s student chapters, industry talks & visits, and career fairs, where you’ll get to meet some of the field’s top guys. Just this September, PSB Academy organised an industry visit to Indonesia, where unicorn startups like Bukalapak and Go-Jek were explored!
The new STEM campus is about 20 minutes away from town by train, sitting neatly between Braddell and Toa Payoh MRT station. And it’s renovated just this year, meaning that you’ll gain access to fully-equipped labs, spacious discussion pods for late-night mugging, and even a sports science lab for aspiring physiologists. Check out these facilities via a virtual tour here.
This post was brought to you by PSB Academy.
Quality doesn’t always have to come with a hefty price tag.
No need to head to Japan or Korea, China has pretty blooms too 🌸
Unique SkillsFuture courses you should take this year.
You spin my head right round, right round.
Countdown to 2025 in Singapore Another year has flown by, and as we bid farewell…
Let's get dem gainz.