Alibaba Business School launches Netpreneur Training Programme in Singapore 

Alibaba trainers to share their knowledge on how enterprises can start their digital transformation journey.

Participants at an Alibaba Netpreneur Training Programme session (Note: Session took place pre-pandemic)

If businesses have been hesitating between jumping into the abyss of digital transformation to sitting it out and maintaining the status quo, then the COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly pushing them to jump into those contentious digital chasms head-on.

And now that most global workplaces are going remote and customers are going virtual, digitalisation is not just an option that sits warily on the sidelines—it’s now become a “Plan A” for many businesses that are keen to survive the pandemic—and thrive in it. 

To help entrepreneurs and business leaders take tangible and actionable steps to advance in this digital economy, Alibaba Business School, the education arm of Alibaba Group, is collaborating with the Singapore Week of Innovation and TeCHnology (SWITCH) to launch the first-ever Alibaba Netpreneur Training Programme in Singapore. Organised by Enterprise Singapore (ESG), the programme is based on Alibaba’s own entrepreneurship journey, and is part of their broader initiatives to promote inclusive development and empowerment for all entrepreneurs and businesses. 

“There is no more crucial time than now to future-proof ourselves. Deepening firms’ digital capabilities is at the top of Singapore’s current national agenda, and we are keen to demonstrate to SMEs and entrepreneurs how we can directly support them in rebooting their businesses through capitalising on our digital ecosystem learnings and insights, and equipping them with the skills needed to transform their businesses for long-term success in the digital economy,” said Zhang Yu, Alibaba Group Partner and Vice President.

SWITCH is well-known for organising their annual tech and innovation festival, which brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, creators, accelerators and investors from the Global-Asia innovation ecosystem. Its partnership with Alibaba Business School to debut the Alibaba Netpreneur Training in Singapore will be the first of many innovation-led activities that will be held in line with SWITCH this year. 

“We are excited to partner with Alibaba Business School in this meaningful programme. This programme is part of a series of activities which aims to drive discussions on innovation as part of SWITCH. Through this programme, participants will gain insights on China’s innovation landscape and digitalisation trends, adding on to our efforts to build a pipeline of strong entrepreneurs with the ability to scale up beyond Singapore,” said Cindy Ngiam, Director at Enterprise Singapore, SWITCH Programme Office.

Embracing digitalisation: The Alibaba Netrepreneur Training Programme

Zhang Yu, Alibaba Group Partner and Vice President, speaking at a Netpreneur Training Programme session (Note: Session took place pre-pandemic)

The Alibaba Netpreneur Training Programme will cover China’s digital economic transformation, Alibaba’s key learnings from its growth from a fledgling start-up into a full digital ecosystem, as well as practical advice to help businesses digitally transform their own operations and confidently embrace global business opportunities. The Alibaba trainers will also host optional webinars during the programme focusing on industry trends and insights.

The six-week programme will utilise both online and offline training modules. The online modules will be conducted via a series of virtual seminars from 21 July to 1 September, providing first-hand exposure to e-commerce and digital innovations and access to business leaders across Alibaba and China. The sessions will also help participants identify and cover ways to tap into cutting-edge trends in the digital economy, as well as develop an understanding of business frameworks, strategic patterns, and create an effective environment that will help firms to drive innovation and achieve greater results. Participants will also meet and connect with like-minded peers through these series of exercises, interactive lectures, and dynamic discussions. 

Attendees will be graded and quizzed on a weekly basis, with the sessions culminating in a final capstone assignment at the end of the programme. Those who complete the course will be invited to join the Alibaba Global Initiatives community, where they will be able to receive access to additional content and activities post-programme such as webinars and newsletters. 

Based on the outcome of the online participation and the assignments/project completed, outstanding performers will also be eligible to participate in offline immersion programmes at Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou, China once travel restrictions are lifted. 

The Netpreneur Training programme is part of a continuous resolve of Alibaba Business School to bring fresher and more diverse training initiatives to their various markets of operation. Prior to the introduction of the Alibaba Netpreneur Training, the school already launched the eFounders Fellowship programme in conjunction with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in 2017, which imparts insights from entrepreneurial success stories that participants can apply to their own businesses to bring about meaningful change in and have a positive impact on their home communities. 

For example, a Singaporean entrepreneur Alvin Koh, founder of retail omnichannel management firm LOOP Smart POS, applied tangible insights from the eFounders programme in 2018 to redesign his business model and talent acquisition structure. This helped him build a sustainable base of operations in Vietnam, where he was able to pivot his business to help Vietnamese retail merchants weather the pandemic by onboarding brick-and-mortar merchants online. 

Visit this page here for more information on the Alibaba Netpreneur Training Programme’s enrollment criteria and full programme details. Registration will close on 27 June 2021.