Software Talks #3: Scaling, Soft Skills & Next-Gen Builders

Speaker #1: Ace Yip, Founder of 'Sup

🔥 Fireside Chat with Ace Yip
Building Sup: Scaling AI as a Teen Founder
At just 17, Ace Yip founded 'Sup—an AI-powered edtech startup helping students unlock their potential through intelligent career tools. In this fireside chat, Ace walks us through the technical and entrepreneurial journey of building 'Sup: from designing scalable infrastructure and securing sensitive data, to fine-tuning AI for real-world education use cases and shipping fast with a lean team.

We’ll explore:

• Key system design decisions behind 'Sup’s AI engine
• How Ace tackled security, testing, and real-time performance
• The role of AI tools in speeding up development
• Hard-won lessons from building, breaking, and scaling quickly

Whether you're a developer, aspiring founder, or simply curious about how a teenager built something so impactful, this session offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look into the mind of a next-gen builder.

About Ace:
Ace is currently in her graduating year at Raffles Institution, where she spends nearly 40 hours a week building 'Sup. Backed by the Singapore government, 'Sup is a career copilot that democratizes access to career and education pathways using agentic workflows and generative AI. Outside of scrums and sprints, Ace enjoys hiking (a lot!) and exploring contemporary art.

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Speaker #2: Keerthana Ravikumar, Product Manager

🎤 Talk #2: From Code to Customers : A Journey Through Tech Roles (and How to Navigate Them)
While early-career professionals often focus on sharpening their technical skills, this talk encourages a broader perspective. Keerthana Ravikumar shares her personal journey across different roles in tech—highlighting the underrated power of soft skills, communication, and mindset in building a fulfilling and sustainable career.

Expect insights on:

• Transitioning between technical and non-technical roles
• Building people-first product strategies
• Developing a mindset that adapts across teams and challenges
• Navigating your unique path in the tech ecosystem

About Keerthana:
Keerthana is a budding Product Manager with a passion for people and a distinct approach to problem-solving. She believes that mindset is the ultimate product—a foundational skill that can reshape how we approach technology, teamwork, and even life’s big questions.