Co-founded with Rachel Lee in 2019. Acquired by Tribe at the end of 2022.
the problem
Companies wanted data scientists. Schools were producing graduates who could pass exams but struggled to apply their skills to real business problems. The result was a talent market where candidates looked the same on paper, hiring managers couldn't tell who was actually capable, and companies were burning months on recruiting cycles that often went nowhere.
I saw this first-hand as Chief Academic Officer at UpCode Academy, a coding school in Singapore. Rachel — my university mate whom I reconnected with at UpCode — saw it too. We both knew the gap wasn't talent; it was a structured pathway to bridge classroom to workplace.
what we built
UpLevel was a train-to-hire platform for aspiring data scientists.
On the candidate side, we created structured training content — Python, data analytics, machine learning — and built a community of learners developing real, portfolio-worthy skills.
On the employer side, we worked with companies hiring for data roles to co-design 6–8 week training projects rooted in their actual business problems. We then recruited candidates from our pool, trained them on those projects, and let the work speak for itself. Companies got to assess real output from real problems before making a hire. Candidates got hands-on experience and a direct line to a job offer.
It reduced hiring time by 2x and cut hiring costs by 2x compared to traditional recruiting.
the result
100% hiring rate. Every candidate who completed an apprenticeship got hired.
the exit
Acquired by Tribe at the end of 2022. Tribe is a web3 activation company that also owns AngelHack, one of the world's largest global developer ecosystems. The acquisition brought UpLevel's talent development infrastructure into Tribe's broader mission of building developer communities.
Around the time of the acquisition, I was recognised on the gen.T List — Tatler Asia's list of young leaders shaping the future.
This was my second exit.