About

blinkBL_NK was a monthly speaker series where regular people shared their expertise on fascinating topics in a laid-back environment. Each event featured three 20-minute talks followed by Q&A. Founded in 2009, blinkBL_NK hosted ~30 events and ~80 talks on everything from taxi pricing and sea piracy to gay rights and cultural heritage in Singapore. I was the main emcee for the event and helped source the speakers.

Key Links

• Facebook page, with event pictures
• TEDx talk about founding blinkBL_NK

Backstory

I co-founded blinkBL_NK with Syaheed, Vikas, and ChewLin as a way to connect with new people and contribute something meaningful to Singapore. The format was inspired by Nerd Nite, a multi-city speaker series driven by my friend Matt Wasowski. We also took inspiration from the TEDx program, which had launched a few months before we got started.

After incubating the event at hackerspace.sg, we moved to Blu Jaz Cafe. blinkBL_NK’s eclectic approach helped it stay distinctive even as Singapore’s event calendar filled up with more talks and networking events.

Photo Gallery

[Show as slideshow]