Solo Levelling: Learning from past failures and improving yourself

Written by: Lim Yee Lin

While most kids fantasise about becoming astronauts or superheroes, Dev Bahl had an unconventional childhood dream – to become an engineer. “I kind of enjoyed the idea that there's a profession that just solves problems every single day,” explained the 27-year-old.

Fueled by this aspiration, Dev pursued a degree in computer science and design at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Yet, Dev quickly realised that the nature of a computer scientist’s job was not actually what he desired to do for a career.

He attributed this realisation to his preference for human interaction which drives his desire to “interface directly with the person facing the problem” – something not handled by computer scientists. Moreover, with entrepreneurs for parents, Dev's naturally grew up with an interest in the world of enterprise.

“I just always thought it would be nice to have some ability and some mobility to be able to solve problems on your own and to be able to put forth what you think is right with some level of control.”

To gain a clearer understanding of his career goals, Dev completed several product management internships while pursuing his Bachelor’s degree. Photo Credit: Dev Bahl

Thus, armed with a deeper understanding of himself and how his interests aligned with entrepreneurship, Dev pursued a Master’s in Technology Entrepreneurship after completing his bachelor's degree.

Through this Master’s, Dev got the opportunity to attend classes held by several prestigious universities around the world like Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Zhejiang University and University of California, Berkeley. And it was also during his time studying in Berkeley that Dev founded Galaxy Gaming, an online gaming and social platform where players use decentralised currencies to loan, finance and play Web 3.0 games. 

Although he had to shut down the venture after nine months, Dev expressed that it was not a fruitless venture. He was able to hone his speaking skills while networking in a foreign country to raise funds for his venture, even though he struggled with imposter syndrome. 

Though his venture did not go as planned, Dev learned a great deal about the importance of relationship fundraising in creating startups.

“Having to put myself out there, meeting other people from all around the world and talking about topics that were highly complex and highly difficult, many times sounding like someone who didn't know what he was talking about. It was embarrassing and painful but it helped because I had to eventually meet people to be in that community and to understand them.”

The experience helped Dev become bolder and more authentic in his approach to problem-solving. He emphasised that the solutions they create must be sustainable and yield measurable results. While profit is important, the primary focus should be on genuinely solving the problem at hand.

Additionally, the experience taught Dev the value of openness, making him more receptive to listening to all points of view as much as possible. Harnessing the communication skills he had developed, after completing his Master's degree, Dev returned to Singapore to work at and further develop his parents’ businesses: MAGES Institute of Excellence, MAGES Studio and the newest company launched in June 2024, Mile3. Serving as the marketing manager at MAGES Institute, Dev also acts as the product manager at MAGES Studio, where he drives technological innovation and the growth manager at Mile3, a tech incubator dedicated to youth development and community engagement.

In 2023, while presenting the idea of Mile3 to secure *SCAPE’s support for its launch, Dev met David Chua, the Chief Executive of the National Youth Council Singapore (NYC). Through this interaction, David introduced Dev to NYC and invited him to the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s (ECOSOC) Youth Forum in New York.

Dev was apprehensive about the invitation initially.

“I was like, ‘is this for real? It's the government, right? But why would they send me on a trip?’ And eventually I thought, ‘Just Hail Mary, let's just go for it.’ There wasn’t not enough time to figure out the context because it was in a month. ”

And he has never looked back since.

At the ECOSOC Youth Forum, Dev explored global approaches to youth participation in politics, including challenges like low voter turnout and misinformation and various strategies for youth representation in government. Photo Credit: Dev Bahl

During the trip, Dev had the opportunity to observe Singapore's youth initiatives on an international scale and witness youth participation in politics. He distinctly remembered being awed by David's explanation of conducting Youth Panels as an alternative way to involve young people in politics. This discussion took place at a roundtable with representatives from various countries, who shared their own approaches.

As he was fascinated by the idea of having a "sandbox" where youths could voice their ideas, receive support and structure, and even make mistakes while learning more about policy creation, Dev eagerly accepted the invitation to participate in Youth Panels as lead for the #TechHacks panel.

Being a lead, Dev encouraged and facilitated discussions and assisted NYC with operational tasks, such as contacting specific panel members. He was surprised to discover that policy design is very similar to his day job of product design; both aim to solve problems, though one does it through policy papers and the other through product development. As such, he strived to bring the same fundamentals to the policy design process, enhancing its effectiveness.

Being the #TechHacks panel lead, Dev tried to integrate his own knowledge of the tech industry to facilitate discussions.

Furthermore, Dev's experience with technology enabled him to better aid the #TechHacks panel members during panel discussions and research. This was especially so when it came to addressing topics such as creating and doing research on policies that can help with combating cyberbullying and promoting digital inclusion. His insights helped explore ways to make the digital space more accessible, particularly for elderly and marginalised communities who may feel uncomfortable online for various reasons.

However, he faced challenges, such as unfamiliarity with policy writing and the need to manage team members who also have personal commitments. This means not everyone can be available for meetings.

Noting the parallels that his role as lead of the #TechHacks panel and everyday job have, Dev said, “it's really just my fourth job and it's kind of fun because it's similar in nature where like you rally people, you give them structure and you let them be their best self.”

Dev joined the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) after meeting its founder, Brian, at the Our Singapore Leadership Programme (OSLP) because he was drawn to how it aligned with his own interest in ASEAN collaboration and connectivity. Photo Credit: Dev Bahl

Beyond leading the #TechHacks Youth panel, Dev is also involved in a variety of other projects like the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) and ASEAN Network. Even with his busy schedule, Dev hopes to do more in the future, specifically in the area of rural education for women as influenced by his family.

“If we can educate and mobilise and enable a woman, a daughter, a girl, she will one day be able to feed and take care of her family, and that's a really good impact to society.”

If you want to learn more about the research, findings and policies proposed by the #TechHacks panel, register your interest for the upcoming Youth Policy Forum at go.gov.sg/youthpolicyforum-here!