Fuelling Innovation with Passion

From designing ships to building ideas, Fan Jun Wei has navigated a unique path at ST Engineering — one influenced by great mentorship and a drive to innovate. We sat down with him to learn how guidance from mentors early in his career empowered him to bring his ideas to life and how he’s now doing the same for others.

Q: What first inspired you in your early days at ST Engineering?

I initially started off as a naval architect in ST Engineering’s Marine business. What really stood out to me then was how open and supportive the culture was. My leaders constantly gave me the confidence to explore ideas outside my immediate scope of work — they didn’t just manage me, they mentored me.

Q: How did that mentorship shape your approach to innovation?

It armed me with the courage to think big. One idea that came out of this was MastPlot—a software tool my team and I developed to make sea trials more efficient for 5th Generation PT (5GPT) Patrol Boat. Initially, it was just meant to solve an internal technical problem we faced. But with the encouragement of our mentors, we saw a potential to scale it beyond our business unit.

Q: You went on to win In.Vent - our annual venture building programme - with MastPlot. What was that like?

In.Vent was a pivotal turning point. It provided us with a platform to validate our idea and eventually, the funding to take things further. Most importantly, it showed me that ideas can have real-world impact. That really shifted my mindset on what innovation can accomplish.

Q: What prompted your transition to ST Engineering Ventures?

After a few years in technical roles, I wanted a broader view of how innovation happens across the Group. Joining our Corporate Ventures team gave me that opportunity. I now work with teams from different business units to refine their ideas and support them in going to market. It felt like a natural step after what I’d experienced at In.Vent.

Q: How do you coach teams to bring their ideas to life?

At In.Vent, a big part of my role involves guiding teams through design thinking workshops and helping them see their ideas from a customer perspective. I always remind them that innovation doesn’t start with the tech. It starts with understanding the user. Who are you solving problems for, and what do they really need?

Q: What’s the most rewarding part of your work?

For me, offering support to others is a way of paying it forward. It’s incredibly fulfilling to see teams come in with rough ideas and then leave with clear, validated solutions. Watching that growth is particularly meaningful - because I know firsthand how powerful that kind of support can be. I’ve experienced it myself here at ST Engineering.