I'm building my AI startup in high school. I don't buy the dropout myth — I'm still going to college.

At just 18 years old, Ace Yip He Hua is not your typical high school senior. While many of her peers are focused solely on their studies, she has already launched a tech startup aimed at revolutionizing recruitment processes. The journey began in March, with a prototype unveiled by July, addressing challenges faced by fresh graduates in securing internships and jobs, particularly in competitive job markets like Singapore, the US, and China. Ace's personal experience in the job market, including a challenging search for a law internship, fueled her ambition. She found herself applying to countless firms, often with little success. This struggle inspired her to develop a solution that would aid others in similar situations. Balancing the demands of school and her startup has been no small feat. With a team of ten, including three interns located in cities like New York and San Francisco, she often finds herself juggling meetings with collaborators and investors during school hours. To manage her dual commitments, Ace employs a strategy of compartmentalization. During school hours, she dedicates her focus to academics, only stepping away for crucial calls. Her typical day starts at 6 a.m. with an hour-long commute, which she uses to handle work communications. After school, she dedicates her lunch breaks and evenings to her startup, often staying up until the early hours of the morning to keep everything on track. Despite the challenges, Ace's entry into the startup realm has been empowering. Attending events like Singapore Tech Week reinforced her belief that merit outweighs age and experience. In a landscape increasingly populated by young entrepreneurs, she stands out by embracing her unique perspective and quick adaptability. Ace is aware of the prevailing narrative that successful founders must drop out of college or fit a certain mold. However, she firmly believes that her journey is different. By remaining in school, she is positioned to better understand her target market—college students and recent graduates—while also benefiting from the structured learning environment that university provides. Looking ahead, Ace plans to take a gap year to accelerate her startup's growth before pursuing a law degree. She aims to combine her legal studies with a focus on data science, particularly interested in the flexibility and support offered by US universities. Her story is a testament to the potential of young innovators who challenge conventional paths while striving for success in the tech industry.