Julia Chia

Julia Chia Ciaciek is the founder of kūpaa, a Singapore-based reusable lifestyle brand focused on reducing single-use plastic in everyday takeaway culture. Originally from Germany, Julia moved to Singapore for her master’s degree and went on to build kūpaa together with her Singaporean co-founder after noticing the heavy reliance on single-use plastics in daily food routines.

She has grown the company from concept to retail and e-commerce, with hands-on experience across product development, branding, operations, and community-led marketing. Julia’s expertise lies in founder-led brand building, sustainable consumer products, and positioning sustainability in ways that are practical, culturally relevant, and desirable rather than preachy.

As a mentor, she enjoys supporting early-stage founders in shaping strong brand identities, building resilient businesses, and navigating the real operational and emotional challenges of entrepreneurship.