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3/28/2025

SC Ventures & INSEAD: Introducing personalized corporate training with Azure OpenAI Service

SC Ventures, Standard Chartered’s innovation, fintech investment and ventures arm, sought to address the challenges of upskilling an evolving workforce that is being shaped by remote work and shifting demographics.

With INSEAD, SC Ventures built Project Eduverse, a secure, AI-driven platform delivering tailored learning experiences with Azure OpenAI Service. The company also relied on GitHub as its DevSecOps platform.

Project Eduverse has already been used in over 50 use cases across industries and functions to scale training programs, enhancing workforce readiness while enabling leaders to manage critical conversations more effectively.

SC Ventures

SC Ventures, Standard Chartered’s innovation, fintech investment and ventures arm, is exploring solutions to address the challenges of upskilling an evolving workforce that is being shaped by remote work and shifting demographics. 

In collaboration with INSEAD, SC Ventures used Azure OpenAI Service to build Project Eduverse, a secure, AI-driven platform that delivers a tailored simulations and learning experiences. Project Eduverse has already been used in over 50 use-cases across industries and functions to enhance workforce readiness and enable leaders to manage critical conversations more effectively.

SC Ventures is dedicated to driving innovation within Standard Chartered by building, investing, and validating disruptive business models. It operates as a corporate venture builder, setting up startups to commercialise new ideas.

SC Ventures has leveraged generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) with a focus on using large language models (LLM) to solve complex business problems and work with unstructured data. “Over the years, we’ve experimented with different technical approaches, which has helped us grow comfortable with generative AI,” explains Thorsten Neumann, Venture Technology Lead at SC Ventures. ”We’ve adopted the technology to drive business outcomes, from revenue generation to productivity uplift to risk reduction.” 

This early exposure to GenAI informed one of SC Ventures’ most recent innovation ideas. Earlier this year, the company partnered with INSEAD to create Project Eduverse, an innovative learning platform under incubation. “Technology has transformed education, but human behaviour is hard to change. We still learn best through experience,” reflects Neumann. The team drew on how younger generations are more comfortable with technology but still lack experience in navigating critical conversations. This challenge is compounded by the pressures of remote work and shifting workforce demographics. “We created Project Eduverse for organizations to offer targeted real-life conversational learning content accessible to everyone who wants to roleplay life-like situations,” explains Neumann.

A strategic approach to building an innovative platform

SC Ventures wanted to ensure Project Eduverse was built on a foundation that could scale effectively and securely. “We specifically chose Azure for our AI needs because it met our availability, scalability, security, and data processing needs,” shares Neumann. 

SC Ventures also prioritised security by utilising the Critical Security Controls framework, GitHub for secure development practices, and the Microsoft 365 suite for endpoint and identity protection. “Although the content on Project Eduverse isn’t sensitive or transactional like customer data, there is still a strong emphasis on trust and security. Learners need to know that they can learn in a safe space,” Neumann emphasises. 

By using cloud-based architecture, SC Ventures ensured that Project Eduverse could be seamlessly integrated into existing systems like Microsoft Teams and Viva learning. This integration brings an intuitive learning experience right down to the desktop while maintaining the highest standards of data protection.

Thorsten Neumann, Venture Technology Lead, SC Ventures

“We specifically chose Azure for our AI needs because it met our availability, scalability, security, and data processing needs.”

Thorsten Neumann, Venture Technology Lead, SC Ventures

Expanding possibilities with AI-driven learning

With Project Eduverse, SC Ventures offers the opportunity to leverage AI-driven learning in upskilling frontline staff, roleplay with people leaders, and preparing their future workforce. “Project Eduverse isn't just about delivering learning content. It’s about creating specific experiences that address real-world challenges,” points out Peter Zemsky, Eli Lilly Chaired Professor of Strategy and Innovation at INSEAD. “The platform enables users to translate knowledge into actionable behaviour through simulations powered by GenAI.” 

For instance, sales leaders looking to drive new account acquisitions can benefit from targeted training that prepares their teams for high-stakes conversations. Simulated conversations with AI trainers enable learners to practice and refine skills in realistic environments, with learners receiving nuanced feedback as they go along.

Project Eduverse’s ability to draw on public data and documents allows it to contextualise training conversations effectively. Neumann explains, “For example, if I'm pitching Project Eduverse to a client, I can prepare with Project Eduverse by using the client’s public financial report to understand their priorities.” This approach ensures that learners are not only well-prepared for meetings but also equipped to handle objections and pivot when necessary.

In being informed by machine learning, AI, and data, the platform tailors experiences to specific organisational needs and ensure relevance of content. It can help organisations implement frameworks like SPIN for sales (a conversation model for high-value selling) or Crucial Conversations for managers (a structured approach for touch conversations), ensuring that learners not only know about these methodologies but can effectively apply them to real-world discourses. 

Project Eduverse is designed to address internal challenges, such as preparing line managers for nuanced conversations like policy changes and performance reviews. Through simulations, Project Eduverse equips leaders with skills to manage their teams more effectively. “Those who manage teams and focus on training and upskilling value the relevancy and scalability of Project Eduverse,” remarks Neumann. “All businesses run in-person training with their frontline staff and leaders, but the continuity is constrained by time, geography, and budgets.” By leveraging AI, SC Ventures ensures that Project Eduverse establishes deep relevance across industries and business functions. 

A transformative journey in upskilling

SC Ventures’ journey in co-creating Project Eduverse has been one of discovery and adaptation. “Classic voice generation models often produce dull, monotonous conversations. We spent considerable time optimising voice generation to achieve a certain flair, natural sounding voice profile, and take on a specific persona,” Neumann highlights. “With attention to such detail, we immerse the learner fully into the education experience.”

As the platform evolves, the team’s focus will remain on enhancing Project Eduverse’s capabilities and expanding the platform’s impact across industries. “We’re building a community of coaches to be part of Project Eduverse platform because they often guide learners and help them reflect on their behaviour. We look to ensure there is a synergy between human coaches and the platform’s AI capabilities,” shares Neumann.

Reflecting on this journey, Zemsky sums up, “Learning used to be about static content delivery, but with AI, it’s about creating dynamic, real-life experiences that truly prepare people for the challenges they face.” SC Ventures looks forward to continuing this transformation, using AI to make learning more interactive, relevant, and effective for the modern workforce.

“Learning used to be about static content delivery, but with AI, it’s about creating dynamic, real-life experiences that truly prepare people for the challenges they face.”

Peter Zemsky, Eli Lilly Chaired Professor of Strategy and Innovation, INSEAD

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