Rice Media acquired by local social media agency Hustle Studios

Local online media outlet Rice Media has been acquired by Hustle Studios, the creative arm of SkillsFuture-accredited training provider Hustle Singapore.

This was announced on Rice Media's website on Mar. 29, marking a new chapter for the outlet, which was founded in 2016.

In their statement, Rice Media said Hustle Singapore had been a longstanding training partner, supporting the development of creative skills for local audiences.

The acquisition, it said, brings together Rice Media's "editorial credibility and community reach with Hustle’s expertise in learning, facilitation, and training programmes".

Hustle Studios "felt like the right home"

Outgoing founder and chief executive Mark Tan said Rice Media was built on the belief that Singaporeans deserved "honest, thoughtful storytelling about their own lives."

Co-founder Julian Wong echoed that sentiment, saying Hustle Singapore shares this vision.

"So this felt like the right home," he said.

A Hustle Singapore representative also spoke up about the acquisition, describing Rice Media as part of Singapore's cultural and creative infrastructure.

"Our role is to support its next phase: not just continuing the storytelling, but creating more spaces where Singaporeans can reflect, create, and connect with one another."

Expansion into workshops and community experiences

In the statement, Rice Media noted that the acquisition comes amid what it described as a period of significant uncertainty for many Singaporeans, spanning concerns over careers, cost of living, and rapid economic and technological change.

Reader surveys conducted in 2025 flagged recurring themes of burnout, a desire for meaningful community, and interest in creative expression beyond performance metrics.

Rice Media and Hustle Singapore intend to respond to this directly, said the media outlet.

Under Hustle Studios' ownership, Rice Media plans to expand beyond publishing into creative industry programmes, workshops, and community experiences, while continuing to serve its existing audience.

"The goal is not simply to sustain what Rice Media has been, but to grow into what its community has been asking for."

Both Rice Media founders, Wong and Tan, will remain in an advisory capacity during the transition period.

Rice Media will continue publishing at the same web address, with further announcements on new programming and community initiatives expected in the coming months.

Top photos from Rice Media's LinkedIn and website, and Hustle Singapore/Google Maps