IDO launchpad Enjinstarter raises US$3M, plans to expand operations and join new verticals
IDO launchpad Enjinstarter announced today (January 20) it has received a US$3 million investment from True Global Ventures 4 Plus (TGV4 Plus).
This is part of the blockchain game launchpad’s ongoing US$5 million Series A fundraising round, of which TGV4 Plus is its lead investor.
The Series A round is targeted at “strategic equity investors who are investing in Web 3.0 and (the) gaming sector”.
The investment will be used to expand Enjinstarter’s existing operations and enter other complementary business verticals such as metaverse innovation consulting, game publishing and venture building.
“We are honoured to have TGV4 Plus lead our Series A round, and we have already experienced the immense support that has been provided by the partners leading the raise through advice and warm introductions to portfolio companies and partners from the ecosystem,” said Cheif Executive Officer and Co-founder of Enjinstarter Prakash Somosundram.
“As we embark on this journey to dominate the Web 3.0 space, we will need to stand on the shoulders of giants and TGV4 Plus brings that entire package together and walks the walk.”
Supporting blockchain games through tokens, NFTs
Launched in early October 2021, Enjinstarter is an IDO launchpad for Metaverse and Blockchain gaming projects. It has helped launch more than 30 projects and raised more than US$3 million via its platform.
Some notable projects that the launchpad has supported include Defina, The Killbox and PathDao. According to Enjinstarter, its projects have “delivered between 24 times to 53 times to investors from their public IDO price”.
Apart from issuing tokens, it helps game developers offer innovative ways to raise capital and fund their projects by selling virtual items such as NFTs.
The platform also offers an incubation program supported by an accredited partner network to provide projects with support for developing sustainable strategies and launching successful campaigns.
“We are at the start of what I believe is the tipping point where Metaverses, Play-to-earn and GameFi go mainstream, which is to have traditional fun gaming experiences plus the concepts of Finance & Fintech blended into a singular user experience,” said TGV4 Plus Partner Kelly Choo
“I believe that Enjinstarter is the right place and the right time to help companies who would like to build up their resources and communities as quickly as possible so that they can get to the right market quickly.”
Featured Image Credit: True Global Ventures & Enjinstarter
M’sian studio Durioo joins Y Combinator, its founder shares his next big goal: unicorn status
Not too long ago, Sinan Ismail, who was formerly the face of Digital Durian, spoke to us about his big dreams for his new tech and animation startup, Durioo.
Its goal? To be the Disney and Netflix for Muslim children.
Wholly bootstrapped for its launch in 2021, Durioo has now secured an undisclosed amount of pre-seed funding from global investors, wrote Sinan in a LinkedIn post.
They include names like Fadzarudin Anuar and Vivy Yusof (founders of FashionValet and dUCk), an investment manager of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and Qadr Financial Partners (venture investors from the UK).
At the same time, he announced that Durioo has been accepted into the coveted Silicon Valley accelerator programme, Y Combinator (YC).
For context, YC has previously invested in Airbnb, Dropbox, Stripe, and DoorDash. 25 of its portfolio companies have gone on to become unicorns with a total valuation of US$600 billion.
Durioo is the 5th Malaysian company to be accepted in YC, according to Sinan. Past Malaysian YC alumni comprise Dahmakan (now Pop Meals), Dropee, BrioHR, and Pandai.
An unusual, yet exciting application
On top of providing companies with seed funding, YC conducts accelerator programmes aimed at helping startups expand their ideas.
YC also helps founders deal with investors and acquirers, teaching them about pitching their startups to investors, and how to close a deal once they’ve garnered interest. The accelerator helps startups navigate paperwork, legal enquiries, intellectual property (IP) filing, and mediate disputes between founders too.
Durioo has been accepted to join Y Combinator’s Winter 2022 (YC W22) cohort, beating 17,500 online admissions from around the world, where less than 2,000 names were invited for a 10-minute online interview with YC.
Prior to COVID-19, the companies selected for this interview actually had to do it physically in Silicon Valley. Though Sinan lamented that he wasn’t able to visit Silicon Valley again, he still felt lucky to have been chosen.
Sinan was told by the YC team that Durioo was one of the more unusual, yet exciting applications that they’ve come across. This was because Durioo is the first-ever animation company YC has invested in that addresses the Muslim market, which the YC team found unique.
After the nerve-wracking interview at 1.30AM (Malaysian time), Sinan and his team then waited with bated breath for YC’s final decision.
Finally, an email came through. “I have good news for you: we’d like to invite you to join Y Combinator this batch,” an email from Jared Friedman, CTO of Scribd and Durioo’s YC Partner, read.
The rest was history, and Durioo is now one of the 400 companies chosen for YC W22.
Based on a new standard deal, YC will give a US$500,000 cheque to any company that enters its batch programme, which Sinan is grateful to have received.
Applicants may also receive additional funds after pitching their companies to at least 2,000 investors on YC’s Demo Day, which will happen following the 3-month accelerator programme.
Sinan is currently attending the 10-week accelerator programme online that started on January 10, held in US time. Thus, he’s had to adopt a sleep schedule that allows him to work and participate in YC programmes from noon till daylight.
Funding the tech startup’s ambitions
As mentioned, after Sinan came out of Digital Durian to start Durioo, the new tech company was built up from scratch.
“No revenue, no foreign capital injection, no IPs. But what we had was a team, a founder and most importantly, a big mission,” stated Sinan.
The 10-year creator of children’s animated content told his team of 50 that he will seek further investment to first sustain the Durioos.
Ultimately, funding will be used to make Durioo’s dream of being the Disney for Muslim children a reality, reaching 400 million young minds all around the world.
Speaking to Vulcan Post, Sinan revealed that he also hopes for Durioo to become a unicorn one day, which would financially benefit the startup and allow it to pump out high-quality Islamic content.
11 titles to launch this year
The official launch of Durioo happened on January 12, 2022, held at the Expo 2020 Dubai conference, where Durioo was one of three animation studios representing Malaysia there.
When Durioo was first incorporated in August 2021, the team’s target was to launch two Durioo Originals in 2022 on YouTube. They included Little Ammar, (a Cocomelon for Muslim Children, referring to the popular Netflix sing-along series) and Mina Mila (Islamic-themed content for girls aged 5-10).
Its streaming platform, Durioo+, was projected to launch during Ramadan 2023. Just two weeks into the YC programme, Sinan shared that this goal was fast-tracked, and Durioo+ will now be launching in February 2022. “I guess they call it an accelerator for a reason,” he chuckled.
So far, he has reported that the progress of these shows has been satisfactory. The shows’ announcements have even gotten the attention of his industry friends, who reached out with an interest in becoming co-producers to create three more Durioo Originals.
Zehni, POLYTAKO, and Bubu Lala, along with Little Ammar and Mina Mila are all content Sinan expects to be available within Q1 of 2022.
Based on advice from YC to “Make Something People Want”, Durioo has spoken to parents of its intended audience to learn that children want more than cartoons.
“We told ourselves that if we really wanted to be a platform for Muslim kids, we needed to make something that they want: live-action content, Durioo Non-Animated Shows (DNA),” Sinan realised.
In line with this, Durioo will be publishing 6 DNA titles as part of its Durioo Originals which will be injected with Islamic values and virtues.
Durioo+ will be made available to audiences all around the world in February 2022 on Andriod, iOS, Andriod TV, and Apple TV for a monthly fee of US$7.99 (Malaysian fees have yet to be disclosed).
Early-bird subscriptions are already open on the streaming site, and Sinan’s personal goal for Durioo+ is to reach 3,000 subscribers by the end of March 2022.
Also Read: 6 reasons why this LG 4K Smart OLED TV can be a conversation starter in your living room
Featured Image Credit: Sinan Ismail, CEO and founder of Durioo
Global border reopening likely to happen in the spring, latest Omicron data suggests
Given the latest Covid-19 infection records set around the world, optimism regarding the pandemic seems to be misplaced.
Even places like Singapore, which inoculated nearly all eligible residents and tried living with the virus, were forced to rollback even limited Vaccinated Travel Lane agreements with other, thus far well-performing countries.
And yet, the spread of Omicron seems to confirm our best hopes — not worst fears.
Yes, the new strain is considerably more infectious, but it is also considerably less lethal and, most importantly, the current wave peaks rather quickly, before subsiding equally fast.
Looking at Omicron’s origin, we can see how the latest wave of infections is unlike any before. Typically deaths followed growing infections quite quickly and proportionately, but with the latest variant, this link has been broken.
In fact, Omicron wave has largely passed, while average daily number of fatalities is only slowly nudging upwards, nowhere near what we would expect previously.
South Africa is our best litmus test, since it had to deal with Omicron first and, thus, we can now compare whether the rest of the world is seeing similar trends.
So, does it? Let’s take a look.
Recent surge in cases is nothing like the country has seen before, with three to four times more infected than even during the autumn/winter peak of 2020, before vaccines became available.
But again, as in South Africa, deaths do not seem to follow in the same proportions — and it’s not only down to vaccines (which, after all, are less effective against Omicron) but the virus itself, as the Delta outbreak ravaged the States just a few months ago.
It also seems that the US may already be past the peak and is going to see a rapid downward trend, particularly as the weather is about to start improving across the country (last year’s peak came at around the same time, leading to several months of relative calm).
Britain is ditching masks – and isolation
Meanwhile, the embattled British prime minister Boris Johnson stunned many yesterday announcing an end to mask mandates, mandatory vaccine certification, isolation for the infected from March 24 and work from home starting January 26.
Our scientists believe it is likely that the Omicron wave has now peaked nationally… because of the extraordinary booster campaign, together with the way the public have responded to the Plan B measures, we can return to Plan A.
Once regulations lapse (on January 26), the government will no longer mandate the wearing of face masks anywhere.
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the UK
As before, there’s data to back this decision, given how rapidly the Omicron wave has been receding in Britain, without triggering a surge in deaths, while hospitalisations remain stable or decline across the country.
A similar scenario is playing out everywhere else, albeit at different times, given the uneven spread of the virus, which is yet to arrive in some countries in the coming weeks.
Nevertheless, the experience of past waves suggests that the greatest threat might soon be behind us, as weather improves and typical winter “flu season” ends, while warmer conditions encourage people to spend more time outdoors or at least open windows at their homes and offices.
Virus grants immunity to millions
Paradoxically, the sheer transmissibility of Omicron also plays a positive part, as the virus itself acts like a vaccine, leading to greater presence of antibodies among all infected.
Given the milder course of the illness, many people may not even get themselves tested, while WHO’s predictions suggest that more than half of Europeans will contract Omicron within the next two months.
So, even before there are new variant-specific vaccines and/or treatments, most may have already defeated the disease quite naturally.
This should lead to lower incidence of the virus in the coming months, particularly as we’re going to receive more support from boosters targeting Omicron itself.
Get your bags ready (but don’t pack them just yet)
Last year’s spring and summer seasons were already pretty comfortable in many parts of the world, with travel resuming in America and Europe (before most people even got their jabs).
2022 should see border restrictions lifted elsewhere too, with more people having been inoculated, while the deadly Delta has been wiped out by milder Omicron.
As a result, it seems highly likely that this year is going to bring a proper revival of international travel, as soon as each country has dealt with the inevitable surge of the new variant (the sooner, the better).
The situation should remain stable at least until the autumn, when we may witness another bounce-back of the disease, perhaps in another incarnation, that’s going to be even less dangerous (hopefully).
While we may not see complete freedom of travel to and from all destinations just yet, the most coveted ones should be accessible again, reviving a sense of normalcy lacking so badly in the past two years.
Shop and support the best homegrown brands on VP Label now:
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Featured Image: AFP via GettyImages
Also Read: The variant of hope: Omicron may help us end the pandemic and the coming weeks are crucial
S’pore crypto publication Chain Debrief unveils NFT collection following US$900K funding
As Singapore establishes itself as a crypto hub, many local companies have been embracing NFTs.
One such company is Singapore-based crypto publication Chain Debrief, which recently raised US$900,000 funding in a seed round.
The round is led by angel investor Sim Jian Hong and supported by institutional investors QCP Capital, Gecko Ventures, Double Peak Group and Coinhako. Senior executives from Defiance Capital, Xfers, Mintable and other individual investors in the crypto space also participated in the funding round.
With this fresh injection of funding, Chain Debrief plans to expand its platform and continue building products focused on helping users to understand the crypto space.
One such product is a new platform called Pulse, which tracks decentralised applications activities through various blockchains.
Chain Debrief will offer exclusive access to Pulse to some of its users, and among those will be the holders of its upcoming genesis NFT collection Enlightened Rats.
The meaning behind Enlightened Rats
Founded in early 2021, Chain Debrief is dubbed as a “gateway into the world of cryptocurrency”. It aims to inform, educate and connect the global investment community — beginners or advanced users alike — through its editorial platform, video series and crypto communities.
In line with this goal on educating the masses on all things cryptocurrency-related, the Enlightened Rats collection takes a step into growing and fostering a new breed of crypto natives by narrating the situation that everyone is in: the rat race.
We are all busy at our jobs and competing with others to achieve money, power and status, but the Chain Debrief team believes that being equipped with crypto knowledge can eventually help individuals exit the rat race.
“Enlightened Rats is a collection of 888 randomly generated NFT on the Ethereum blockchain, the first series to be released by a crypto media platform. Each NFT is unique, and a symbol of belief,” said Jacky Yap, founder of Chain Debrief.
However, it initially started out a small collection of only 555 NFTs.
“Our NFT strategy is more of a long-term plan and we wanted to start small first because we wanted to focus a lot on creating and accruing value for our NFT holders,” he reasoned.
“We want to assure our NFT holders that we are here to stay and that we are not here to simply jump on the hype. I think that’s the message that I hope our followers and community members, who have been with us since the start, can trust — that we are here to stay and build.”
He added that since the reveal of Enlightened Rats, which was conducted via livestream alongside co-founder Johnathan Chua, they have received overwhelming support for the collection.
In just two days of announcement, their website weblist has hit over 500 interested parties, despite the team not starting on any marketing efforts yet.
As such, the team has made the call to increase the number of available NFTs for mint to 888.
We still want to make sure that the collection remains exclusive, and at the same time, include a bigger genesis community which we had largely underestimated.
With the slight increase in supply, what this means is that we are able to ensure that more people will be able to participate in the whitelist and they won’t have to wait for the public sale to mint. With the increase in supply, we are also able to have more holders that are vested in our ecosystem to help us grow Chain Debrief together.
– Jacky Yap, founder of Chain Debrief
What are the perks of owning an Enlightened Rat?
When it comes to the utilities, the Chain Debrief team is very focused on delivering and creating value for its NFT holders.
First and foremost, they would have the ownership of the very first NFT collection of Chain Debrief.
NFT holders will have complimentary access to their new product Chain Debrief Pulse (as mentioned earlier), as well as exclusive whitelist for partner NFT collections.
“When we launch future NFT collections, Enlightened Rats holders will be auto-whitelisted and enjoy a discounted mint price,” said Jacky.
Additionally, NFT holders will have access to all future crypto-related events organised by, or partnered with, Chain Debrief.
There will also be other lifestyle utilities, which the team will share more details on later.
We think of our NFT collection as like a membership, or an exclusive pass, to all the things that we are going to play or do.
It’s very important to me that the utility and value that we are driving doesn’t only exist in the crypto world, but also exists in the real world. [It’s] something that you can benefit from very quickly, as early as within this year.
– Jacky Yap, founder of Chain Debrief
How to get your hands on it?
Out of the 888 available Enlightened Rats, 800 will be available for mint and 88 will be reserved for the team and marketing.
Both pre-sale and public sale will take place on 5th February 2022 at 0.08 ETH per NFT.
For the pre-sale, anyone with a whitelist will be able to mint two Enlightened Rats per transaction for each wallet in a twenty four hour sale window.
The public sale will be available the next day, and the community will be able to mint up to five mints per transaction per wallet.
There will be 350 whitelist spots available for Enlightened Rats through community engagement in Chain Debrief’s Discord and social media platforms to ensure that everyone has an equal chance in earning the whitelist spots up until mint day.
The Chain Debrief team will also be keeping an eye out for active and helpful community members in various channels above and rewarding them an EnList as a reward. Other ways of getting an EnList include engaging in their social media pages through partnership giveaways.
You will be able to mint the Enlightened Rats NFT on its website, and when minting is over, you will be able to purchase it on secondary markets and OpenSea.
You can learn more about how to purchase an Enlightened Rat NFT here, and join its mailing list to be notified on its launch date.
“The Chain Debrief team is working everyday to accrue as much value to our NFT holders as possible, and this will not be our only NFT collection. Our work has just started, and WAGMI,” summed up Jacky.
Featured Image Credit: Enlightened Rats
Also Read: S’pore-based crypto publication Chain Debrief raises US$900K in seed funding round
All out to REACH you: How S’pore’s gov’t feedback unit ensures that every voice matters
Complaining might be a favourite pastime for all Singaporeans, but what if there was a way to complain effectively so that you can be heard?
Stretching its REACH online
Prior to the pandemic, REACH used mobile feedback booths, called Listening Points (LPs) to gather public feedback and sentiments.
It also regularly organised dialogue sessions for citizens to have deeper discussions with government leaders and fellow citizens.
With the onset of the pandemic and the restrictions around it, REACH had to quickly embrace technology and adopt digital outreach efforts.
Instead of face-to-face LPs and dialogues, citizens can now participate in virtual LPs via QR codes. They can also join dialogue sessions via Zoom or Clubhouse, in which they can engage government leaders from the comfort of their own homes.
Beyond moving existing platforms online, REACH also worked with partners to engage more citizens.
For instance, REACH collaborated with food delivery platforms such as Grab and foodpanda so that users can do a quick online REACH survey while waiting for their food to arrive.
Besides the customers, REACH’s collaboration with foodpanda also provided food merchants and delivery riders a convenient way to directly share with REACH how they are coping during the pandemic.
Today, this mix of physical and digital platforms enable REACH to better engage a broad segment of Singaporeans.
This is the philosophy that REACH stands by — trying our hardest to make sure that no voice is left unheard and every voice matters.
– Minister of State Tan Kiat How, Chairman of REACH
REACH-ing out to youths: empowerment, Rachel Reach, and the F-word
Besides going digital, REACH also made a concerted effort to engage youths in 2021. And what better way to engage youths than to tap on youths themselves?
REACH brought in a team of 15 youth Supervisory Panel members – who represented all six local autonomous universities, all five local polytechnics, three ITE colleges, and one arts institution – to advise them on what would work with people their age.
One of these ideas was REACH’s “Let’s F******* Campaign”. Yes, that got everyone’s attention, but it’s not the F-word some are thinking of – the ‘F’ in this F-word campaign refers to ‘feedback’.
“There were different opinions even within the REACH team, but this is nonetheless a bold, tongue-in-cheek approach to encourage Singaporeans to rethink what feedback means to them. Our youth representatives loved it, so we went ahead and it worked,” explained Yip Xin Ying, manager and architect behind the F-word campaign.
The campaign eventually gathered close to a million views on TikTok, and the “F-word” video was well-received by netizens.
Following the successful campaign, REACH hired “closet cartoonist” and talented artist Shen Jia Hui to further connect with youths.
She came up with different characters – Apathetic Andy, Inquisitive Ivan and Skeptical Susan – that Singaporeans can relate to when dealing with issues and sharing their views.
Jia Hui also created a half-AI, half-human character named Rachel that epitomises the enthusiasm at work displayed by the REACH team.
“I am happy that REACH has given me a platform to do something I love, and we are using these new characters to open new ventures and trigger new outreach ideas – from polls on InstaStories to a new online game that REACH is launching in 2022,” shared Jia Hui.
You can download stickers of these fun characters on WhatsApp and Telegram, which you can send to your friends in chat groups, as well as catch their adventures on REACH’s social media platforms.
REACH also worked with enterprising youth-driven groups like Varsity Voices, Friendzone, and Mental Health Collective SG to better support and connect with youths living through the pandemic, as well as discuss different issues such as sustainability, women’s development and mental well-being.
“Varsity Voices provides a critical space for youths to constructively discuss hot-button socio-political concerns, transmit feedback on policies and air their views on prevailing national issues as part of healthy political discourse,” said Singapore Management University (SMU) student Samuel Kwok Jun Hui, who is also the Deputy General Secretary of Varsity Voices.
“REACH’s involvement in facilitating this engagement (with Varsity Voices) sends an important signal that the government is trying to be inclusive and willing to incorporate diversity of perspectives in policy making.”
This year, REACH has also forged new partnerships with the Young Sikh Association and the Yale-NUS College in an effort to expand their engagement with youths on critical national issues and topics that are close to youths’ hearts.
What’s next for REACH in 2022?
It’s clear to see that REACH is pulling out all the stops to reach out, listen and gather feedback from all citizens. For them, “every voice matters” is not just a mere hashtag but an ethos that is deeply enshrined in their work.
This year, the core mission of REACH will stay the same, though the team will continually look for new ways to better connect with citizens online and offline.
REACH hopes to make it easier for Singaporeans to voice their opinions, and in that process, do their best to ensure that every possible voice – not just the loudest – is heard.
That said, if you have any opinions or ideas on how REACH could engage citizens, check out REACH’s social media channels and available platforms to discuss your viewpoints.
This article was written in collaboration with REACH.
Also Read: Licence application to tax payroll: How GoBusiness helps S’pore entrepreneurs in all biz stages
Siblings help dad’s Malaccan swiftlet farm draw a younger crowd via ready-made bird’s nest
I’ve known bird’s nest to be a product mostly sold to older generations, as they’re usually found in herbs or traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) stores. The ingredient’s appeal is likely due to its high nutritional and medicinal value, believed to have anti-aging properties, amongst others, according to TCM.
But as trends change, so do the ways we transact, which has led to more businesses selling bird’s nest products online. They include large retailers like Eu Yan Sang, to smaller online brands like Etheral Nest, and Just Swallow.
Being online has opened up these brands to a wider pool of customers, and one Malaysian brand, in particular, called Lamourme is trying to appeal to younger to middle-aged individuals leading a busy lifestyle.
The siblings behind the brand approach the concept of their boiled bird’s nest as a health drink meant to promote self-love. And while they’re at it, they’re also modernising their father’s business by sourcing their ingredients from his swiftlet farm.
Farming for spit
Bird’s nest products are made from the saliva of swiftlet birds. The swiftlet farming industry thrives in the APAC region due to its suitable humidity and temperatures.
In 2016, Syn and Jan’s father started a swiftlet farm under the business, Golden Swift. His initial plan was to provide an opportunity to a few struggling young businessmen who wished to have support.
So, they formed a partnership and began a swiftlet farm in Malacca. Venturing deeper, he saw great potential in the health foods industry which eventually led him to expand into a wholesaler for local and overseas exportation.
Spreading their wings
One of the main products sold under Golden Swift were dried bird’s nests. To consume it, the bird’s nest has to be softened by soaking or boiling it in water, where ingredients like rock sugar and goji berries can be added as sweeteners.
With busy lifestyles at their full-time jobs in Interior Architecture Design (IAD) and the automotive service industry respectively, Syn and Jan found it time-consuming to prepare bird’s nests for their own consumption.
Knowing that most people in this era seek instant gratification, they thought it would be fitting to create a product that could be accessed quickly.
“Yes, there are a lot of ready-made boiled bird’s nests, but it does not satisfy us every time we consume it,” Syn shared. She elaborated that there are also people who don’t enjoy bird’s nests due to their slight “eggy” taste.
With Lamourme, the choices of flavours such as yuzu can eliminate this eggy taste whilst enhancing the taste. Additionally, the siblings market their products in a manner meant to be relatable to those with busy and most often, stressful lifestyles.
“For example, those having a hard time sleeping from feeling stressed can choose to have yuzu flavour which is good for blood flow, helps to reduce stress, tension, and eventually leads to calmness,” said the team.
“All in all, we want the bird’s nest to be a ‘grab and go’ product, freshly boiled with no preservatives, low sugar content, and something unique from its traditional flavour.”
Making time for herself
Launched in September 2021, Lamourme was a business that Syn had been longing to start for a while but postponed due to her demanding job as an IAD, which consumed most of her weekends too.
Spending more time at home during the pandemic was when Syn began questioning what she wanted in life. Eventually, she decided to leave her job and start Lamourme as a side hustle with her brother, who maintained his full-time job.
Thankfully, their dad was extremely supportive of their foray into entrepreneurship and into the bird’s nest industry.
“He may not know much about the ‘new generation and their weird ideas’ but he has always been there supporting us by giving us advice, sharing his life experiences, and most importantly, his experience in the bird’s nest industry,” Jan and Syn shared, grateful that they had someone to look up to in times of uncertainty.
To manage their time well in running Lamourme, the siblings divided their workload. Jan focuses on production where he makes up to 28 bottles of bird’s nests every 3 days (the duration of their pre-orders), while Syn manages the brand’s marketing and design.
Lamourme’s products cost RM152-RM168 per set of 4 bottles (150g each). Compared to the names mentioned earlier, Just Swallow’s is priced at RM180-RM200 for a set of 4 (100g each), while Eu Yan Sang’s costs a hefty RM738 for its set of 2 (150g each).
From this comparison, Lamourme fares best pricing-wise. It seems that customers are convinced too, as the siblings are able to sell approximately 100 bottles a month, on average.
Their customers are so far in line with their original target, as the team sees the majority of buyers being young women with a few middle-aged ladies in between.
In the future, Lamourme is hoping to expand its deliveries to other regions outside the Klang Valley, and diversify its product offerings too.
With the support of their father, Syn and Jan will likely have access to his expertise in expanding the business to other states, and maybe one day to the overseas market.
Also Read: 6 reasons why this LG 4K Smart OLED TV can be a conversation starter in your living room
Featured Image Credit: Syn and Jan, co-founders of Lamourme
Stay ahead of the career game: Three top skills that S’pore employers look out for in 2022
2022 is set to be a stellar year for tech. With companies going all out to ramp up their digital capabilities in preparation for living with the pandemic, the spotlight is also cast on hiring workers with the necessary tech skills to take on those in demand roles.
In view of the heightened interest in tech, professionals in this arena can expect to earn 10 to 15 per cent more of their salary for this year. This is as Singapore’s hiring activity picks up, according to surveys from recruitment firms.
To retain the top tech talents, the majority – a whopping 85 per cent – of Singapore tech firms are also giving pay raises. It’s the highest amongst other sectors, the surveys showed.
The heated interest in tech is not expected to slow down anytime soon, said Randstad Singapore.
To add to this high demand in tech workers, Singapore’s job market is set to face a major reshuffle amid the “Great Resignation” wave, a phenomenon that’s already hit local shores. A separate survey from jobs portal Indeed which polled 1,000 workers showed that one out of four Singapore workers is planning to leave their current employer in the first half of 2022.
This means that a lot of people will be quitting their jobs in this period and with their resignations comes job openings for others.
For savvy workers who want to capitalise on these trends, they have to jump on this digitalisation wave.
They can do this by taking a first step into learning some tech know-how that will help workers to “future proof” their jobs from becoming obsolete and prevent themselves from “losing touch” from the world.
Transformation is always at a rapid pace here in Singapore. Just by looking at our skyline 30 years ago, we will know how fast-paced the country develops itself.
Singapore’s digital transformation
In the latest Robert Walters Salary Survey 2022, it revealed that the top tech roles in demand in Singapore are data scientists, engineers, and developers (front-end, back-end, full-stack).
Are you unsure of how to get those jobs and get a foot in the door for them? Fret not, we are here to piece together what’s important in the digital era, so that you won’t be lost or end up learning irrelevant skills.
According to HR and recruitment firms, the important tech skills to learn are data science knowledge, analytics, coding, and UX design.
Singapore’s government portal My Careers Future also states that tech skills like data analytics and coding are the top digital skills that are needed in 2022. That’s because digital transformation is changing traditional workplaces and workers have to deepen their tech skills.
Upskilling with Vertical Institute
Singapore’s Vertical Institute (VI) prepares individuals for the jobs of tomorrow with in-demand tech skills. The training from the school is industry-recognised, as seen by it being the training partner for government agency GovTech in data analytics.
It provides tech bootcamps led by instructors who are industry practitioners from large tech firms Apple, Google, Alibaba, and Gojek. The tech bootcamps consist of live online classes for data analytics, UX design, and data science.
The school has alumni from all walks of life, including those from well-known companies who have graduated from its bootcamps, such as employees from sovereign wealth fund GIC, JP Morgan, and LinkedIn.
Beginners welcome
The courses are suitable for beginners. No prior background knowledge and prerequisites are required.
The curriculums from the bootcamps are industry-recognized as VI is accredited by the Institute of Banking & Finance Singapore (IBF). Courses from VI will help add value to your resumes and make you stand out in the job market.
For those that have completed the bootcamp, you will receive a verifiable digital certificate. You’ll also be part of VI’s alumni community where you can continue networking with peers, instructors, and experts.
Up to 90% funding support for eligible S’poreans and PRs
Singaporeans and Permanent Residents can obtain up to 90 per cent of funding support for the IBF-accredited courses from VI. For Singaporeans who are aged 25 and above, they can utilise their SkillsFuture Credits to fully offset the remaining fees.
It’s important to make use of the Covid-19 downturn to upskill, and the subsidies make it all the more attractive to sign up.
The classes will be done face-to-face via Zoom with instructors and there are flexible schedules outside working hours. The bootcamps consist of seven lessons with each lasting three hours long.
The tech bootcamps available with Vertical Institute and what you’ll learn
Data analytics
They say data is the new oil in the digital age. So what does data analytics mean and why is that important in this era?
Data analytics is the systematic computational analysis of data or statistics. It is used for the discovery, interpretation, and communication of meaningful patterns in data. Potential jobs that can stem from having such skills include working as a data analyst with tech firms like e-commerce platform Shopee or with banks.
UX design
UX design is according to business networking platform LinkedIn, one of the top skills to learn in 2022.
UX/UI designers are highly in demand globally and paid competitively. These designers tap on creative thinking and data-driven research to produce digital products. Many industries, including traditional industries, require UX designers.
UX designers are being recruited by internet companies like Ninja Van, Garena, and Sephora, and even insurers and banks like Maybank, and Great Eastern are hiring for these roles.
Data science
Data science uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms and systems to extract knowledge and insights from noisy, structured, and unstructured data. The data is then “mined” to apply knowledge and actionable insights across a broad range of application domains.
Data scientists are now one of the top five in-demand hiring roles in Singapore. Companies that are hiring data scientists include big data companies like Grab, Carro, and Apple.
At the report. In another study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), it revealed that more than half of Singapore residents are concerned about their job security, among other worries like employment prospects and their children’s future.
Three in 10 respondents in the IPS study said they were “very much worried” about losing or not finding a job, while 23.6 per cent said they were worried “a great deal” about the future. Learning these tech skills is one way to help individuals retain job security, and to equip oneself to teach and pass on the necessary skills to the next generation.
The digital wave is not just solely happening in Singapore. The country’s hinterland is also a land of untapped opportunity. Southeast Asia’s digital economy is fast-growing and its internet sectors are expected to reach US$360 billion by 2025. First movers who are willing to adapt and embrace the change will benefit from this tech shift that’s occurring not just within Singapore, but across the borders too.
Companies big and small are already quickening their pace in building their presence online. It is no longer a matter of how, but a matter of when this digital universe will become intricately entwined with our daily lives.
Interested to be a part of this digital revolution? Sign up for Vertical Institute’s classes The “Great Resignation”: 1 out of 4 S’pore workers plan to quit their jobs in Jan to Jun 2022
Forget NFTs: This 31-year-old boss says sneakers are better investments with up to 120% returns
31-year-old Richard Xia walks into a room and the first thing you can’t help but notice is his shoes.
This avid fan of streetwear loves collecting pieces from brands including BAPE and Supreme. In 2018, the Hwa Chong Institution and National University of Singapore graduate decided to set up sneaker and streetwear business Novelship with his long-time friend and schoolmate Chris Xue.
“The idea to start Novelship came from our mutual interests in sneakers and streetwear. As avid sneakerheads, we saw an enormous market opportunity across the Asia Pacific region, and wanted to solve our own problems with buying and selling sneakers and streetwear, namely the availability and authenticity of the products.”
Today, the company employs about 70 people, has five processing centres and a presence in six markets including Japan, Taiwan, and Malaysia.
From Carousell shop to US$2 million funding
The founders started selling sneakers on Carousell in 2017 with their own savings of US$9,000. “At the start, Chris and I were just listing things day in and out. I think we probably cranked out a few hundred listings a week just trying to gain more exposure. It was a good start for us to build our user base and some of them are regular users of Novelship up till today.”
The business subsequently branched out to its own marketplace website. The goal was to optimise the buying process of streetwear drops so that streetwear fans can easily buy and sell authentic and exclusive fashion goods online.
Novelship’s interface is designed to look like sneaker reseller marketplaces that sneakerheads would be familiar with, where offers (bids) and lists (sales) are displayed to facilitate transactions.
Popular brands on the site include Nike, Air Jordan, Adidas Yeezy, Fear of God, Supreme, and Bearbrick. Other than sneakers and streetwear, there are also collectibles sold.
In 2019, it bagged about US$2 million in a seed round led by Global Founders Capital, pushing its total raised capital to US$2.3 million. The plans then were to fuel its expansion in key high-growth markets across Asia.
The business has not yet hit profitability, shared Richard, because currently its main focus is to expand rapidly to serve more customers in the region first. “We’re fast approaching a nine digits annual run-rate,” Richard revealed.
Sneakers as investments
Collecting these items may not always be for personal consumption. The shoes and streetwear on Novelship provide unique investment opportunities for buyers, said Richard.
“Sneakers and streetwear as “alternative assets” help those who are looking for additional streams of income, and present major business opportunities to sneakerheads or even first-time buyers locally and regionally. Customers are able to buy and sell hot releases for a profit on the go,” he said.
“Personally, the thing that makes sneakers one of the hottest traded assets, is that sneakers are a catch-all – they have a great aesthetic, are very comfortable to wear and are flexible.”
Richard mused that he is also a collector. At one point in 2021, he collected almost 50 pairs. “I resold some of the things that I don’t use, so currently I have about 30 to 40 pairs of shoes.”
However, there’s a caveat interested collectors need to know before getting into this space. “The reality is that some sneakers do really well while others do not, but most sneakers don’t completely fail, which means it’s relatively safe as an asset.”
So what’s the best brand if I want to invest in my first pair of shoes? Richard said that for a first-timer to venture into reselling or investing in sneakers, it’s best to go for a classic pair such as the Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High OGs.
“No matter the silhouette, colorway or models, the Air Jordan 1 High tends to hold its value really well and is most likely to increase in price. Another type of sneaker worth investing in would be the Nike SB dunk or a sneaker collaboration with a designer or celebrity,” he said.
“One of the most valuable releases we had last year was the Nike x G Dragon PEACEMINUSONE 2.0 which was an Air Force One release with Peace Minus One G Dragon.”
As for profitability? Richard said they look at retail premiums to calculate how profitable certain brands and models are. Retail premium is derived from deducting the sales price over the retail price.
Shoes like Nike SB Dunks fetch the highest average retail premium of 121 per cent, shared Richard. Meanwhile, Air Jordans make up roughly half of all sales in Singapore and Malaysia.
Spotting counterfeits and keeping it real
Over at Novelship, its aim is to serve the consumers in the ASEAN region and fulfill all the product transactions seamlessly. Its average fulfillment time is five working days.
When queried on how it ensures the authenticity of the goods in the marketplace, the co-founder said that the authenticity of products is a very serious part of the business.
“It’s our core duty to ensure users obtain only real and authentic sneakers/streetwear via our platform. Our proprietary technology enables seamless transactions with rigorous quality checks and a unique authentication process – a combination of in-house brand experts and image recognition on all transacted products – to ensure every item traded on the marketplace is 100 per cent authentic.”
“If we determine a product is fake or used, we will refund the buyer, send the item back to the seller and if necessary, take action against the seller to remove them from Novelship,” he added.
Based on Novelship’s experience, the two common counterfeits are Yeezy and Air Jordan 1 because of their popularity. “As for unique counterfeits, we have seen very realistic and good quality sneakers due to the materials being used or that they were hand-stitched. However, such unique counterfeits are not as common as the production would be costly and you might buy it at almost retail price or even higher.”
How to store the shoes as “assets”
To ensure that these “assets” appreciate in value, the way to do so might be an eye-opener for some.
“Preservation plays a big part so it’s important to not wear them ever, if you intend to maximise the resale value! Keep your limited-edition sneakers in the shoe box as long as you can and store it in a relatively cool, humidity-controlled climate.”
“Avoid touching the sneakers too much and do not stack them on top of each other during storage, as this might bend the box downwards over time and cause the sneaker to crumble up as well. Invest in a good storage rack and keep them off the floor so they don’t get mouldy or dusty,” he added.
“Most importantly, what tends to kill releases is humidity. Humidity causes the pleather or the leather in some cases, to get wet and then crack. Once that cracking process starts it’s really difficult as it may cause oxidation (white soles turning yellow over time).”
Richard recommends putting the shoes in a good storage box such as glass or plastic for storing. “However, there isn’t a 100 per cent guarantee that the sneakers will remain in mint condition, there is going to be some degradation because at the end of the day, a lot of these releases, even though they cost S$500.00, are not really made out of better materials than the box standard Nikes that are coming out.”
When queried on why investors should consider sneakers instead of other assets like cryptocurrencies and Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs), which have been gaining traction in recent years, Richard commented: “Digital currencies are not for everyone. Due to its technicality, most people struggle to fully grasp the concept. In fact, cryptocurrency’s unnecessary complexity was deliberate to avoid regulation.”
He adds that a meaningful way to accumulate wealth is via collecting limited-edition sneakers. “For some investors, collecting rare and beautiful objects as an investment tool provides more meaning to the experience.”
“I’d ask the same question to people who collect expensive art, on how they would pay millions of dollars on something that will deteriorate in time? I think it is the same logic. There are sneakerheads and collectors who would go the extra mile and encase their collections in crystal casing to preserve the quality as much as they can. To them, it is a way to express their creative identity.”
Covid-19 endemic and plans ahead
For 2022, the brand is focusing on growing the business further via the recent launch of its Android app (Novelship already has an iOS app) and exploring the setting up of drop-off locations in its key markets for consumers’ convenience. Novelship is currently fully online.
There are also plans to work with celebrities and influencers to offer a curated selection of products and to host exclusive releases on the website.
If anything Covid-19 has taught the company, it’s to be nimble to change. “Just like many other businesses, we were badly affected when COVID-19 hit. Our logistics lanes were cut off and we could not ship reliably out of Singapore. This meant delays in customers receiving their items. When the circuit breaker happened, our warehousing crew and logistics flow was further disrupted,” shared Richard.
“However, the entire team quickly came up with multiple contingency plans while implementing various safety processes at the same time to ensure we could continue operating our business.”
Richard added that the pandemic has also pushed him to be more innovative in his approach to the business.
“Despite the challenges and setbacks faced, it has helped me focus on making my milestones achievable – this helps me to keep things in check, celebrating wins and having visibility of where we stand as a business. Furthermore, the surge in online shopping during the many months of lockdowns and heightened restrictions definitely helped the company to navigate this period.”
Shop and support the best homegrown brands on VP Label now:
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Featured Image Credit: Novelship
Also Read: Why thousands of S’poreans subscribed to used kids clothes biz Retykle in just 2 mths of launch
This star-studded CNY video by Watsons hits differently in 2022 now that we’re back together
[This is a sponsored article with Watsons.]
Chinese New Year is a time for family, festivities, food, and most importantly, the annual rollout of CNY advertisements that top each other with their creativity, tear-worthiness, and antics.
For Watsons and their annual CNY video (a tradition that started in 2016), the goal has always been clear: get your favourite celebrities, combine their powers into one video, and try to delight the masses.
Do they succeed? I find out.
Watching Watsons’ CNY ad in a post-pandemic world
In 2021, the message for Watson’s CNY ad was, “Together, we can go through the tough times better.”
Now that we’re out of the tough times (sort of), Watsons ad reminds us of things we used to take for granted, starting with the simple act of staying over.
The main character played by Han Xiiao Aii visits her aunty and asks to stay for a few days, three days before CNY.
Not only have I not seen my relatives for over a year, I certainly haven’t stayed over at anyone’s home. This got me thinking about my own reunion this year and the traffic we’re all going to face.
From there, we get into the kung fu of it all with returning favourites Jinny Boy and Amber Chia tai-cheesing it followed by Meeki Ng failing at Wing Chun. The aunty laments that they have not prepared enough.
What follows is a series of physics and gravity-defying kung fu that are the staple of classic Wuxia cinema.
The 5-minute video then brings us through the familiar struggle of preparing for CNY and the things families go through to make the reunion meaningful for everyone.
At the end, the reasons for the constant martial arts training becomes clear and I can definitely relate with the struggles of spring cleaning and shopping.
Once the training is complete, we experience the full joy of CNY together as the cast show off what their training has all been for.
We won’t spoil too much more of it but suffice to say, this video gets you in the mood to get your CNY on.
Experience the video in full below:
The Grandest #HappyBeautifulYear sale returns as well
Hand in hand with the launch of the music video is Watsons CNY sale and giveaway with RM2,888,888 worth of prizes to be won.
To participate in the giveaway follow these steps:
- Sign up as a member here (RM10) or make sure your membership is registered to a valid phone number and email address
- Shop at any Watsons in-store or online and pay with GrabPay (no minimum spend)
- Submit the relevant details along with your receipt number here within the promotion period
On top of the giveaway, there are other freebies to be received as well:
- RM8.80 discount when you spend a minimum of RM88 instore or online
- free ang pow packets with a minimum spend of RM88
- free ang pow holder with a minimum spend of RM88*
- free limited edition Tiffin carrier with minimum spend of RM288*
Note: The promos marked with an asterisk are available for Watsons Elite members only.
Last but not least, there are many health and beauty vouchers for you to choose from for more savings on these brands. Simply scan the barcode after you’ve met the minimum purchase amounts and you’re set.
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If you’re hankering for more CNY kung fu hijinks from the cast, you can catch them in the videos below highlighting Watsons’ list of festive promos
| Haircare
RM10 instant rebates with a minimum spend of RM50, and a RM10 voucher.
Watch the video here – Han Xiiao Aii |
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| Healthcare
Save more than RM168 with vouchers. |
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| Skincare & Cosmetics
RM8 off with a minimum purchase of RM120.
Watch the videos here – Amber & Mei Fen |
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If you’d like to over analyse Watsons CNY ads you may find them here: 2016, 2017, 2018 (a series of 8 ads), 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Also Read: This M’sian rewards platform is rewarding its 1mil users with cash vouchers and a lucky draw
