S’pore startup YouTrip strengthens foothold in travel sector with new travel insurance offering
Homegrown startup YouTrip announced today (July 4) that it has added on a new travel insurance product to its multi-currency app.
Rolled out in partnership with online insurance provider, HL Assurance (HLAS), YouTrip’s newest addition is applicable for all local users.
With this add-on, travellers can purchase a single-trip policy directly via the YouTrip app and enjoy up to 65 per cent savings. This is a timely move, considering that international travel is rising as travel restrictions have been much more relaxed with travel borders opening up.
“This integration of insurance in our suite of financial services gives users a peace of mind. As a company, this is also a significant step in our work to build a borderless banking product for travellers in the region — from promising the most affordable and convenient multi-currency payments, and now, protection,” said Caecilia Chu, co-founder and CEO of YouTrip.
Bringing ease into the travel market
Utilising YouTrip’s travel insurance, travellers are entitled to 15 per cent cashback on every purchase of a single-trip policy from the HL Assurance COVIDSafe Travel Protect360 Enhanced Plans.
The plan encompasses comprehensive and flexible travel insurance products in Singapore, factoring in Covid-related situations: flexibility in travel date changes, overseas hospital cash benefits, quarantine allowance, and most importantly, reimbursements on travel delays, postponements and disruptions.
In addition to the guaranteed cashback, users can also look forward to an additional 40 per cent discount off the premium, and up to 10 per cent No Claim Discount (NCD) from now till 31 July 2022,
YouTrip’s travel insurance add-on is easily accessible on its app. The application simply utilises an existing user’s pre-stored information, and payments are deducted securely from the YouTrip wallet.
Its newest introduction builds on the Mastercard Flight Delay Pass travel benefit launched earlier this year. The pass allows users and a travel companion to access over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide in the event their pre-registered flights are delayed for at least two hours.
Earlier in May, YouTrip also entered the B2B payments space with the launch of its corporate card, YouBiz, aimed at SMEs, offering zero foreign exchange fees and one per cent cashback on all card spending.
It’s clear to see that YouTrip is slowly strengthening its foothold in the travel industry, enhancing its services to promote a borderless banking platform for those in Southeast Asia as it aims to offer holistic travel-related services.
Featured Image Credit: YouTrip
Also Read: S’pore startup YouTrip finds new opportunities amid COVID-19, now enters B2B payments space
This S’pore startup built a “portable powerbank” for EVs – lets drivers charge anytime, anywhere
Alfie Toh (47), Darren Tan (46) and KM (45) are all trained engineers, and have been in the auto industry for almost all their career lives.
The three of them first crossed paths 18 years ago through work. KM was a young executive in the automotive industry then, and Alfie and Darren — founders of Mach Accessories — had approached him to propose their vacuum-molding technology for fully customised accessories to keep minimum order quantities (MOQs) low.
Besides Mach, Darren and Alfie also helm a few other companies, and all three of them have separately invested in several startups too.
Their working relationship soon blossomed into an eventual business partnership together, when they co-founded Power Up Tech (P.UP), which offers Singapore’s first mobile EV charging service.
Developing a “portable powerbank” for EVs
Things were getting a tad staid as this industry was one of the last to be disrupted in any significant way. So when electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous driving came into its current accelerated phase, we were very excited [and] each kept our eyes open for opportunities.
I had just started driving an EV and came into contact with many owners across various countries. All of us said the same things: the vehicles were great, but the range and charging was really a pain. It reminded me very much of the feeling we had when we got our first smartphones.
– KM, co-founder of P.UP
He mulled over these pain points for a few weeks and finally called upon both Alfie and Darren to build “portable power banks”, but for EVs. The two of them thought that it was a brilliant idea, and nine months later, the first prototype arrived in Singapore.
“They had used Mach’s resources to incubate and develop the idea, as well as run the research and development. I immediately booked a flight back to Singapore and we set up P.UP,” elaborated KM.
P.UP’s goal is to “supercharge the EV lifestyle” by removing all tethers to both charging as well as ownership.
As an EV owner himself, KM understands firsthand the woes of EV charging. He finds it a pity that EV owners only get to use their vehicle for only half the time — “the other half, you need to go look for charging stations, queue for them, wait for your charging to finish et cetera.”
“This is a constant challenge, especially if you live in a city-state like Singapore, where only five per cent of households are lucky enough to stay in landed properties where they can install a personal charger,” he said.
He also noted that this gap between the number of EVs and the availability of charging will always exist in high-density cities, where land is extremely precious and existing infrastructure limits the free deployment of chargers.
“A good example is the deployment of slow chargers, small footprint, and not expensive to deploy. However, the land on which the vehicle needs to be parked for a minimum of seven hours for the car to be fully charged is extremely expensive.”
“That’s why we came up with mobile charging — not only to enable consumers, but to lessen the burden on our government, by extending the coverage and availability of charging to every corner of the island.”
How does it work?
In essence, P.UP provides power on demand pretty much anytime and anywhere.
On its website, it stated that their service is available in Singapore from Monday to Saturday, between 9am to 9pm, and booking is required at least a day in advance.
“Just contact us and we will go to you wherever you are. Simple as that. The only restriction is to have your vehicle parked in a proper parking space for safety reasons,” explained KM.
All our P.Uppies (their affectionate term for their EV mobile charging transport) are fully electric, including the carrier. We come in various shapes and sizes, but the common one we are using in Singapore now is our van type.
All P.UPpies are equipped with some of the fastest DC chargers, with an average charging time of 30 to 45 minutes [for up to] 80 per cent [charge].
– KM, co-founder of P.UP
Similar to mobile plans offered by telcos, P.UP also offers various plans to suit different lifestyles and driving usage.
For its value packages, they charge S$0.54 per kWh — the cost per kWh is similar to the charges at commercial rapid charging stations across Singapore.
“With P.UP, EV owners have no trade-offs. They do not pay a single cent more compared to public commercial fixed chargers, [and] we are as fast or faster than any commercial fixed chargers. But the difference is we go to you, wherever you are, and whenever you needs us,” added KM.
They’re working with NEVC to build a framework of standards
When P.UP first started its pilot trial, customers were curious and skeptical about their business offering, with many questioning its safety and effectiveness.
“Two months into the trials, we were pleasantly surprised at the response. We had not done any marketing and word-of-mouth [about P.UP] had rapidly spread,” shared KM.
“When we finally launched in June, the response was so good that we had to deliberately slow things down so that our equipment ramp up could keep up.”
In particular, he recounted one heartening feedback from a customer, who is an active Grab driver. Due to her high mileage, she engages P.UP’s services everyday and thanks to them, she is able to save two hours everyday because she didn’t have to look for charging points.
Despite the positive response from consumers, the startup did not have an easy time rolling out their service, especially since they are a pioneer in this space.
The main challenge remains the lack of proper standard regulating mobile charging in Singapore, thus causing a certain degree of insecurity, especially among potential corporate customers. This is mainly due to the relatively small size of the Singapore market and the fact that P.UP is the only one in Singapore to have a full working model of this service.
– KM, co-founder of P.UP
As such, P.UP proactively engaged overseas labs to certify all their chargers based on International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards although it was not required.
In fact, it is currently engaging with National Electric Vehicle Centre (NEVC) — set up under the Land Transport Authority — to share the certifications they have obtained, and work with the labs in Singapore to build a framework of mobile EV charging standards.
As P.UP works closely with NEVC to help put Singapore ahead of the world in EV mobile charging, KM is confident that Singapore can, and should be, the “template and standard” for EV solutions and business models, especially for ultra-high density cities.
Another key business challenge for P.Up was COVID-19, which caused delays in equipment development and production.
“Till now, we are rushing deliveries of our P.UPpies so that we can serve more customers,” said KM.
The “Uber of EV services”
According to KM, P.UP has received “a lot of attention” from potential partners in other Asian countries, which has fuelled their plans to expand regionally. In line with this expansion plan, the startup is preparing for Series A funding sometime next year so that they have enough capital to support the expansion.
So far, funding has not been an issue for the startup as the three co-founders had enough cash to support the business. Furthermore, based on Mach’s track record and their business reputations, they could secure enough commercial funding for P.UP to smoothly expand operations in Singapore.
“In terms of operational margins, we are already in the black,” revealed KM.
Closer to home, P.UP has also received great interest from local condominiums and is currently in the midst of drawing up proposals for them to see how they can best allow condo residents to conveniently charge their EVs.
“It doesn’t need to be inside the condominium [premises] — as long as the user is a [condo] resident, he or she will have access to our EV charging services at the special rates that have been agreed upon.”
While KM admits that this is a “new area” for them, he is confident that they can help alleviate EV charging concerns for many condo residents. After all, the biggest draw about P.UP’s service is that it does not require users to install anything.
We believe that EV owners should have a better lifestyle than internal combustion engine (ICE) drivers. They should focus on enjoying their vehicles fully without having to devote time specifically for charging and other ownership chores. P.UP exists to enable that.
For P.UP, [EV] mobile charging is [only] our first step. … Our mobile P.UPpies not only ensure that your EV has enough juice, but in the future, we will be your “butler” for all other mundane chores normal owners need to perform for the cars. … We will be the ‘Uber of EV services’ for owners.”
– KM, co-founder of P.UP
Featured Image Credit: Power Up Tech
Also Read: S’pore startup Oyika offers EV battery swapping services for riders with its subscription plan
Key lessons by 5 multi-gen S’pore entrepreneurs in building successful family businesses
A family is made up of multiple personalities, a myriad of opinions, and the occasional “stop forcing me to do things against my will” disagreement.
In short, day to day, living with our families already has its own pre-existing set of obstacles that it’s almost hard to believe that there are businesses who thrive on the dedication and collective passion of multiple generations to make their mark in different industries.
To shed a light on the success of family businesses, here are five multi-generational entrepreneurs that attribute their accomplishments to lessons they’ve learnt from their predecessors.
1. Killiney Group: Thinking in generations, not quarters
The Killiney brand has been around since late 1919. Beginning in the busy streets of Killiney Road, it was an antiquated yet humble shop, its famous bread toast and warm beverages were what enticed then regular customer, Woon Tek Seng, to take over the original establishment.
Following which, the shop was renovated and rebranded into Killiney Kopitiam in 1993, while still retaining the shop’s old charm and original legacy.
As a child, his son, Tien Yuan, helped out at the various Killiney outlets, trying out various roles. Being around his father’s business inspired and piqued his interest in the façade and history of shophouses, and contributed to an early interest in areas of food, property and art.
Although these areas of interest are what Tien Yuan holds dear, he always remembers the key lessons his father and uncles taught him.
As a family business, we think in generations, not quarters. Having a long-term plan for Killiney means we care more about enhancing our heritage brand for future generations of Singaporeans to enjoy and be proud of, not limiting it to quarterly financials.
– Woon Tien Yuan, co-founder of Killiney
Growing up, his father and uncles always imparted to the rest of the family that the crucial factor of a successful family business is family cohesion.
As a family, they practice collective decision making — if not everyone agrees on a possible business decision, no one proceeds. To Tien Yuan, it doesn’t slow down the decision-making process. Instead, it’s a welcome challenge to work even harder and do more groundwork in order to convince his family.
Despite Woon being a man of reminiscence, he always reminded his son: “Don’t spend too much time on the tasks we have been doing in the past. Think beyond the traditional brick-and-mortar stores.” This encouraged Tien Yuan to further explore and ideate on growth ideas for the Killiney brand.
My father and uncles have been, and will continue to serve as great role models for the rest of my family to look up to and to learn from. It’s something I hope myself, my siblings, and my cousins can continue to build on to create a strong extended family with common understanding, cohesion and togetherness that will benefit our business even more in the long run.
– Woon Tien Yuan, co-founder of Killiney
2. Roger & Sons: Remembering life lessons
Roger & Sons is recognised today as a space where ethical makers and mavericks craft fine furniture and thoughtful objects.
In 1999, it was formerly known as JR & P Industries. They are manufacturers of system furniture for offices, and founded by a passionate father, Roger. Unfortunately, Roger was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2014.
Roger’s sons — Morgan, Lincoln, and Ryan — took over the business soon after he was diagnosed to continue their father’s legacy.
Despite not having the opportunity to work alongside their father, and not having him around for guidance, Morgan’s time spent with his father as a child and the values imparted by his late father are what he carries with him throughout running the business.
Growing up, my dad would bring us to the workshop during the school holidays. Back then, I didn’t truly appreciate his work until I took over the business about eight years ago. By being involved in the day-to-day operations, I started living like my dad and slowly, the appreciation and passion grew.
He was always reminding me to stay focused and remember these values: grit, being hardworking, caring for my colleagues, and just having a never-say-die attitude.
– Morgan Yeo, second-generation owner of Roger & Sons
Upon taking over the business, the three sons saw the need to restructure and adapt their business model, hence rebranding to Roger & Sons, with a niche in creating bespoke furniture pieces that last and serve a clear purpose.
3. Lee Wee Brothers: Communicating and setting boundaries
F&B business Lee Wee Brothers has grown from a small stall at Old Airport Road in 2000, to an extensive franchise that can be found in multiple malls across Singapore.
Truly a multi-generational success story, Darren Lee, son of Mark — the youngest of the three original founding brothers — and Angeline, now runs the business alongside his parents and uncles as the Corporate Strategy Manager.
Being involved with the family business from a young age, Darren was inspired to add value in the business aspect.
He watched as his parents, grandmother, and uncles worked from 7am to 11pm on repeat to get the business off the ground, accompanied them to food fairs, and helped them with simple tasks such as sticking labels on packaging.
“They’ve built a legacy out of family responsibilities and out of love. This is something that holds a lot of meaning and purpose for me — the responsibility to make sure that the values continue to be a driving force behind our strategic direction, and I can help carry forward their entrepreneurial dreams,” said Darren.
When Darren first joined the business, he set boundaries by changing the way the family addressed each other to a first name basis. He wanted to ensure that a family member’s role within the family did not determine position and authority.
We’re constantly professionalising the way we govern ourselves. Once devoid of such family roles that may create a false impression of hierarchy, both family and non-family members are able to perform confidently and objectively.
– Darren Lee, manager of Lee Wee Brothers
As part of a multi-generational business, Darren feels extremely privileged being able to spend a large amount of time with his family, facing challenges and solving them together. He’s able to put himself in each family members’ shoes, thus better understanding their reasoning behind certain business decisions which ultimately brings them all closer together.
“Joining a family business is an amazing opportunity. You’re part of something that you really care about, you become a guardian of it and then you pass on more than what you initially receive to the next generation. It probably doesn’t get any better than that,” he added.
4. Möwe: Don’t be afraid of change
Dickson Tan was greatly inspired by his father’s passion. His dad, founded Swee Huat Heng Gas Supply in the early 60s, distributing gas cylinders to local businesses.
As times changed, the business needed a refresh and Dickson took over the family business, turning it into Möwe, now a one-stop solution to a smart, sleek, and safer way of living.
Möwe is a pairing of age-old experience with modernised technical know-how. Utilising the potential of Internet of Things (IoT), its range of smart appliances are created to allow maximum control over everything — from setting timers and monitoring house security to ensuring safe cooking.
This balanced pairing stemmed from 53-year-old Dickson’s stint working in his father’s office after school under a sales role where he attended to customers’ needs to secure deals with them. His father also made him do the most trivial and menial tasks. Both areas helped hone his skills as a businessman as well as taught Dickson critical skills required to take over the business.
To add to his skill set, he decided to step away from his father’s existing trading business into the engineering industry, where he set up Aerogaz (S) Pte Ltd in 2003, a brand well-known for retailing home appliances.
He leveraged on the knowledge of home appliances from Aerogaz, and translated it into a newer industry of smart home appliances with Möwe.
“Taking over a family business requires a lot of dedication. I was determined to take over the business and lead it to greater heights. I remember having to unload containers and carry heavy gas cylinders to deliver to households. I also had to learn the principles of gas engineering and product design through night classes to attain a gas license so I could carry out gas works and service jobs,” recounted Dickson.
His father was always on the lookout for business opportunities and was willing to step out of his comfort zone to venture into uncharted waters. Through him, Dickson learnt that adaptability and diversification are paramount in meeting the current market and the next generation’s needs.
Contrary to popular belief, starting a business is not the challenging part. It is the ability to sustain it for generations. With this in mind, in order to build a sustainable business model, we must continuously innovate and evolve to meet the needs of today’s society.
My father is also reminding me to be humble, build trust with the customers, and be reliable. Only then will customers and business partners be willing to support [us].
– Dickson Tan, founder of Möwe
Despite the ever-changing business models that both father and son have gone through, the generational business has fed the whole family and brought them closer. In the near future, Dickson’s son, Nicholas will come onboard to run Möwe.
“There is a Chinese belief that generational family businesses cannot go beyond three generations. My goal is to disprove this theory and sustain this business for generations to come.”
5. Lad & Dad: Success means no fear
32-year-old Keith Koh is the ‘Lad’ in Lad & Dad, a casual British gastropub established in 2015 that focuses on proper comfort food. The menu features common British fare such as fish & chips, beef stew, and bangers & mash.
I started Lad & Dad shortly after graduating and working in London. Despite studying business, the passion for the F&B industry stemmed from helping my dad in his various businesses as a kid. I suggested working together, and he guided me along the way using his experience and skill-set.
– Keith Koh, founder of Lad & Dad
To date, he is always reminded of his father’s advice: there’s nothing to be afraid of if you’re willing to work hard.
Keith’s mum also plays a role in tweaking some of the recipes once in a while, essentially making it a family business.
The long hours and lack of work-life balance did not deter Keith from contributing further to Singapore’s culture. He has since expanded the British concept with his modern chip shop, Lad & Co.
Featured Image Credit: Roger & Sons
Also Read: This trio founded Melvados to manufacture gourmet food, will soon open its 9th outlet
A new food source? How S’pore’s agritech startups help strengthen our domestic food security
Last month, Malaysia announced a chicken export ban in an effort to control prices of domestically sold chicken. Singaporeans were justifiably unsettled — Malaysian chicken is one of the three major sources of imported chicken in Singapore, with the other two being American and Brazilian imported chicken.
While many of us who have grown up in this small city-state have likely heard, the ongoing narrative is Singapore is reliant on foreign trade to survive, but few of us have probably seen what the problem looks like up close; and this recent move has been a rude wake-up call to many.
Not all have been caught off guard though. Singapore’s government has actually been aware of the need to diversify our food supply, and local production is part of that plan.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has its own targets as part of Singapore’s Green Plan 2030, which is their version of ‘30 by 30’. This will mean that 30 per cent of our consumed food will be produced locally by 2030. So how is this plan coming along?
Farming hits the roof in Singapore
Many of us might be surprised to hear that Singapore actually has farmers — and these are not farmers from the kampung that many of us may imagine when we think of the agriculture industry in Southeast Asia.
Instead, the agritech and agrifood industry in Singapore is quintessentially Singaporean, incorporating technology in their processes in order to achieve better outcomes.
The clearest example of this is in urban farming. In contrast to using large, open tracts of land for crops, buildings become the key location for agriculture instead. Building rooftops, or even custom-built high-tech buildings can be used to produce food and alleviate Singapore’s dependence on foreign imports.
SFA and the Housing Development Board (HDB) have launched a tender in May 2020 for rooftop farms on public housing car parks.
For one, Citiponics operates a 1,800 square metre farm atop a multi-storey carpark in Ang Mo Kio, growing between three and four tonnes of pesticide-free vegetables a month.
Founded in 2016, Citiponics aims to grow safe produce through its zero-waste farming process. It has a proprietary vertical farming technology called Aqua-Organic System (AOS) — this falls under a solid-based soilless culture, which is different from the likes of traditional farming and hydroponic farming system.
It was created specifically for farming in close proximities to households and neighbourhoods.
Some of the advantages include it being a zero-waste farming system where every component is recyclable and reusable, compared to traditional farming where you might generate wastage from soil and water use.
– Danielle Chan, co-founder of Citiponics
All of Citiponic’s farmed produce are segmented to home deliveries, nearby residents, and selected NTUC FairPrice outlets.
Citiponics is not the only startup that engages in urban farming on rooftops. Nicholas Goh and his team at Nature’s International Commodity are doing something similar in Tampines. He was one of the few who won the tender bid in May 2020 to create rooftop farms on public housing carparks.
The Tampines carpark farm grows vegetables like xiao bai cai, kailan and bayam to cater to the consumption habits of locals.
According to Nicholas, urban farming methods differ from traditional farming. His business uses its soil technology — eco-friendly organic fertilisers — to grow the vegetables. Nicholas also uses sensors to help identify potential crop problems, which he says helps him save time and money.
“I believe in a strategic farming solution, which is to do small, manage well and be strategically located. Urban farming defines that as a farm, as it supplies and supplements the needs of the residents,” he said.
From farming on buildings to farming in buildings
The idea of urban farming can be taken even further. What happens if instead of having urban farming just on rooftops, entire buildings are custom made in order to cater to the needs of urban farming?
One company that is doing this is Archisen — it’s an agritech startup in Singapore that is focused on producing greens such for local consumption.
According to co-founders Sven Yeo and Vincent Wei, “Food security is an extension of Singapore’s five pillars of defence, and innovation and tech can keep local produce cheap in the long run.”
Urban farming is important for Singapore because of food security. We saw the effects of COVID-19 on the supply chain with empty supermarket shelves, and most recently, with the supply issues relating to Malaysian poultry. It clearly demonstrates the vulnerability of the supply chain to disruptions, and there are limited options to build resilience without urban farming in Singapore.
– Sven Yeo and Vincent Wei, co-founders of Archisen
In an attempt to increase local production, Archisen uses a high tech urban farm that is able to imitate the environment where plants are naturally grown, and have already developed their own urban farming operating system known as Cropdom.
They are also planning to integrate automation into their urban farm, and expand the business with more urban farms.
Clearly, startups such as these begin with an end in mind — to help Singapore achieve some degree of self-sustainability when it comes to food security, at least for vegetables.
But our local nutritional needs do not just consist of greens. What about meat and fish?
Aquaculture in Singapore
Singapore consumes 120,000 tonnes of seafood every year — this amounts to about 16kg of fish per person. What’s worse, many of the species that we consume are unsustainable due to overfishing. So where can an alternative source of fish be found?
For Singapore, aquaculture can play a role. The process involves keeping and raising fish, before having them supplied to the local market for consumption.
Similar to urban agriculture, technology here plays a key role. Atlas Aquaculture, a land-based aquaculture startup in Singapore, uses technology to ensure that the seafood that Singaporeans consume can be produced locally.
Located in Sungei Tengah, they have a wide variety of experts on site to ensure that their fish are of high quality.
The system that Atlas uses allows them to recycle and reuse over 95 per cent of their water, which is another commodity with limited supply in Singapore.
However, the use of technology is not always easy.
Maintaining healthy water quality takes a large amount of scientific knowledge and can be daunting for the common operator to approach. Our first version of Recirculating Aquaculture Systems used existing components from similar industries, only to learn that there was much improvement needed.
We have since custom made new filtration components for our systems, and will be developing AI and machine learning soon. With real automation being monitored and controlled by AI, we can remove human error and increase efficiency.
– Kane McGuinn, founder and CEO of Atlas Aquaculture
Their tenacity and ingenuity also means that it’s not only fish that aquaculture can produce — related fish and marine products can also be produced. Atlas has already successfully managed to produce mussels and oysters that help filter the water, as well as plants such as seaweed and sea grapes.
“We are working towards Singapore’s goal of 30 per cent by 2030, but it is a monumental task. It will take a huge amount of investment and cooperation to even get close to this goal,” he adds.
Investment in the agrifood and agritech industries
Of course, both urban agriculture and aquaculture have their own issues. Given how technologically intensive they are, careful consideration is required for the further development of these systems.
This area is one where startups would appreciate support in, but how is the investment landscape like for these industries?
An investment partner at a venture capital firm that Vulcan Post spoke to stated quite frankly that the outlook was not very positive — the upcoming recession is expected to hit every sector hard, and the agritech sector is no different.
“The sectors are still small, and VCs do not have a very strong appetite for agritech and agrifood startups for the time being,” he reasoned further.
But these venture firms have reasons for their doubts. For one, the capital-intensive nature of these startups could be a barrier to some investors.
Another issue relates to the viability of agritech products. High costs of production often translate into higher price points for consumers when these products finally hit the shelves, and venture firms view this as a significant barrier for startups to overcome.
Consumers in Asia are primarily concerned with price rather than the origin of the product. Why would I pay extra if it brings me the same nutritional value as conventional choices? Prices can be brought down, but we are not seeing that.
– Investment partner at a venture capital firm
Of course, this does not mean that the agritech and agrifood sectors cannot expect any assistance when it comes to raising capital. The investment partner mentioned that there are several changes that VCs would like to see in these startups.
Firstly, he hopes that these startups properly studies their audience to see if their business strategies are still ideal. Another point is for these startups to cut down on operation costs to reduce cash burn.
“These changes would really incentivise VCs to rethink their assumptions about the industry, and probably look more favourably upon funding these startups.”
As Singapore moves towards improving self-sufficiency for food consumption, many startups seem eager to support this trend. But as we can see, it’s not easy for them.
High tech costs seem to be a hindrance for them on many levels — it makes scaling difficult, and provides a ‘Catch 22’ when searching for funding. Investors are reluctant to invest because of the amount of capital required to make them successful, but without funding, growth is difficult.
There is hope though. These startups are also reporting that sales have been encouraging, and prices for these products are slowly matching up to consumer expectations; and one day, we may see a case where these startups help Singaporeans deal with supply chain disruptions.
Featured Image Credit: Archisen
Also Read: Innovation, regulation, research: What should S’pore agritech startups focus on?
Specialising in manga illustration is what sets this Japanese college in Subang Jaya apart
Not too long ago, an Anime Fest hosted by Paradigm Mall, PJ caused massive traffic congestion on the LDP. Guests inside the mall had people navigating shoulder-to-shoulder at a snail’s pace.
Such a large number of fans presents the demand for the anime and manga subculture in this country.
Couple that with the 40th anniversary of Malaysia’s Look East Policy, and you get a Japanese illustration and manga college breaking ground in Bandar Sunway, Selangor.
Enrolments are currently open and classes are set to begin this September 5.
Bridging the borders
The Nippon Designers School Malaysia College (NDS) is said to be the first Japanese-based creative college to open in Malaysia.
Launched in June 2022, it will feature a practical curriculum incorporating Malaysian and Japanese cultures. This is in addition to the training in manga, illustration, animation, and other creative disciplines.
For example, Japanese language and cultural classes will be offered in the school, as the team believes that learning about them can lead to new creativity.
“In addition, a deeper understanding of these aspects of manga and anime will help students to develop their skills more effectively,” said NDS Malaysia’s representative, Kai Yamashita (KY).
Since we were unfamiliar with how manga production techniques differ from conventional illustration and animation ones already offered in a few Malaysian colleges, KY took the liberty to explain.
“Unlike illustrations, which convey a visual impression with a single image, and animations, which are created by several people working together, manga is sometimes like a film that is created by the creator alone,” he noted.
“It requires drawing skills and the ability to express how to convey to others the story that is spread out in the individual’s imagination. This is why the interesting thing about the art of comics is that unexpected stories can emerge.”
Transferring to The Land of the Rising Sun
Hailing from Shibuya, Japan in 1965, NDS also has a sister school in Kyushu, Japan, with a total of 35,000 graduates.
Some notable projects graduates have been involved in include the Pazudora TV series, Zekkaku Gakkyu, and the Kotaro Lives Alone manga series that’s currently on Netflix, amongst others.
Students who are part of NDS Malaysia’s course will get the opportunity to study in Japan via exchange programmes, study trips, and art exhibitions.
Transfer decisions will be based on the credits students have earned and on the coordination of credits with sister schools in Japan.
“Even if students do not transfer and are still enroled in the Malaysian school, they can receive employment support from the sister school in Japan, and depending on their achievements and abilities, there is a possibility of employment in a Japanese company,” elaborated KY.
Calling for Malaysian students
A two-year and seven-month Diploma in Manga Illustration is currently NDS Malaysia’s only course available for now. Speaking to Vulcan Post, KY shared that the school will consider opening more as needed, such as a 3D animation department.
NDS Malaysia is targeting 80 students to be a part of its first intake and graduates batch. Setting up the college close to Monash and Sunway University is one way the school hopes to approach its target group.
In addition, NDS Malaysia will run trial classes, workshops, information sessions, and individual consultations along with school tours to help convince students to enrol.
Seeing that the latest digital illustration devices and established Japanese lecturers are involved in the programme, I figured that the course fees for the Diploma in Manga Illustration would be hefty.
KY shared that tuition fees are set at RM68,700 for the entire programme. In justifying the price, he said that the college has had over 50 years of experience in Japan and many connections in the art industry.
Not to mention, there will also be events such as special workshops with famous creators in the curriculum, hence the price range of the programme.
Of course, scholarships will be offered in partnership with JAGAM, an organisation in Malaysia that supports students studying in Japan. Five students will be selected for a full tuition fee waiver, and another five for a first-year tuition fee waiver.
The screening system will consist of a three-stage screening of documents, artwork, and an interview.
Convincing parents of a career in arts
Although Malaysians are starting to embrace the arts as a viable career, there are parents who are still hesitant to send their children to such a specialised programme as manga illustration.
KY agreed, adding that the team has been alleviating such concerns by carefully explaining the possibilities of such skills and the different jobs available during consultations with parents.
“We also explain to them that they will receive full employment support not only from NDS Malaysia, but also from our partner companies, our advisor, the president of the Malaysian Cartoonists Association, and our sister schools in Japan, so that the parents are fully convinced before they enrol their children,” KY acknowledged.
But say a student doesn’t get to pursue their dream career in Japan creating manga and anime for a studio.
What potential then does the Malaysian creative market have in fostering these graduates from NDS with such specialised knowledge and skills in manga production?
KY pointed out that while manga and animation skills are used in numerous industries in Japan, they may still be rare in Malaysia.
However, that could simply be because there have been few prior programmes to easily hone these skills locally, so NDS’ launch might be the catalyst to create change in Malaysia’s creative industry.
- Learn more about the Nippon Designers School Malaysia College here.
- Read other education-related articles we’ve written here.
Also Read: Almost 7 out of 10 Malaysians are not cleaning their beds properly. This is why you have to.
Featured Image Credit: Nippon Designers School Malaysia College
What MOSTI & Cradle’s new MYStartup accelerator has to offer for local entrepreneurs
[Written in partnership with Supernewsroom, but the editorial team had full control over the content.]
Globally, the startup industry has pioneered some innovative technologies, along with generating far more jobs than traditional businesses, stated a report from Startup Genome.
Between 2008 and 2016, the startup ecosystem contributed RM3.4 billion to Malaysia’s GDP, created 80,600 jobs, and attracted RM1.3 billion in private and foreign equity. This was reported by Cradle Fund (Cradle) in a study along with Help University published in 2018.
In Malaysia, we still have some distance to go in creating a robust startup ecosystem, said Dato’ Sri Dr. Adham bin Baba, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI).
With that, MOSTI partnered with Cradle to launch the MYStartup Accelerator programme (MYStartup) earlier in June 2022. It will offer local tech startups mentorships from industry leaders and potential funding opportunities.
Narrowing down candidates
Running from June 2022 to December 2022, the first cohort of startups from the MYStartup Accelerator programme stands to benefit from business scaling and market access opportunities.
These startups will be guided through lessons including recruiting the right talent, access to government procurement channels, regulatory advice, and be introduced to experienced VCs and angel investors, to name a few.
Participating startups will also gain access to other benefits and resources worth up to RM2 million. Furthermore, they will get the chance to partner with any of the 80 corporate bodies from the programme’s database.
Applications were opened to all startups to apply online. However, the programme’s spokesperson told Vulcan Post that they were mostly encouraging technology startups in the sectors of edutech, agritech, and 4IR to apply.
The top 33 startups that met the set criteria for MYStartup were selected from more than 500 online applications received for the programme.
Some names of these startups include VStream Revolution (dronetech), Cult Creative (HR tech), Aimsity (edutech) and GOOBAT (online pharmacy), some of which Vulcan Post has previously featured.
These candidates will receive assistance and guidance through workshops by experts providing startups with an opportunity to scale their business on a regional scale.
The accelerator will also aid in validating the startups’ business models, while increasing customer experiences and acquisition, amongst other things.
Eyes on the prize, and overseas opportunities
In terms of the funding opportunities provided through MYStartup, startups will have access to 18 angel investors.
These potential funders are proven startup founders themselves, and will further guide the participants throughout their market expansion and scaling-up journey.
Some notable mentors involved in the accelerator programme include Peter Wee and Alan Lim from NEXEA, as well as Eddy Wong, a co-founder and CEO of VSure Life.
MYStartup candidates can also look forward to the perks that await them after the Demo Day.
They include potential funding opportunities from either Cradle’s CIP Sprint grant programme, which provides funding up to RM600,000, or follow-on funding from potential partners valued up to RM1 million.
Cradle told Vulcan Post that there will be no set amount of winners who are entitled to the funding.
Other post-programme benefits include the potential to participate in local and overseas immersion programmes, and access to various tools and resources.
This is where selected finalists will gain real-life experiences on processes and regulations in expanding their business into certain countries in the region.
“In fact, the aim of the immersion programme is to ensure the finalists are well prepared before entering any market for their business expansion,” shared Cradle’s spokesperson.
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MYStartup is said to play a significant role in driving economic growth through science, technology, and innovation.
The accelerator programme is listed as one of the 16 interventions identified under the five Ecosystem Drivers in the Malaysian Startup Ecosystem Roadmap (SUPER) 2021-2030.
SUPER is aligned with other initiatives such as the National Policy on Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTIN), National Entrepreneurship Policy 2030, and others.
MYStartup is intended to further enrich the startup network by encouraging high-impact collaborations in the startup ecosystem.
The sectors that were chosen to be a part of MYStartup also appear to be a part of one of MOSTI’s frameworks to identify five unicorn startups in Malaysia by 2025. When probed, Cradle’s spokesperson replied affirmatively.
“Yes. The MYStartup programme and all its initiatives indirectly aim to impact 2,500 startups and create more job opportunities in the ecosystem,” he said.
“In addition, it will also increase the opportunity for startups to obtain alternative or private funding which we hope will help them in their journey to be the next Malaysia unicorn.”
Also Read: Almost 7 out of 10 Malaysians are not cleaning their beds properly. This is why you have to.
Featured Image Credit: Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, Acting Group CEO of Cradle Fund
Seeking a fix for their furbaby’s woes, this M’sian ended up starting a safe litter brand
As the feline furbaby to a first-time cat parent, Mr Miyagi (not the fictional Karate master from Karate Kid, mind you) had been showered with all kinds of pet supplies from the pet shop. This included cat litter, of course.
However, Mr Miyagi started to sneeze vigorously. His parent took him to the vet, where he was poked and prodded during clinical tests. “As a cat parent, nothing hurts like watching your cat suffer,” they recalled.
After days of hospitalisation, the verdict that they got was that Mr Miyagi’s ingestion of clay and silica-based litter dust over the years had caused respiratory problems. With this understanding, the cat parent set out to create a solution—Pottycats.
Potentially cat-astrophic risks
Before deciding to start Pottycats, though, the founder did attempt to look for alternative litter brands.
The most popular types of litter are clay-based or silica-based litter. According to the Pottycats team, sodium bentonite, which is found in clay clumping litter, is a “strong chemical sealant” used in building development.
However, a quick Google search showed that the chemical itself isn’t necessarily bad. Instead, it’s the fact that it can absorb 15 times its original volume that may cause problems. This means that if the litter ingested, it can cause severe and possibly fatal health issues.
On the other hand, crystal cat litter uses sodium silicate. This type of litter is absorbent and provides odour control, but it can be dangerous if ingested too.
Furthermore, Pottycats shared that crystalline silica dust, which can be found in some lower-quality crystal litters, can cause silicosis, a form of lung disease.
According to a Pet MD article by a doctor of veterinary medicine, a “large quantity of either clay or silica litter would need to be ingested to really be dangerous to your cat”. But given Mr Miyagi’s health scare, it makes sense why some cat parents may be extra concerned about that possibility.
So, Mr Miyagi’s parents decided to look into a safer, biodegradable option, which ended up lying in soy and tofu.
Litter-ally safe for cats
After a year of research and development, Pottycats made its debut in 2017. According to the team, they had collaborated with independent international researchers and developers to come up with the end result.
“Our primary goal is to ensure that the ingredients used are plant-based and safe for cats while also addressing odour and cleaning up, which are two major sources of frustration for cat parents,” Pottycats’ team explained.
According to the website, the litter is made primarily of soy/tofu, food gum, starch, and water.
As the litter consists of food-grade and plant-based ingredients, this means that your cat could ingest the litter in small quantities, though cat parents should not encourage the habit.
Another feature of the litter is its flushability. The litter is supposed to disintegrate immediately when flushed so as to not clog your plumbing system. Of course, you’re only supposed to flush one to two scoops at a time.
Today, Pottycats is not the first or only soy or tofu litter brand around. In 2017, though, the founder felt like there was a gap in the market, especially locally. The team also believes that Pottycats has established itself as a favourite in the market over the past five years.
On the Pottycats FAQ page, the team admitted that there are other brands that sell tofu litter at a cheaper price. However, they argued that those will “break during scooping, be dusty, and have an odour after a few days of use”.
Pottycats has three variants of litter—original, charcoal, and mixed. The charcoal helps with getting rid of odours without using any artificial scents. A 6-litre-pack for each variant is RM35 and ordering in greater quantities is a few ringgit cheaper.
While the team said most cats adapt easily to their litter, customers can also reach out to ask for assistance with the transition process.
Su-purr-ting other cat parents
Beyond just litter, Pottycats wants to address cat care as a whole.
“Pottycats specialises in potty care by providing high-quality and effective products, personal consultation on potty training for new cat parents, potty care guidance, monthly home delivery service, and litter personalisation,” the team explained.
Other than cat products, Pottycats also supports animal adoption, having collaborated with various organisations such as PAWS Animal Welfare Society to run campaigns. One of such campaigns was a Save The Cats campaign, for which they created limited edition tote bags.
Pottycats also has a cat care blog housed on its website. It gets updated rather regularly with informative articles. The recent few articles discuss a cat’s ideal weight, the benefits of wet food and dry food, as well as how to tell if your cat poop is healthy.
A paw-sitive future
Over the past five years, Pottycats has been able to garner 19K followers on Instagram. The team believes that it is due in part to cat parents being more educated than ever.
“Consumers have evolved and become smarter in their decision-making as a result of the power of the internet, social media, social influences, word of mouth, and other resources,” they said.
The team hinted at possibly introducing some new product lineups this year. Down the road, they also hope to expand into different cat care categories.
All future products will most likely be Mr Miyagi-approved, and that should be able to give other furparents peace of mind when it comes to Pottycats’ products.
Also Read: Almost 7 out of 10 Malaysians are not cleaning their beds properly. This is why you have to.
Featured Image Credit: Pottycats
Axdif: An HR management platform that solves communication, planning, & productivity issues
[This is a sponsored article with Axdif.]
More Malaysian businesses are embracing hybrid working environments, with some even opting to fully forgo their office because of several key factors. These include the expensive rent, and the appeal of being able to work from any location, for example.
While hybrid working gives employees the freedom to pick where they would like to work, the transition raised a few issues that were not as common compared to working exclusively at the office.
For example, in Indonesia, 40% of staff members were interacting with their co-workers a lot less due to the lack of a solid and reliable communication platform. This not only hindered innovation in companies, but affected employee productivity too.
Various platforms have since been built to tackle specific issues, and all-in-one platforms consolidating multiple functions are becoming more commonplace too.
One such example is Axdif that caters to remote working companies, developed by Elabram, a company that specialises in recruitment and HR.
Here are some of the platform’s highlighted features.
1. A dashboard that’s accessible anywhere
First and foremost, the most crucial function that Axdif provides is the ease of accessibility from multiple locations, matching the nature of hybrid working environments. Employees and administrators can access the HR management platform from anywhere and on any computer.
In addition to that, Axdif offers a mobile app with most of the same features, and it’s available on the Google Play Store, Apple AppStore, or Huawei’s App Gallery for those who prefer working on their smartphones and tablets.
2. Hassle-free clock in and out system
Since Axdif’s dashboard is accessible from any location, employees using it can easily clock in and out.
On top of that, it takes advantage of GPS to ensure that the clock-ins are not fraudulent, which is one of the main concerns for companies that are transitioning to a fully remote or hybrid working environment.
Other than that, the HR admins can easily import or export the attendance report for auditing, and make tweaks to each employee’s shifts to avoid clashes in companies with team rotations.
3. Easy leave approval and monitoring
Besides making the clock-in process more convenient, the process to apply for leaves has been streamlined too on Axdif.
On the application page, it shows at a glance how many remaining leaves the employee has without needing to contact the HR department each time.
When it comes to teams working remotely, it’s also sometimes difficult to tell whether your co-worker is on leave. Thus, the dashboard has an integrated calendar, which shows not only holidays and birthdays, but also the leaves of all employees.
By knowing ahead of time who’s available and who’s not, managers have an easier time distributing tasks among a remote team.
4. Transparent task management & progression
Beyond benefitting managers, Axdif allows employees to keep track of their own tasks too. Since it’s harder to tell who’s working on which task if every employee is using their own scheduling system, Axdif provides a unified task dashboard.
This information gives everyone a clear view of what task is currently being worked on, and by who, for tracking progress, and avoiding clashes in workload.
Also, it gives HR departments a bird’s eye view of employee activities to help them determine whether an employee is being overworked or underperforming.
5. Trackable overtime requisition
Working overtime is something that’s becoming increasingly common among remote workers as of late. Because of that, the platform also helps employers keep track of and compensate employees for working overtime.
To do so, employees can send an overtime requisition form to the approver that includes information like how long they have worked overtime for, and why. The approver can then review the request and decide whether to approve or have it reviewed by another administrator to ensure that the request is justified.
Should there be any discrepancies, the HR department can easily cross-check with the employee’s attendance records and other approvers to see whether they’re eligible for overtime compensation.
6. Convenient file sharing and communication
There is also a chat feature that facilitates communication and enables teammates to send necessary files to one another when working on a project.
Axdif offers unlimited cloud storage with a maximum of 5MB per file. This can be useful to avoid disruptions in work, especially when employees need to work from a new or different device.
7. Streamlined claims processing
Although some companies have already switched to filing claims digitally, the process of doing so is quite rudimentary, and usually involves sending an email with a bunch of receipts attached to the HR department.
Much like requesting for leaves, Axdif also makes filing claims more efficient as all you need to do is attach the digital receipts and a description of your expenditure. In fact, it’s even possible to file your claims while on the go with just the mobile app, which further streamlines the entire process.
Since the claims are filed under the employee’s Axdif account, the HR department has a much easier time sorting and approving claims from each employee. A report can be downloaded for auditing purposes too.
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Having to utilise multiple platforms to access different functions not only disrupts a company’s productivity and efficiency but could also lead to increased costs.
Thus, for companies that have a need for all of the above functions, and more, subscribing to an all-in-one platform like Axdif’s makes sense.
If you’d like to speak to an Axdif representative to find out what pricing plan fits your team best, you can contact them by emailing sales@axdif.com.
Also Read: As the first OPPO phone to collab with Hasselblad, is the Find X5 Pro worth the hype?
Featured Image Credit: Axdif
