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To tackle poor posture, this S’porean healthcare biz is creating its own AI-enabled app

Being fired was how Emile Dumont ended up starting Bodynetic, a healthtech startup offering end-to-end solutions for chronic pain, posture issues, and improving users’ overall lifestyle. 

An exercise and sports science practitioner, Emile had been working at a stretching studio. After his role was terminated, he began wondering, “Why are so many people selling posture correction? Yet, why are there no results from this?” 

This thought led him to eventually start his own business, The Posture Lab. As a start, Emile invested some S$10K into the business, kicking off his services in a very small studio. 

“The first year proved that there was something in the business as I was able to 14x the revenue on the first year all by myself,” he claimed to Vulcan Post. 

However, the pandemic soon hit, and things took a tumble. Emile had to close the studio, unable to run any services. 

“My strategy to keep ourselves afloat was really to begin innovating and thinking out of the box,” he explained. 

Image Credit: Bodynetic

With that, The Posture Lab began exploring ways to develop online content for their posture programmes while focusing on education. 

During this period, the team also often received questions from clients asking if they were doing their exercises correctly. The team was constantly exchanging videos to help them with these corrections. 

“It was then that we realised there was a need for a solution,” Emile said. 

As they dug deeper, the founder realised how they could also deploy such solutions in a corporate and B2B2C perspective, which drove them to create an app.

“While it was tough as we had to burn more money in that period, we are beginning to see the rewards of it,” Emile said.

With that, the current model of Bodynetic was created. 

Using technology to deliver healthy habits 

Built with the purpose of impacting people to prevent posture, chronic pain issues, and health issues where it can be controlled, Bodynetic comprises three pillars. They are: 

  • Physical: This involves certifications and group classes mainly where the team works with locations to monetise spaces. 
  • Digital: This involves pre-recorded audios and videos for the purpose of integration into spaces like hotels, lounges, studios, gyms, and more. 
  • App: Now in its beta stage, Bodynetic’s AI app uses computer vision and movement tracking to allow users to do exercise in any location and anytime. 

Image Credit: Bodynetic

The startup also offers massage therapy, posture analysis, physiotherapy, and personal training solutions. 

It took about an entire year for the team to fully transition into its current hybrid model, as it wasn’t easy creating a new system, finding clients for it, and acquiring those first buy-ins from said clients. 

Instead of focusing on individual consumers, Bodynetic is eyeing a bigger fish—businesses. 

Image Credit: Bodynetic

Working together with hotels, resorts, and corporates, Bodynetic’s digital solutions can be integrated into spaces such as the gym, lounge, library, and/or guest rooms. This allows guests and the public to utilise the audio or visual on the TV, or in spaces created for immersive experiences. 

Its current hotel partners include Else Kuala Lumpur and Meliá Kuala Lumpur. 

“Our app, once launched, will be mounted on kiosks to allow for guests or individuals to experience and do exercise through these kiosks,” Emile elaborated. 

“[It will work] without the need for a trainer to oversee the training, allowing them to be autonomous in exercise choices while being corrected via the feedback from the app itself. [It will also use] AI movement detection through computer vision and machine learning.”

Making an impact 

Beyond reshaping public health, Bodynetic has another lofty ambition—to impact 1,000,000 individuals directly through their inclusive solutions. 

Image Credit: Bodynetic

“We have spent the last three years training visually impaired athletes in Singapore and we have a goal to use our app to expand our reach,” Emile said. 

En route to this goal, they’ve also tested the app with people with autism, and have gradually increased the app’s accessibility to the elderly and other individuals with disabilities. 

“We also do certifications in fitness and wellness and in the midst of looking for organisations to work with youth at risk organisations that we can train and certify them,” he said. 

In line with their goal to become a notable social enterprise, Bodynetic is currently a member of raiSE (Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise) in Singapore, where they are held accountable and required to submit measurable outcomes for their work. 

Nimble and agile 

Once they launch their app, Emile and his team will be focusing on delving deeper into the hospitality and the tourism sector, partnering with corporates to bring wellness for staff benefits and increase the footprint of more digital wellness solutions across the industries. 

From there, the startup has goals to expand into Vietnam and the Philippines, followed by Indonesia. 

Image Credit: Bodynetic

In the long term, they even envision expanding into the whole APAC region, and possibly Mexico as gateway into the US. 

“Our roadmap is to first be commercially viable in our commercial side of the business to be able to sustain the growing pressures of all businesses,” Emile said. 

“Thereafter, when the gears of that are moving smoothly, we begin working with organisations or NGOs or partnering with other social enterprises and social service organisations to bring our services to them.” 

  • Learn more about Bodynetic here.
  • Read other articles we’ve written about startups here.

Also Read: CARiNG’s CNY video reminds us what “home” really means, and it’s not about a place

Featured Image Credit: Bodynetic

Highest in 20 years: Why over 3,000 F&B outlets in Singapore closed down in 2024

3,000 F&B outlets closed down in 2024

In a city known for its vibrant food scene, a troubling trend is emerging—over 3,000 food and beverage (F&B) outlets in Singapore have closed their doors in 2024 alone. 

This marks the highest wave of closures since 2005, according to CNA.

A key factor behind this downturn is the rising operating costs, which are straining sales and impacting overall business performance. 

F&B industry causalities

The financial pressure has been felt across various segments of the F&B industry, including cafes, fine dining establishments, and long-established brands in Singapore.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5YQb-Ppp4A/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

One such casualty is the popular bakery-cafe Tigerlily Patisserie. In an Instagram post last year, the business announced its permanent closure, with its final day of operations being April 30, 2024.

According to Tigerlily Patisserie’s co-founder, Chef Maxine Ngooi, the two main reasons for its closure were “the exponentially increasing costs of operations,” and that the bakery-cafe’s “rental lease (expiry) was coming up.”

Braci Sommer Singapore F&B
From L to R: Michelin-starred establishments Sommer and Braci/ Image Credit: Sommer/ Braci

Michelin-starred establishments have not been spared either, with several high-profile restaurants closing their doors in 2024. These include Sommer, Chef Kang’s, Braci, Beni, La Dame de Pic, and Sushi Kimura.

Not all bad news

Tim Hortons Jojis diner
Image Credit: Tim Hortons/ Joji’s Sandwich Parlour via Instagram

According to CNA, analysts attribute the slowdown in Singapore’s F&B industry to the strong Singapore dollar, which has encouraged more Singaporeans to spend overseas. 

Additionally, weaker tourism demand from China is further adding pressure on the country’s hospitality sector.

However, these closures haven’t dampened the spirits of F&B entrepreneurs—3,793 new establishments opened in Singapore last year, outpacing the closures. This includes Joji’s Sandwich Parlour—a sister café of the viral American-themed retro diner Joji’s Diner.

Since last year, Singapore has also seen an influx of international F&B businesses establishing a presence in the city-state, such as Canadian coffeehouse Tim Hortons. American fast-food chain Chick-fil-A has also announced plans to open its first outlet in the city-state in late 2025, marking the brand’s first foray into Asia.

  • Read more articles we’ve written about Singaporean businesses here.

Also Read: This S’porean became the new owner of a 37 Y/O bak kwa biz—except she doesn’t eat pork

Feature Image Credit: Adobe Stock

How these M’sians with no F&B experience “accidentally” built a dessert biz that’s now 14 Y/O

In the world of 2011, online bakeries and fine dessert patisseries were a rarity. Flavours like red velvet, lemon, and passion fruit were hard to come by. 

At least, that’s according to Ee-Lyn and Hazwan, which is why they took it upon themselves to try baking and selling what they wanted to eat.

However, neither of them had any experience as entrepreneurs. Ee-Lyn worked in advertising, journalism, and PR. Hazwan on the other hand was in sales and marketing as well as did headhunting.

But still, they wanted to try. The two gave themselves a year to see how much they could accomplish… and they haven’t looked back since.

As a career that they stumbled into on accident with no planning or training, there was only ever one right name for them.

The Accidental Bakers.”

When opportunity knocks

When they first started as a home business in 2011, The Accidental Bakers was a part-time gig for Ee-Lyn and Hazwan.

Come late 2013 though, working the oven after work and on weekends steadily started taking up more and more of their time as orders began to pile up.

Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

“We hit a crossroad and had to ask ourselves, what do we actually want to do?” said Ee-Lyn. “Work in corporate? Or bake full time?”

The decision was not one that they took lightly, and the two gave themselves six months to prepare.

Finally, on April 1, 2014, the duo decided to take the plunge and leave the corporate life behind for good.

Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

The decision to take that risk of committing full time would eventually lead them to La Juiceria in 2015. At the time, Ee-Lyn and Hazwan were looking for a central kitchen. Before, the two were baking out of their own homes and wanted to have everything under one roof.

“One of the founders of La Juiceria heard us during an interview on BFM,” Ee-Lyn explained.

“Coincidentally, La Juiceria, who had their central kitchen in Sri Hartamas at the time, was looking to move out to a much larger location and contacted us to see if we wanted to take over their existing space.”

10 years on, Sri Hartamas remains the home of The Accidental Bakers.

Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

In the eye of the storm

Having set up pop-up stores every weekend around the KL area, the idea of a brick and mortar store soon came into view a year on.

They wanted a central area that was busy and accessible to locals and tourists alike. And where better for that than the ever popular Pavilion KL?

Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

“We thought to ourselves, ‘They’ll never consider us, we’re a small little local brand,’” said Ee-Lyn.

Yet to their surprise, their proposal was accepted. They earned a spot in the then up and coming Pavilion Elite.

But then came the question.

“What do we do now?”

Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

As neither had any experience setting up a retail store, Ee-Lyn and Hazwan had to adapt fast. 

From plumbing to wiring, the pair spent many late nights to make the store a reality. But while they found the transition from pop-up to a permanent store easier than expected, a new challenge had presented itself—staffing and scheduling.

Abiding by Pavilion’s 12-hour operating window on top of finding reliable workers proved difficult.

“We eventually did find absolute gems who have stayed with us for more than five years now,” Ee-Lyn continued. “We strongly believe that if you take care of your team, they will take care of your customers.”

Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

Against the grain

The Accidental Bakers’ growth would continue with the creation of BROWNIESBAR in 2016. Operating as a sister brand, it specialises in the companies’ brownies, as the name implies. 

Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

The idea first came about when the two were trying to find their footing amidst 2015’s boom of online bakers. Though thriving overseas, the concept of a store solely focused on brownies had yet to exist in Malaysia, the founders said.

“Brownies have always been our best selling dessert since day one,” said Ee-Lyn. 

Orders would range from a single piece to entire trays. Some customers even expressed their desire to purchase them daily. And so, they tried their hand at a permanent location.

Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

In August the following year, The Accidental Bakers would open a second outlet at the Gardens Mall.

Keeping up with the times

14 years on since joining the industry, the market for baked goods has become increasingly more saturated. Services and platforms that ease the process of ordering and delivering have entered since, lowering the barrier to entry for new bakers. 

Of course, that makes things easier for Ee-Lyn and Hazwan as well. No longer do they need to handle deliveries themselves, something that they’re very thankful for.

Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

But related to that, another noticeable change was in customer behaviour post-pandemic. 

“Customers today are more likely to place an order for desserts online as opposed to physically,” she elaborated.

So significant was this switch up that physical stores no longer felt necessary for the two. Eventually, the decision was made to close The Accidental Bakers’ Pavilion and Gardens outlets.

“We ended up saving so much in terms of overheads,” said Ee-Lyn. As the icing on the cake, they were now free to open and close as they pleased, returning to their roots in doing pop-ups.

Some things, however, will never change for the two. Though they have moved into more managerial roles, Ee-Lyn and Hazwan are still very much hands-on when it comes to baking.

Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

Looking towards the future, The Accidental Bakers will be pursuing a halal certification.

Ee-Lyn also shared that they have plans for more outlets soon as they explore the downtown Kuala Lumpur and Subang areas.

With deliveries starting in Singapore, they have their eyes on the Indonesian market as well.

Though their start may have been accidental, their success today was achieved by no accident.

  • Learn more about The Accidental Bakers here.
  • Read other articles we’ve written about F&B businesses here.

Also Read: Critical convos with a focus on impact: How MRANTI is bridging local & global markets

Featured Image Credit: The Accidental Bakers

Singapore’s public toilet rankings are out—and coffee shops are dirtiest… again

If you’ve ever walked into a coffee shop toilet in Singapore and immediately regretted it, you’re not alone. 

According to a recent study by Singapore Management University (SMU), coffee shop toilets remain the dirtiest among public restrooms, despite years of efforts to improve hygiene standards. 

In a survey of 2,602 public toilets in Singapore, coffee shop restrooms scored a dismal 46.26 out of 100—the worst among all categories. Hawker centre toilets fared slightly better (66.28), while shopping malls (77.01) and MRT stations took the top spots for cleanliness (75.97).

Why are coffee shop toilets so bad?

The problem isn’t new. This study, conducted in 2016, 2020, 2023, and again in 2024, consistently finds coffee shop toilets at the bottom of the list. 

This raises the question: Why has nothing changed?

One major issue is the lack of proper cleaning schedules. The study found that outdated or entirely missing cleaning logs were common. This means no one is held accountable for maintaining these facilities. Instead, clogged sinks, filthy toilet bowls, and poor ventilation remain the norm.

Another problem is the lack of participation from coffee shop owners in improvement programmes. The Toilet Improvement Programme, launched in 2020, offers up to 90% co-funding (capped at S$45,000) for improving toilet design, installing sanitary fittings, or adopting technology to facilitate the cleaning and maintenance of toilets in coffee shops.

Yet, only 44 out of more than 1,000 coffee shops have signed up. So, if there’s financial aid available, why aren’t more coffee shops taking advantage of it?

Would you pay for a clean public toilet?

Interestingly, nearly half of the 4,905 people interviewed in the study said they would be willing to pay for a clean public toilet. 

Among them, 82% were open to paying between 10 cents and 30 cents, while 42% said they would pay up to S$1 for guaranteed cleanliness.

Image Credit: Singapore CCTV

Although coffee shop toilets, which are privately operated, are usually free to use, some town councils charge fees for access to toilets in certain hawker centres.

However, enforcing such a rule could be tricky. Would businesses use this as an excuse to charge customers without actually improving facilities? Without proper regulations, there’s a risk that people will still get the same dirty toilets, just with a fee attached.

Nonetheless, according to the Straits Times, World Toilet Organisation founder Jack Sim suggested a “name and shame” approach to pressure coffee shop owners into maintaining cleaner toilets. 

It’s an interesting idea—publicly listing the dirtiest toilets could motivate operators to improve, but it could also backfire if businesses simply ignore the negative press.

Authorities have already ramped up enforcement. In 2024, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) suspended 10 coffee shops for toilet-related offences, a sharp increase from just one suspension in previous years. 

More than 1,200 enforcement actions, including fines and warnings, were issued in 2024 alone. Still, the numbers indicate that many establishments continue to neglect basic hygiene.

The habits start from within

While coffee shop operators must take responsibility for providing clean facilities, customers also have a role to play. Here are some simple practices that can help:

1. Flush properly: It sounds obvious, but many users fail to flush thoroughly, leaving behind a mess for the next person.

2. Dispose of tissue paper correctly: Don’t clog the toilet with excessive paper. Use provided bins if necessary.

3. Keep sinks clean: Avoid leaving behind food bits, cigarette butts, or other waste in the sink.

4. Encourage reporting: If you notice an issue, report it to the management instead of ignoring it.

5. Use the facilities with consideration: Basic respect for shared spaces can go a long way.

The SMU study has once again highlighted the dire state of Singapore’s coffee shop toilets. While increased penalties and financial incentives exist, real change requires accountability from coffee shop owners, stricter enforcement, and a shift in public behaviour. 

Until then, it seems like holding your breath and rushing through the experience remains the best strategy when nature calls in a coffee shop.

  • Read other articles we’ve written about Singapore here.

Also Read: CARiNG’s CNY video reminds us what “home” really means, and it’s not about a place

Featured Image Credit: Bar Talks

Vulcan Post aims to be the knowledge hub of Singapore and Malaysia.

© 2021 GRVTY Media Pte. Ltd.
(UEN 201431998C.)

Vulcan Post aims to be the knowledge hub of Singapore and Malaysia.

© 2021 GRVTY Media Pte. Ltd.
(UEN 201431998C.)

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Vulcan Post aims to be the knowledge hub of Singapore and Malaysia.

© 2021 GRVTY Media Pte. Ltd.
(UEN 201431998C.)