SaaS for kindergartens? Why not? That was an idea LittleLives founder Sun Ho (no, not that Sun Ho) toyed with.
From 2007 and 2010, the startup developed and sold a social network for primary school kids. But adoption was tepid because schools in Singapore were too academic-focused to allow students to explore other interests.
By the time she registered LittleLives as a company in 2011, it had gone through four versions of its web app. But Ho hit the jackpot before version three. It secured a customer in PCF, probably the most well-known kindergarten chain in Singapore.
The product evolved with this major deal, and the company took off. She added features like attendance taking, a dashboard for higher management, a portfolio to track the progress of kids, and a platform for third-party education apps.
It acquired competitor Illume Technology in 2013, and now serves 400 out of 1,500 kindergartens and childcare centers in Singapore.
After planting its flag in the local market, LittleLives now has global ambitions. It has its toes in the rest of Southeast Asia, serving three schools in Malaysia, two in Cambodia, and two in Vietnam. The company is now focusing on building tools to enhance the productivity of preschool administrators, and it wants to turn LittleLives into a social platform eventually.
“For example, western educators could share their play-based pedagogy with schools in Asia. Third World countries can take advantage of these resources. That’s something we dream of: being a company that empowers every child to get equal, quality education,” says Ho in an email interview.
LittleLives secured external funding to fuel its ambition. It raised US$100,000 from 8Capita last year, then received another six-figures from angel investor Lee Han Shih this year. While the company can’t reveal actual revenue figures, Ho says it’s making enough to hire a 20-strong team.
The startup is working on a new version of LittleLives which will better serve preschools in other countries. It will also break down the service into many apps, allowing educations to choose only the tools they need.
“In addition, there will be a host of parent-focused apps like Little Once for parents to plan playdates and activities for their children,” Ho adds.
Along with engineering firm Hope Technik, LittleLives epitomizes a shift in Singapore’s entrepreneurial landscape.
Starting out as modest enterprises making comfortable income, these startups are now eying a bigger prize beyond Singapore’s tiny landmass.
See more: Startup funding in Southeast Asia has broken the sound barrier. And that’s for starters
This startup dominates preschool SaaS in Singapore. Next up: global expansion
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