Net Value: Winning ideas
The Edge - January 20, 2003 : (page 2)

WebNiche UAM (unified alert messaging)
Jeffery Tan conceived the idea of WebNiche UAM while doing his Master of Information Technology thesis in 1999 and while helping Commpride Sdn Bhd develop a web-based application that aimed to unify e-mails, faxes, phone calls and letter correspondences into a single inbox account. This tool unifies the wireless, the Internet, voice and legacy applications into a single point of control. Tan and his long-time pal, LeLee, who works full-time with Infoscreen Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of YTL Corporation, decided to send in WebNiche UAM for the Venture 2002 business plan competition. Recalling the early days, Tan says his main challenge was to “unlearn” the technical complexities and put himself in the shoes of a very competent businessman. Focusing on questions such as “What do small- and medium-sized industries (SMIs) need in a unified messaging system that telcos are not providing?”, “How can we bring the ownership of a unified messaging system to SMIs with justifiable costs?”, and “How can we create waves of lust for our products and services?” were examples of how he managed to find solutions to these problems. Tan plans to sell WebNiche UAM as a readymade, licensed software for a one-time installation fee while charging integration and maintenance fees. For corporations, he sees additional revenue coming from the provision of unified messaging consulting. Since implementing corporate unified messaging systems is a business strategy, he expects consulting expertise to be well sought-after. He will customise WebNiche UAM according to business needs once the strategic directions and workflow have been well defined. Revenue would then come from consulting, software licensing, integration and maintenance. WebNiche UAM is particularly targeted at export-oriented companies that need to communicate globally using more efficient tools. To date, Tan has invested around RM100,000 and plans to promote WebNiche UAM more aggressively this year. To create and promote an industrial-strength type of WebNiche UAM system, Tan says he will require at least RM500,000. What the judges liked: They are in the key space of communication.

IAS (I-Access Solution Computer Specialist Sdn Bhd)
Goh Ser Heng, CEO of a pharmaceutical company, Ho Yew Pun, an entrepreneur who owns companies involved in contract manufacturing to multimedia designing, Tew Hang Siong, managing director of I-Access Solution Computer Specialist Sdn Bhd (IAS) and IAS chairman Lee Tiang Hock are Friday night drinking buddies. It was Lee Tiang Hock, with more than 25 years of experience in the oil palm industry, who initiated the concept when he saw the dire need for IT in the oil palm industry. IAS integrates production and laboratory data and enables oil palm mills to achieve high levels of operating efficiency. Their initial challenge was to translate the idea into a software program but they were fortunate enough to test the developed software in a mill that needed computerisation. With mills and dealers located in remote areas, travel was a challenge. With most of the users not being very IT-savvy, they had to modify the program several times to make it friendly enough for those without an IT background. However, the most challenging aspect was trying to convince the palm oil miller and dealer that using their software was both inexpensive and easy to use. The solution was to let them use it for free for between three to six months. They are confident that up to 90 per cent will end up paying for the software after the free trial. Targeting palm oil millers and dealers, the team expects to go into Indonesia and Thailand and move beyond the oil palm industry to include vegetable oils. So far, RM100,000 has been pumped in but another RM500,000 will be needed for marketing purposes. What the judges liked: Palm oil is important to Malaysia and the solution developed is advanced for this country.

Mobile Works
T M Lui, K G Lim, S K Yeo, T H Lui and J S Wu had known each other a while and were involved in software development, engineering, marketing and sales, and accounting and auditing. They had nothing in common except for their one passion: mobile gaming. The five realised that the business plan competition was the best platform to bounce off the idea of turning mobile games into a serious business. Their plan was to develop network games that are played via mobile phones and other handheld devices where the games will be stored in a central server so that anyone with a mobile-enabled device can access the service and play the games. Writing the business proposal provided the team with the opportunity to “examine” the business plan more diligently. This entailed fleshing out the relevant details. The challenges they faced were mainly related to getting relevant and updated data, especially market research to help in their analyses. They are targeting mobile network operators, mobile content providers and corporations providing consumer goods and services for their mobile games. For Lui, this is his second time participating in the contest. What the judges liked: The team’s drive and creativity — not just in the gaming aspect but also the sophistication of the technology behind it.

Integrated Methods
This was formerly known as ECAMS Intranet, which won a spot in the first Phase of Venture 2001 but was forced to pull out due to lack of team members who could contribute to the development of the plan. Undeterred, original participant Wang Sim Kok teamed up with newcomer Lim Chong Seng. Wang was determined to revive ECAMS Intranet because he saw its potential. Renamed Integrated Methods, it is centred on Linux being a vital platform for corporate computing in the near future. The duo sees the importance of enterprise applications in Linux with affordability being a key issue for Asian companies. They feel that if they can churn out, maybe not “killer apps”, but profitable, practical products that possess the attributes of affordability and scalability, reliability and security, the risk of venturing into this business would be well worth taking. They have developed Serdera Groupware, a web-based Linux-based enterprise groupware in a “ready-to-run” web Intranet version that assists employees and managers manage, collaborate and organise their activities, events, resources and communications. Revenue generation will come from licensing and consulting services. The cost: less than RM25,000 for any number of users. The duo has invested RM30,000 and require RM400,000 for a commercial rollout. What the judges liked: The robustness of the solution.

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