The Startup Journey: Faith, Challenges, and Building Octopus8 in Singapore's Charity Tech Space
By Lawrence Luan, Founder of Octopus8
Sharing these lessons with aspiring social entrepreneurs at Pollinate
From Grant Application to Launch: Our Early Days Building SocialServicesConnect
I still remember the mix of excitement and anxiety after presenting to the panel of assessors for raiSE's Venture for Good grant. They asked tough questions – probing our business model, questioning our approach, and expressing caution about our sustainability. Yet beneath their challenging questions, I sensed they were genuinely keen to give us a chance.
A few weeks later, around January 2020, I received an email from our friendly and helpful account manager at raiSE. My heart raced as I opened it: the panel had decided to support us with the development of the system!
The First External Funding: A Personal Milestone
I was overjoyed and could hardly believe it. The first thing I did was call my wife to share the news that we had received our first external funding. This moment was particularly significant because, prior to this grant, she and my family had supported me with the initial funding from our years of savings.
By that point, I had spent all of those savings. I was essentially living on the allowance my wife gave me every month just to cover transport and meals, not bringing back any income to the family. It had been tough – really tough – and I constantly doubted myself.
I questioned whether my decision to leave a comfortable corporate job was the right one. Had I made a terrible mistake? Was I being irresponsible to my family?
Finding Strength in Faith
During those moments of doubt, I prayed hard and found my answer in Luke 8:22-25, the story of Jesus calming the storm. This passage reminded me that even in the midst of seemingly impossible situations, faith can carry us through. This scripture kept me going when logic said I should quit.
"One day Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let us go over to the other side of the lake.' So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Master, Master, we're going to drown!' He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 'Where is your faith?' he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, 'Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.'"
In 2019, I was baptized by the senior pastor at Amazing Grace Presbyterian Church.
When Everything That Could Go Wrong, Did Go Wrong
Without much warning, we soon faced major development challenges. Our progress was good initially, but our funding was being depleted much faster than anticipated. Just as we were gaining momentum, our overseas development partner went under. Suddenly, we were left with partially completed work and a critical decision to make.
We decided to bring development in-house, despite the higher costs in Singapore. This meant I was essentially alone with just a technical advisor partner and a couple of interns. Our resources were stretched incredibly thin, and the pressure was immense.
Our small office filled with energy: first batch of interns and my 10-year-old son, Aidan, having fun.
Building on a Secure Foundation: Data Residency for Singapore Charities
Based on our past experience serving government agencies and multinational corporations, we understood the critical importance of data residency for Singapore's charity sector. Most charities here are heavily supported by government agencies, and keeping their sensitive data within Singapore's borders wasn't just a preference—it was a necessity.
We made the strategic decision to partner with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build our product on their secure cloud infrastructure. We prioritized high security from day one, implementing industry best practices to protect beneficiary data.
Thankfully, AWS recognized the social impact of our work and provided us with amazing support throughout our journey. Our partnership even became a success story that AWS features as a case study on their website: Octopus8 AWS Case Study https://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/octopus8-case-study/.
The First Signs of Market Validation
Despite these enormous challenges, something beautiful was happening. We started receiving inquiries from potential clients about our product. They were asking about pricing, requesting trials, and showing genuine interest in what we were building.
These were some of the happiest moments I've experienced as an entrepreneur. Even though we were struggling behind the scenes, seeing the market's response validated that we were creating something that Singapore's charities truly needed.
Lessons Learned from Our Early Startup Days
Looking back at this challenging period, several valuable lessons stand out that might help other social entrepreneurs in Singapore:
Faith and persistence matter - When logic says quit, sometimes you need to listen to your deeper calling
Family support is invaluable - My wife's emotional and financial support made this journey possible
Adaptability is crucial - When our overseas development partner collapsed, we had to quickly pivot our approach
Market validation beats perfection - Even with an imperfect product, genuine market interest told us we were on the right track
Grant funding is a stepping stone - The raiSE grant wasn't just financial support but also validation from experienced social enterprise experts
The Singapore Context: Unique Challenges for Tech Startups in the Social Sector
Building a tech startup for Singapore's social sector comes with unique challenges:
Price sensitivity - Charities have limited budgets for technology
Decision-making processes - Multiple stakeholders often need to approve technology purchases
Technical expertise gaps - Many charities lack in-house IT expertise to evaluate solutions
Grant dependence - The funding cycle of charities can make long-term technology investments challenging
High expectations - Despite budget constraints, expectations for technology capabilities remain high
What Was Coming Next: COVID-19 on the Horizon
As we were navigating these early challenges in January and February 2020, none of us could have predicted what was about to happen. COVID-19 was just beginning to appear in news reports, and we had no idea how dramatically it would transform not just our business, but the entire charity sector's approach to technology.
In my next article, I'll share how the pandemic created both tremendous challenges and unexpected opportunities for Octopus8 and our charity partners across Singapore.
Key Takeaways for Singapore's Charity Leaders
If you're a charity leader in Singapore considering digital transformation, remember:
Start small but think big - Your digital journey can begin with modest steps
Look for partners who understand the social sector - Technical expertise alone isn't enough
Government grants exist to support your digital journey - Beyond raiSE, explore NCSS, Tote Board and other funding options (https://www.ncss.gov.sg/grants/organisation-development/tech-and-go)
Don't let perfect be the enemy of good - Some digital transformation is better than none
Stay tuned for my next article where I'll explore how COVID-19 accelerated digital transformation in Singapore's charity sector, and how organizations adapted through technology.