| ACE.SG Corporate Newsletter |
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| Changing Singapore’s hospitality scene, one movable hotel at a time: Liang Chiang, CEO of Tiny Pod |
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Venturing into the unknown once takes courage but doing it again and again is something else altogether.
We recently caught up with Seah Liang Chiang, founder and CEO at Tiny Pod, Singapore’s very first movable and sustainable hotel to find out what drives his continual appetite for risks as a serial entrepreneur in Singapore.
“Growing up, I saw how my late father, despite his dedication to his job as a teacher, ventured into diverse small businesses, from tutoring, to breeding and selling puppies, to even establishing a small-scale factory making fly bait to make ends meet,” recalls Liang Chiang.
That was his first taste of entrepreneurship and the joys of innovating in the space of constraints.
“Engaging in my father’s myriads of small business ventures wasn’t merely a choice; it was an immersive education in perseverance, risk-taking, and problem-solving,” he adds, “Each day presented new challenges, teaching me resilience in the face of adversity.” |
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| From Jobless to Serial Entrepreneur |
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Graduates typically look forward to what’s next, and are excited to embark on their career journey, to become self-independent and providing for themselves, but it was not to be for Liang Chiang. He found himself graduating right smack during a recession where job opportunities diminished and seemed scarce despite his relentless job searching efforts.
That became his first door to the world of entrepreneurship.
“Instead of succumbing to disillusionment, I embraced the challenge and decided to build my own business from scratch,” shares Liang Chiang, “The gumption I had was really a natural progression rooted in my upbringing, supported by the innovative mindset honed since my younger days.”
That endeavor led him to build a fast-growing company and he became a millionaire on paper just shy of age 30. But ensuing problems with his partners led to him leaving the company with close to $100,000 in debt.
True to his nature, he rubbed off that episode very quickly and started a series of other businesses after, with one even making it to an IPO.
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Success begets success and after the sales of his last business, Liang Chiang was already a successful entrepreneur, and contemplating semi-retirement.
But watching a Netflix series, “Tiny House Nation,” changed it all.
“I was captivated by the innovation I saw and was soon up and running on my own personal project: to construct my own tiny house through diligent research and self-guided learning in 3D modelling,” says Liang Chiang.
That project took 3 months and Liang Chiang ended up with a completed tiny house in Johor Bahru at a price of RM30,000. It was there and then when he was sipping his cup of coffee and marveling at his successful personal dream that it hit him: Could this venture transcend the realm of personal passion to become a viable business opportunity in Singapore?
“On the one hand, I was already seeing the rise of eco-conscious folks who are all for unique and sustainable travel experiences. And on the other hand, I was super keen on driving transformation through technological advancements to address urgent climate change and environmental degradation challenges,” he recalls.
“My biggest challenge was convincing Singapore’s Ministry of Trade & Industry’s Pro Enterprise Panel of my far-fetched novel idea of building a movable, non-permanent tiny house in land scarce Singapore,” he adds.
“Somehow my long shot bore fruit. We secured the support from JTC Corporation with the go-ahead to design the nation’s first movable hotel, nestled on LaunchPad, which is JTC’s vibrant ecosystem catered specifically for the startup community.”
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| Evolving his movable and sustainable co-living hotel brand |
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He has since gone on from just one single shipping container to three hotel sites, demonstrating healthy demand for unique and memorable hospitality experiences.
“When I saw that the old SMRT train carriages were going to be decommissioned, I saw an opportunity for two reasons,” says Liang Chiang, “First, trains, like shipping containers, are robust and built to last, making them ideal to re-purpose for co-living. Second, decommissioned trains have a special charm and historical value that can’t be replicated and is a good add on to expand our array of offerings beyond shipping container hotels with more distinctive living experiences.”
“By blending nostalgia with modernity, we are able to push boundaries and bring a one-of-a-kind stay for our valued guests,” he adds.
“This involves ensuring a delicate balance between preserving the original features wherever possible but making them suitable for modern living.”
On Train Pod @one-north, Liang Chiang is experimenting with a new concept of sustainable co-living accommodation. Train Pod will have a total of 8 rooms, each with an attached bathroom and bunk beds that sleeps 2 pax. “The rooms will be really tiny. In fact, I’ll be launching Singapore’s tiniest hotel room!,” he quipped. And for Liang Chiang, this is just the beginning. Amid present day climate change challenges, his bigger vision is to promote and build eco-friendly hotels centered around sustainability, innovation and community, growing Tiny Pod to at least 200 keys in Singapore.
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Join us on 5th December 2024 at LaunchPad @ one-north for an exciting evening with CEOs and Founders from the Soonicorn Collective in Malaysia! The event will feature insights into the startup ecosystems in Singapore and Malaysia, and a panel discussion on forging closer regional collaboration and growth opportunities. Don't miss out on the chance to connect and learn during the networking dinner afterwards. |
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If you're an aspiring entrepreneur or simply curious about startups, join us from 19 to 21 February 2025 for our Startup Accelerator: Building and Growing Your Business! 🚀
This 3-day course will provide you with the key tools and strategies to kickstart and scale your venture! Co-organised with the Singapore University of Social Sciences, this program offers expert-led sessions on everything from understanding the startup ecosystem and developing a business model canvas to crafting a solid go-to-market strategy. You'll also learn how to create a compelling pitch deck and gain crucial knowledge in areas like accounting, tax, and legal essentials for your startup journey.
Completing two courses qualifies participants for the Entrepreneurship Training eligibility criteria as main applicants for the Startup Grant |
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ACE.SG Incubator
Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or an early-stage startup? Join our upcoming ACE.SG Incubator Programme to kickstart or grow your business!
Through this 3-month equity-free programme, convert your ideas into a strong business model!
Access: - Access to funding from our VC Partners
- Expert Workshops
- Tailored 1-1 Workshops
- Access to ACE.SG's network
- Complimentary Co-working space
- Access to Startup SG Grant (Up to $50,000)
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Global Ready Talent Programme
Looking to grow your team with inspiring interns?
This Global Ready Talent Programme is your channel to tap on EnterpriseSG's funding to develop your talent pipeline of interns from local Institutes of Higher Learning. Participating startups can receive funding support up to 50% of the students' monthly internship stipends. |
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| The PurpoSE Agenda 2024 by raiSE |
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| Asia Startup Network Female Prefounder Catalyst Bootcamp |
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| The Ignition AI Accelerator |
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| SUSS Venture Builder Programme |
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| Design AI + Tech Awards 2025 |
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ACE.SG Membership Reboot
Good News!
After a challenging year, ACE.SG startup membership is now Complimentary, with effect from January 2024!
We are confident this presents new opportunities for startups in the ecosystem to network and build synergies that will, in the long run, help more founders succeed in their entrepreneurial journeys and to further uplift the startup ecosystem. |
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ACE.SG Job Openings ACE is expanding and we are looking for people who are passionate about building the Singapore startup and innovation ecosystem! Openings: - Assistant Manager/ Manager, Partnerships and Startup Development
- Interns
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Book a coworking space with ACE.SG
We hear you! ACE is opening up our office at Block 67 to cater to companies and individuals who require coworking spaces.
For more information, please email space@ace.sg. |
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Event Spaces for Rent
Are you looking for spaces to host your next event? ACE offers three event spaces that could meet your needs, both during and after office hours.
For large-scale events/workshops, the ACE Ideation Centre can accommodate up to 80 persons. Meanwhile, the ACE Innovation and Inspiration rooms are perfect for small group discussions and meetings.
These spaces are conveniently located on the ground floor of Block 79 at the LaunchPad @ one-north, right opposite the one-north MRT station.
For more information or enquiries, please send an email to space@ace.sg |
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