'Classroom of the Future': M-learning@Crescent

In a tree-flanked building in Science Park 2 are the offices of Rakesh Gupta and Lim Soon Jinn, the founders of Heuristix Lab Pte Ltd, recently renamed Heulab.

The first impression you get is that the company is growing, with its operations sprawling into a number of rooms. "Things are a little messy for the moment but we're moving to a bigger location," said Lim. "Growing pains; it's a good problem to have."

Heulab started out as GuptaSoft in 2002, when the two friends were still students pursuing a diploma in the Polytechnic. Gupta was the tech whiz with an entrepreneurial streak and Lim was the one with the business acumen and presentation skills. They formed a good partnership that remains strong till this day, with Gupta being the CEO and Lim the deputy CEO of the company.

The fledgling company was quick to earn a reputation for their speed of execution in the system integration business. 2004 turned out to be a watershed year for the company; they were approached by Microsoft and IDA with an interesting idea: a 'Classroom of the Future' project called M-learning@Crescent.

Under the M-learning@Crescent project, students from Crescent Girls School will replace traditional paper and pen learning with brand new tablet PCs. All their coursework and school lessons will be conducted digitally.

True to their reputation, they delivered two fully-operational applications in a short span of two months. When the students and their parents were invited for a demonstration, their feedback was overwhelming. In just one and a half years, what used to be a dream of two young, budding entrepreneurs was translated into real profits for the company.

At the same time, the Infocomm Local Industry Upgrading Programme (iLIUP) by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, opened up a new world of possibilities for the young company. Having impressed Microsoft with their capabilities, Heulab was invited to sign an exclusive partnership deal with the software giant in early 2005.

In the same year, at a regional roadshow organised by Microsoft, Heulab's products successfully wowed senior executives from Thailand and Brunei with their next generation education software that was interoperable with content and curriculum of any language. Under the iLIUP, this small local Infocomm start-up was gaining exposure in markets as far away as the United Arab Emirates.

Being a part of iLIUP has given Heulab a competitive edge over its competitors. Heulab had the privilege access to the Microsoft's vast pool of technical expertise and received the chance to train and interact with the company's expert Infocomm professionals. In addition, Heulab received priority placement at important Microsoft technology events trip, enjoyed visits to Redmond, Seattle to visit the Microsoft campus and had the opportunity to tap on Microsoft's extensive International marketing and distribution expertise. The sales leads provided by their MNC partner may potentially spawn Heulab's next million-dollar deal!

"iLIUP forms the backbone of the partnership and makes a lot of things possible for us," said Lim. "Leverage, guidance and opportunities that would have taken us years to build are suddenly just handed down to us. It's a great framework to formalise a relationship."

Lim and Gupta have a few words of advice for the budding entrepreneurs. "Expect hardship at the beginning. Stretch your capabilities horizontally before you commit to a vertical industry. Focus on your core strengths but at the same time be flexible enough to adapt to opportunities that come along."