Geekonomics

Best local tech company to work in, even for entrepreneurs?

Aug 7, 2009 14:30

Many of you may have come across or used this almost magical video-editing software from muvee on your computers or mobile phones before. I heard about this really cool Singapore company when it was first started, and over the years it seems the firm has become one of the best tech organizations in Singapore to work in, from different feedback I've received.

Today, this geek is not here to talk about working in muvee as an employee (which can make for a whole story by itself), but about how muvee developed a program for entrepreneurs called BASE at muvee with a little extra space it had in the office to become an alternative model to the usual incubation programs we have available in the market today.

BASE at muvee is a program where tech startups take up a space at muvee's office, get access not only to meeting rooms, VoIP, photocopy, fax, coffee, snacks, meals at their nice American-style diner, but also get help and advice from muvee's various departments from HR to Finance, Marketing, even the muvee CEO's personal time.

The entrepreneur today faces many challenges, chief of which is that you need to wear many hats ranging from sales to finance and HR, and sometimes even office cleaner. Many incubators would find it hard to meet even some of these challenges that their entrepreneurs face. The usual approach is to provide the startup with maybe an office and a mentor. But typically, the mentor is not able to advise the entrepreneur on everything. It may be that the mentor is an expert on business development or sales, but he may not be able to give you the best advice when it comes to, say, human resource and recruitment.

That's where BASE at muvee provides an interesting alternative. You actually get access to people who work in specialized areas in one of the best companies around, advising you on their area of specialty. Whether it's about your marketing plan or bookkeeping, you can get some time out from the managers in the respective departments at muvee to offer you advice. While the C-level executives of muvee may not have all their time put aside for you, you can make appointments to get their advice on your business and sometimes even just a 5-minute phone call for a quick tip.

Add to that, you no longer feel like a lonely entrepreneur, but you have a home and a place to go to everyday. Technopreneurs in BASE at muvee are treated like one of the muvee staff in most situations, and get invited to all the company functions and events. They don't have a separate work area, but are given desks among the staff and allowed to interact with the muvee staff freely.

Strange as this seems, there doesn't really seem to be that many strings attached. Of course, there is a basic agreement which defines some rules to be in muvee's office. And while it used to be totally free, there is now a monthly fee of $500. While not all startups may be able to afford this $500, I think this is probably better to give the entrepreneur a real sense of business cost.

Philip Morgan, muvee's COO, likens this to the "friend who is in town and sleeps over at your place till he's got his own place". muvee has even introduced a couple of the startups to their own venture capitalists (VCs). Now, that's a good friend, indeed. Maybe this is what sets muvee apart from other local companies to becoming a truly global and world-class company.

That said, I do think that BASE at muvee is not for you if you're not entrepreneurial, not in tech or IDM, too big (have a few staff), or can't afford to pay $500 a month. Now, if only we can have BASE at Creative, BASE at Eu Yan Sang, and BASE at Osim, too?

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