Innov8tif: A Journey of Evolution in Digital Transformation

Innov8tif's first logo (circa 2011)nnInnov8tif Solutions has earned its reputation as the forefront provider of cutting-edge eKYC and low-code automation solutions. With a presence across 10 countries in ASEAN, our impact extends to diverse industries, including finance, telecommunications, banking, and beyond.nnHowever, our journey to becoming a leading player in this dynamic field wasn't an overnight success but rather a culmination of a decade marked by trials, tribulations, and unwavering determination that ultimately shaped our identity.nnHere is our story:-n

Inception and Early Years (Pre 2011-2013)

nInnov8tif, a company that has become synonymous with digital transformation, had humble beginnings. In the years leading up to 2011, a group of like-minded individuals—George Lee, Tiensoon Law, and Soh Peng Nam— shared a common professional journey at a publicly listed System Integrator (SI). Their collective passion for innovation, combined with a desire to break away from the structured environment of their former workplace, laid the foundation for what would become Innov8tif.nn Pictured above: George Lee (left) & Tiensoon Law (right)nnThey started with a simple vision but no clear mission. As colleagues, they frequently engaged in discussions about emerging trends and innovative ideas during informal Mamak sessions. The vibrant exchange of ideas fueled their entrepreneurial spirit. George was approached with a unique project opportunity after his departure from the company. Initially, the focus was on custom enterprise application development, a venture that started as a bootstrapping opportunity.nn George & Tiensoon at one of their informal mamak sessions discussing ideas and innovations for the future (p.s: image is a reenactment, not an actual depiction of one of their mamak meetings)nnGeorge and Tiensoon enthusiastically embraced the opportunity, leading to the inception of Innov8tif on August 29, 2011. Amusingly, George himself was on a trip to Thailand at this time and due to unfortunate circumstances, was unreachable due to issues with data roaming. He would not learn of his company’s official registration until his return home a few days later.nnIn memoirs shared by George, he nostalgically reflected on the past locations of their company’s early operational phase. The first “office” was established in 2011, where they were initially operating from their principal partner's temporary office in Empire, Subang. Informal meetings were also held on the 2nd floor of George's humble Subang home.nnThough the founders had not envisioned eKYC from the start, their journey began with projects like an e-commerce initiative for a large retailer and representing Joget for smaller projects. Riding on the emerging trends, Innov8tif shifted from enterprise mobility to mobile branches and eventually mobile field force automation. Their journey gained momentum with the development of field force automation for a financing company.n

Pivotal Moments and Partnerships (2013-2018)

nIn 2013, Innov8tif secured a significant breakthrough with their first mobile app project for a major retail company and the focus was on customer self-service for credit card statements. This marked the beginning of a transformative phase, as subsequent customer requests led to the development of a customer acquisition app with Mykad reading features.nnThe following year, Innov8tif managed to secure a project with redONE in 2014 to develop a paperless registration app for sales partners. This event was a milestone of Innov8tif’s entry into a subscription-based business model. This collaboration involved developing an app that incorporated MyKad reading. As the app gained traction over time, customer demands led to further expansion of Innov8tif’s digital services, including facial recognition technology.nnnnSpreading brand awareness during this time was an all-hands-on-deck effort, from the website and marketing materials to brochures. The team had to adopt multifaceted roles due to the lack of manpower which saw George handling the sales and project management and TienSoon running the marketing materials side such as producing brochures, whitepapers, and general marketing content. It wasn't until 2016 that Innov8tif began to experience substantial growth, reaching 15 team members.nnRecognising an opportunity to evolve, 2016 also saw the Innov8tif team making a move towards becoming a full-fledged eKYC provider. Challenges with funding during this time were overcome by reinvesting project revenue into research and development, which ultimately led to the development of the EMAS (Enterprise Mobility Application Solutions) trademark.n

Evolution of Onboarding Applications (2017 onwards)

nThe company's journey into onboarding applications started in 2017 with a mobile verification app for customers who had already signed up. As customer interactions evolved, so did the application's purpose. Customers expressed interest in capturing their IC to initiate onboarding sessions. Initially, the app only supported IC scanning, but it gradually evolved to read details from IC photographs using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology.nnIn January 2018, the company embraced the digital revolution initiated by Celcom's Yoodoo. This marked their first foray into Electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) solutions, a critical step that laid the foundation for their transformation into a full-fledged eKYC company.nnnnCustomers' demands led to further enhancements, including facial verification as part of the onboarding app. Innov8tif had observed the growing maturity of AI technology for years and decided to incorporate these advancements into the original onboarding app. Down the line, the team appealed to requests for strengthened onboarding by introducing face matching with the photo provided by OCR, and subsequently, liveness checks and document tampering checks were added.nnThe journey continued with the evolution of the EMAS brand into eKYC, driven by market feedback and the realisation of the potential of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology.nnThe transition from mobile apps to eKYC was a gradual process that spanned several years. The initial focus on mobile verification apps expanded to encompass a broader spectrum of eKYC solutions. Innov8tif found success in servicing telcos and financial institutions, solidifying their position in the digitalisation landscape.n

Trivia and Reflections

nAmid Innov8tif's remarkable journey, there were several attempts at self-nomination for the APICTA (The Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards) awards which cumulated into a triumphant win in 2019 after persistent attempts from 2013 to 2016. Among several other awards Innov8tif had achieved in the past decade, this served as a crucial testament to the company’s admirable journey from a small band of former colleagues with the same vision to a bustling digital solutions company of 80+ strong.nnnnInnov8tif's evolution from custom enterprise application development to a leading player in eKYC solutions is a testament to its founders' adaptability, foresight, and commitment to innovation. The company's journey continues to shape the digital transformation landscape, demonstrating the impact of seizing opportunities and evolving with technological trends.nn