We predicted 2016 as the year of the education marketplaces and it was indeed.
Continuing from last year we have seen several edtech startups trying to create an education marketplace but few of them are doing it with style. And for that reason we reached out to Tan Han Sing, Founder, Tueetor to know about his journey and future plans.
What would be an elevator pitch for someone who does not know about Tueetor?
Tueetor is creating the world’s 1st education marketplace. Leveraging on its location-based technology and do-direct business model – much like how Uber and Airbnb disrupt transportation and travel – Tueetor hopes to connect its learners and trainers of all skills and subjects the same way: automatic, instant, 24×7.
What is your company’s core value proposition? What problem are you solving and for whom?
It’s in our mission: To provide a platform where learners could engage honest and competent trainers; and such learned, skilled individuals may reciprocate – fast, easy and direct.
We aim to make education more affordable and accessible. This is especially meaningful for low-income families, to help them cope with rising education costs. The platform also helps skilled individuals – PMETS who are unable to return to their workplace for any reasons – secure income through teaching.
What is the driving passion, why are you passionate about this product? What is your vision?
It has to be the 2 social impacts: Help low-income family cope with rising education cost + Promote employment.
That makes us really happy and motivated every day.
Our Vision: To Be The World’s #1 Education Marketplace
What is the stage of the product? Where do you see your company in 12 or 18 months from now?
Tueetor is rolling out its services to 6 other countries in the next 12 months, namely, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, with a target sign-up of ½ million users. In 3 years, and with further expansion into China, we intend to secure a paid individual and business subscriber base worth USD 526m in total gross revenue per year.
What is the biggest need for your edtech startup?
Funding, to widen the reach of our market development works, to be carried out in the countries mentioned.
What are your views about the growth of online tutoring industry in different part of Asia?
For avoidance of doubt, Tueetor does not focus on tuition, but learning in general. Which is why despite having more than 400 subjects on our platform in most countries, only 1/3 of them are academic. The others are Swimming, Yoga, Korean-speaking, golf – any subject you can possibly imagine, we have a trainer for it.
So, when it comes to online tutoring, Tueetor might not be able to benefit from the technology as much as other providers in the tutoring business do. And not every lessons could be imparted online. With heavy competition in an overcrowding space – both free + paid – we feel that the growth of online tutoring is somewhat limited.
Tell us about your team, who do you have supporting you? How did this start?
We have a pretty complete team here at Tueetor. From marketing to marketing communications; product development to business development; operations to data analytics to client engagement to content developer, we have almost every aspect of the business covered. We are ready to bring Tueetor to the world.
What/Who motivates you? Any thought leader or companies with innovation which you follow for success? Whether in the EdTech space or in general?
Without naming names: leaders both business and political; pioneers and forerunners who are able to stand by their ideas and ideals, believing in what they do is for the betterment of the society, dispel naysaying beliefs mooted by fear and envy, and press on – never say die, till success is bagged. They are who we look up to.
Who would you call your competitors?
We have no identified a close competitor match at this point.
