This week Hansen shares with us an update on his journey with OMG Coating.
Unfortunately, I got to admit it’s both an exciting one yet demoralizing; every progress always comes with a wall or even dead end sometimes.
Hansen shares with us that OMG Coating were in talks to partner up with with an engineering company and had found new roofs as an application test site for the product.
Initially, we have partnered with an engineering company and found a new roof as a test site for our waterproofing experiment, comparing the efficacy/performance between conventional methods.
Using this site as a case study, OMG Coating would not only be able to transition their product from the lab to practical application, the team would also gain first-hand experience of the product at work and track its performance.
Roadblocks
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tenant of the test site did preface that if the situation did not get better, they would be ceasing operations and would not be able to offer their roofs as a test site — which was the case eventually. Hansen shares that he feels that this is extremely unfortunate as it would have been a great case study due to the fact that it had been raining almost every day during that period of time.
I am not disheartened that the effort of what my team went through seems to be in vain, but it would have been a great case study and our first showcase piece.
Hansen accepts that facing roadblocks is just part and parcel of entrepreneurship. However, he is is grateful for his teammates and mentors for always being there to offer assistance and guidance.
I mean, I guess that’s entrepreneurship, right? You meet road blocks and you keep finding the grit — from within, or with the help of others (Thanks, Van!) — to KEEP overcoming. Of course, because of this program, the mentorship and advice from both, Boon Chow and Linda, to start exploring NTU’s facilities (eg roof and carparks etc.) with the added no liability (hopefully not go there).
What’s next?
Current strategy: Let’s break every thing down and attack the problem individually and always be shameless to ask for help.
Undeterred by the roadblock, OMG Coating is currently designing an experiment to simulate various scenarios for various applications of the product — for example, waterproofing cracked tiles to showcase OMG Coating’s waterproofing capabilities, strong structural properties, and efficacy. By doing this, the team will be able to gain insight into the product’s performance as well as show and educate future leads.
From OMG Coating’s previous restaurant industry validation process, the team believes they will be able to add value to the industry. This is because those working in restaurants would frequently encounter slippery surfaces on their premises as they go about their work. Hence, the non-slip and anti-bacterial features as well as enhanced structural strength and waterproofing that OMG Coating provides would appeal to them. In light of this, it is crucial to understand and confirm the efficacy and longevity of those features.
The team is also looking to work with the management of various properties when the opportunity arises. The hypothesis the team is testing out is that there might be needs — such as waterproofing and unsightly growth control — on those properties that OMG Coating might help solve.
For example, waterproofing with cracked tiles to showcase it’s waterproofing and strong structural properties and efficacy, etc. At the same time, we are exploring into facility/property management. Especially the ones with the aged portfolios.
PS. Do drop me an email/pm if you have a partnership idea or comment/advice for me @ alihanson.tayhs@staff.main.ntu.edu.sg
Hansen’s full account of his journey thus far can be found here.
Next week, we will continue our feature of VB18 teams and their individual project journeys and discoveries. Until then, stay safe!
