Twenty years ago, this home-grown firm was merely a five-man air-conditioning contractor. Today, Innoflex has close to 100 employees, takes on multimillion-dollar projects – and is developing its own digital and AI tools.

Its ZEGGO CoolHub brings equipment records, maintenance history and fault reports onto one platform, while ZEGG-BOT, an AI-enabled assistant, helps technicians retrieve information and identify possible causes of faults using everyday language.

It is a significant shift for the company, and reflects its ambition to turn two decades of engineering know-how into a new source of growth.

The innovations were developed as a means to address a challenge that emerged as the company grew. As Innoflex took on larger and more complex projects, manual reporting, fragmented records and reliance on individual employees’ experience became increasingly difficult to manage.

These projects included maintenance work across SBS Transit’s interchanges, transport hubs and depots; air-conditioning and ventilation works at SMRT stations; and servicing about 700 units across CapitaLand’s portfolio.

That pushed the company to look beyond fixing internal inefficiencies and reconsider the role it wanted to play for customers.

Innoflex founder and managing director Kelvin Gan says: “Instead of being a contractor, we want to be a solutions provider, using technology to solve our customers’ problems.”

Technology offered a way to do that. But coming up with the idea was easier than putting it into practice.

Innoflex initially envisioned its digital transformation as one large project, with multiple AI and digital functions developed simultaneously. Gan soon realised that this would demand substantial money and manpower – many a hurdle that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often face.

To help SMEs navigate such challenges, Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) works with trade associations and chambers to strengthen and build capabilities of business advisors at SME Centres, enabling them to provide more effective and personalised support for companies.

Business advisors at these SME Centres work with companies to assess their needs and growth plans, and extend support in areas including capability development and internationalisation too. Such support would enable businesses to be connected with relevant expertise, partners and support programmes.

“As a small and open economy, Singapore can stay relevant and competitive only if our businesses continue to build capabilities, innovate and internationalise. SMEs anchor growth and create good jobs, which is why strengthening them is key,” says Audrey Lok, executive director of Enterprise Experience at EnterpriseSG.

“Through the trade associations and SME Centres, our partners amplify EnterpriseSG’s efforts by bringing industry expertise, trusted networks and on-the-ground insights to SMEs. This multiplier effect allows us to reach more businesses and deliver more targeted support, enabling our SMEs to stay competitive and seize opportunities for growth.”

Building new capabilities for the next stage of growth

For Innoflex, the way forward came after it approached the SME Centre at the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEC@ASME) in 2024.

Business advisor Steven Wong helped Innoflex break down its plans into steps to better manage its digital transformation. This involved assessing what could realistically be executed and implemented, and also helped the company identify where to start.

The first phase focused on digitalising analogue data and signals, human servicing procedures and error codings. Phase 2, which is now under way, involves merging all digital data onto one platform.

Innoflex’s head of sustainability Dr Ng Kong Jee, who worked closely with Wong, says: “Because of Steven’s advice, we managed to get Phase 1 working and already implemented on site, and now we’re on Phase 2.”

EnterpriseSG’s Enterprise Development Grant (now streamlined into the EDGE Grant) also supported the company in engaging technology partners, organising its operational data and testing the system in practice.

What started as a solution to Innoflex’s own operational challenges could eventually become a new source of revenue.

Managing director Gan wants to offer services such as energy optimisation and predictive maintenance throughout a building’s operations, and eventually take these solutions to regional markets.

“Our next step is to turn our engineering knowledge into solutions that can deliver measurable results across the full building lifecycle,” he says.

Transforming existing strengths into new revenue streams

That same idea of turning existing expertise into a new source of revenue is also taking shape at Transcend Aero Services (TAS).

The home-grown aviation solutions provider started out in aircraft component trading before expanding into engine trading and aircraft leasing.

It more than doubled its revenue from about US$7 million (about S$8.9 million) in 2023 to US$18 million in 2025.

As the business expanded, assessing aerospace assets became increasingly labour intensive, as the valuation process relied heavily on manually collecting, reviewing and analysing technical information.

TAS already had its own spreadsheet-based aircraft evaluation model, built on years of industry experience.

When founder and managing director Loo Choon Meng approached SME Centre at Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMEC@SCCCI) for guidance, business advisor Ho Chee Kuen encouraged him to look at internal tools differently.

Rather than seeing it purely as a way to improve processes, TAS began exploring whether its way of valuing aircraft and engines could become a scalable digital capability.

Ho then connected TAS with partners who could help further develop the system.

Ho says: “The breakthrough came when TAS’s existing spreadsheet-based aircraft evaluation model was reframed not simply as an internal tool, but as a potential AI-enabled strategic capability.”

An asset valuation exercise that typically took three to five working days can now be completed in minutes. Loo says this gives the team quicker access to information and frees up time for other priorities.

“It allows us to channel our energy into developing new solutions and targeting new markets,” he says.

For him, the larger opportunity is to turn the tool into a business of its own.

“We want to commercialise this AI product, so that we can deploy it globally,” says Loo.

Like Innoflex, TAS is using technology not just to automate work, but turning expertise already within the company into a potential new source of revenue – including beyond Singapore.

Preparing for growth in overseas markets

For other SMEs, overseas growth does not necessarily start with a new technology or product.

Sometimes, it means taking an established business model and finding out whether it can work in a new market.

For Inter-Lab Products founder and owner Vincent Teo, that is the question facing a business he has spent almost four decades building in Singapore.

Teo started Inter-Lab as a one-man hygiene services business in 1987 with just $2,000.

It has since grown into a provider of eco-friendly air-care and hygiene solutions for offices, malls and hospitals, earning around $1 million annually.

Teo attributes part of that growth to promoting sustainable solutions.

“By educating companies and promoting environmental awareness, we have changed customer mindsets and their purchasing decisions,” says Teo.

Having built a steady business in Singapore, Teo now wants to see whether Inter-Lab’s products, service model and customer relationships can be replicated in overseas markets.

His instinct was to move quickly. But discussions with the SME Centre at Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMEC@SICCI) business advisor, Mike Krishnan, prompted him to approach the expansion more systematically.

Together, they examined potential partners, distribution channels, regulatory requirements, market positioning and business risks.

Mike recalls: “Vincent came to us with a lot of enthusiasm and passion to enter an overseas market.”

Rather than treating internationalisation simply as finding customers abroad, the exercise helped Inter-Lab determine what parts of its Singapore model could be replicated overseas and what would have to change before it committed resources.

That groundwork now allows Krishnan to connect Teo to the relevant partners and networks in Singapore and overseas markets, including Malaysia and Thailand.

Building capabilities for the next move

For the three SMEs, working with business advisors has helped turn broad growth ambitions into clearer next steps.

Without that guidance, progress could have looked different.

Innoflex’s Gan says it might still be in the development stage, while TAS expected a longer learning curve and committing more mistakes before finding the right resources.

Inter-Lab’s Teo says the support gave him the push to act on his overseas plans. “Mike helped me do all the groundwork and now I’m ready for our next move,” he adds.

His advice to other SME owners is to hold on to what already works while staying open to change: “As SMEs, we should keep the values, relationships and knowledge that make us successful, but be willing to change the way we think and operate, the technology we use, and even the business models we pursue.”

EnterpriseSG’s Lok added: “As businesses grow, so do the decisions and challenges they face. A conversation with a trusted business advisor can help to uncover blind spots, avoid costly mistakes and open new doors. Our SME Centre business advisors have the experience, tools and networks to help businesses review their plans and execute with confidence.”

This story is part of a series that explores what’s next for Singapore businesses across industries, and how they are partnering Enterprise Singapore to build resilience, seize new opportunities and grow. Find out more here.