VIDEO: Startup momentum in a crisis

There’s no doubt the past 20 months have been unusually stressful for anyone operating in the travel industry. But within the heavy cloud of challenges there have also been some bright spots – companies that have shown not just perseverance but also momentum and growth.

It’s even more noteworthy to see positive traction from early stage startups that have had to navigate the pandemic without the support systems that are inherent in established companies. 

Singapore-based Vouch - one of PhocusWire's Hot 25 Startups for 2021 - is one of these startups. When the crisis began, the company was just starting to get some hotels in its local market to use its chatbot-based solution to enhance the guest experience.

Fortunately for the company and founder and CEO Joseph Ling, this type of technology was perfectly suited to serve one of the most pressing pandemic-induced needs for hotels: the ability to provide a delightful, personalized experience for guests without having to deal with them face-to-face. 

But the rapid growth of the company in the past 20 months is just one part of the story.

At this week’s PhocusWire Pulse: Startups In The Spotlight event, Ling explains the challenges he has faced since launching Vouch – with an entirely different product – in 2016 and twice running out of money.

He shares how he remained motivated during those difficult years, why he views his lack of prior experience in hospitality as a strength, how he has built his team and how he is prioritizing his company’s to-do list on the heels of $1.1 million in recent funding.

Watch the full interview with PhocusWire’s Mitra Sorrells below.