Author: bta-blog-admin

With seven years of experience running a vehicle workshop, Alvin Boey (EEE/2008) was no stranger to entrepreneurship or the automotive industry when he decided to establish a startup bringing automobiles and advertising together. He and his cousin Endru Chen wanted to create a crowdsourced private car advertising platform to provide advertising services to small and medium enterprises in Singapore. But first, they needed funding.

Alvin and Endru were introduced to NTUitive through a friend, and after consulting with NTUitive, they were able to secure a grant to kickstart their company, which they named Carblicity a hybrid of the words car and publicity.

Beyond financial assistance, NTUitive also put Carblicity’s founders in touch with business mentors and legal advisors who helped navigate them through every stage of the business cycle. Access to industry exhibitions and events also provided Carblicity with exposure to potential clients and investors, while NTUitive’s signature events such as the monthly MakanNight! and annual Startup Homecoming helped Carblicity expand its network.

Carblicity’s platform was officially launched in 2017 to strong demand from the automotive industry, and it now boasts more than 2,000 registered drivers and 1,500 cars plying the roads, advertising for 16 different brands. Collaborations with industry players such as Grab and GoGoVan have also allowed them to expand their fleet to include advertising on private hire vehicles, vans, buses and taxis.

Alvin notes that Carblicity’s platform appeals to SMEs because it offers them budget flexibility and rapid execution of advertising campaigns. From campaign crafting to advertisement design, sticker production and fleet management, Carblicity presents an end-to-end solution for its clients.

Going forward, Alvin is looking to grow his team and expand his business overseas, venturing into countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The Carblicity team is also developing technology that will provide clients with more accurate metrics for advertising reach.

At the end of the day, we believe in making out-of-home and transit advertising accessible to everyone, said Alvin.