G Element's 3D Applications Solutions

As a National University of Singapore lecturer, Yeow Shin We helped set up a computer graphics laboratory to develop 3D graphics. Realising the opportunity and practical applications it can offer to the corporate world, he soon put down his chalk and set up G Element Pte Ltd in 2000. He felt that his knowledge and expertise could make a difference in the development and marketing of 3D applications.

According to Yeow, times were tough when they started out in 2000. There was uncertainty in the market and finding a receptive audience was difficult. "Potential customers often misunderstood the solutions we offered and what 3D visualisation could do for them," he said. "Recent events have increased awareness but ongoing education is still important." Today, understanding of G Element's solutions has grown but customer requirements have grown more diverse.

In 2003, G Element first met NEC to discuss how to incorporate some of its solutions into theirs. In 2004, NEC encouraged them to join the Infocomm Local Industry Upgrading Programme (iLIUP) by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). Their first project together was a visualisation project for the National Library Board (NLB). NEC was already involved in the NLB project but they believed that G Element's visualisation tools could add value to their proposed solutions.

According to Yeow, there were extensive synergies in their partnership with NEC - NEC already had established and proven solutions needed to run G Element's offerings.