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Australia’s Sky Software wins Singapore Government contract
31 Jul 2013
Australian-based technology provider Sky Software is gearing up for expansion in Asia after winning a Singapore Government contract to provide student-management systems to mid-market private education companies.
Sky and Singaporean firm Inchone are partnering to offer Blue Sky, which will provide software-as-a-service technology. The cloud-based technology enables education companies to keep quick, accurate records across a student’s enrolment lifecycle, from inquiry to graduation.
The contract, awarded under the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore’s call for collaboration (CFC), is part of Singapore’s drive to be the world’s first ‘smart’ nation.
The Australian Trade Commission’s (Austrade) Singapore office introduced Sky founder and Chief Executive Nick Stanley to Inchone Chairman and Managing Director Kuik See Juan and Chief Executive Yap Pow Look at CommunicAsia 2012.
Inchone was seeking an Australian partner to design and supply a cloud-based solution for school administration, with a view to partnering in a CFC proposal. The contract win was announced at CommunicAsia 2013.
“It’s been a one-year exercise from the time we walked into Singapore to the time we got the award, which paves the way for an exciting market for us,” Sky founder and Chief Executive Nick Stanley said.
Mr Stanley said Sky has customers in Europe and the Middle East, as well as New Zealand, Taiwan and Korea, and plans to expand to Indonesia and the Philippines.
Asked whether Sky Software was focusing its expansion mainly on Asia, Mr Stanley said, “Yes, particularly South-East Asia."
“Education across South-East Asia and Asia at large is going through massive growth.”
He said rising incomes and other demographic shifts were contributing to sharply higher demand for education.
“If you compare this with the gold rush, we’re supplying the picks and spades,” Mr Stanley said.
Geelong-based Sky Software provides smart, cloud-based education solutions to tertiary and private education markets across the Asia-Pacific region. Founded in 2011 through the merger of two companies, Sky plans to double the company’s staff over the next few years to 80.