Early 2025. An ESG reporting platform for Singapore SMEs — generate a tender-ready report in 30 minutes instead of hiring a consultant. Came after thirdLyr. Validated, found no wedge. Shut down.
the problem
Singapore's government is tightening ESG requirements for public tenders. Large companies have sustainability teams and consultant relationships to handle this. SMEs in construction, logistics, and real estate don't — and they're starting to lose contracts because of it.
Three pain points kept coming up in research:
- They don't know what to report. Scope 1, 2, 3 emissions, Green Mark, embodied carbon — the frameworks are fragmented and industry-specific.
- They can't afford consultants. A proper ESG report through a consultant takes weeks and costs money most SMEs won't spend.
- They're losing tenders. Missing ESG documentation is increasingly a disqualifier, not just a nice-to-have.
what Brik did
A three-step flow:
- Profile — input your industry, company size, and active projects
- Upload — submit utility bills, fuel records, spreadsheets, or answer guided questions
- Report — receive a formatted, tender-ready ESG report
The whole process was designed to take around 30 minutes. The output was structured around the frameworks that actually matter per industry: Scope 1–3 for logistics, Green Mark compliance for real estate, embodied carbon and fuel-use reporting for construction.
To build this credibly, I enrolled in Coursera courses and got certified in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reporting.
why it didn't work
This wasn't a case of insufficient research. I ran 30+ interviews with ESG managers, sustainability consultants, and SME operators — enough to confirm the problem was real and the pain was genuine. SMEs were losing tenders. The consultants were overwhelmed with demand they couldn't serve cost-effectively at the SME end of the market.
The problem was the supply side. Grnprnt and other established platforms had gotten there first — with integrations, regulatory credibility, and existing sales relationships that would take years to replicate. I could build the product. I couldn't find the wedge: the specific segment, distribution angle, or technical differentiator that would let a new entrant compete without those advantages.
Validation confirmed the problem was real. It didn't surface a path to winning.
what happened
Shut down. Moved on to the next thing.