It takes courage to go against the status quo.

My name is Yvonne Lan. I’m a 23-year-old entrepreneur, born and raised in Germany, with a Taiwanese mother from Taipei and a Chinese father from Shenzhen. I’m currently studying at NTU and recently launched my app, Livingo. The app aims to simplify the process of finding roommates and shared housing in Asia’s fast-paced real estate market.

The idea came to life during my gap year in Asia in 2019. I noticed that finding housing in Asia was challenging, and there was no easy way to approach shared living. I studied fashion design as an undergraduate, and I have zero background in tech.

In 2023, I made a surprising leap into the tech world, hoping to challenge the status quo of the traditional rental living market. I finally decided to pursue my dream by moving to Singapore and studying for an MSc TIP (Master of Science Technopreneurship and Innovation) program at NTU while turning my startup idea into reality.

A shift from fashion to tech

Just a year ago, I was only 22 and with a promising career trajectory in fashion design in Berlin. Due to my passion for entrepreneurship,  I boldly chose to pivot to tech—a novel field where I truly saw the potential to make a real impact.

Declining an offer from the University College London (UCL), I flew halfway across the world to Singapore—a country where I had never lived before—to pursue my dream of creating a real estate app that would address the housing challenges faced by many in Asia.

The transition from fashion to tech was more than just a career change for me —it was the beginning of a mission to make co-living a lifestyle, targeting this generation, which has different plans than the status quo. I was deeply inspired by the co-living culture in Berlin, where people of all ages live together.

This led me to envision a platform that would not only allow users to easily find their home but also make meaningful connections along the way. This vision became the driving force behind my Livingo.

I have to say the journey to building Livingo was far from easy. With no prior experience in tech and zero initial funding, I solely relied on my sheer willpower to bring this vision to life. In just one week, I conceptualised Livingo and sketched every page and design of the app on Figma.

After classes, I interviewed 164 applicants for the full stack positions, I eventually hired two; However, they left after just one month. I had to start over. During that period, I felt like a heartbreak. Nevertheless, I kept going, I didn’t want to give up so easily and worked on Livingo non-stop from that point.

Luckily, I hired a team, and within six months, we built the app and successfully launched it after being rejected by the App Store and Google Play 25 times!

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The hard work eventually paid off. In less than a year, I also won the NTU x Babson College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge and secured first-round funding from the NTUitive NEST Program. As a solo female founder in the male-dominated tech industry, I want my journey to be more than just building an app— I know this is about inspiring other young women to take risks, challenge the status quo, and believe in their ability to create change regardless of their background.

Addressing Asia’s housing crisis

According to the Asian Development Bank, the South East Asia region needs to build 13 million new affordable housing units by 2030 to meet the growing demand. Housing costs have surged to exorbitant levels, with a 35 sqm condominium costing six to 30 times the average annual income in Asia.

In Singapore, homeownership exceeds 80 per cent, yet housing prices exceed eight times the average annual income. More important than ever, addressing the issue of affordability by tapping into the spirit of digital nomadism and the shared economy—concepts that are becoming increasingly relevant in today’s globalised world.

Livingo hopes to challenge the financial and societal pressure of home ownership by offering an alternative and accessible way of living. 

Fostering community through co-living

Beyond housing, Livingo addresses another crucial issue: social isolation. Urbanisation in Asia has led to a rise in loneliness and mental health challenges, particularly in densely populated cities.

Livingo aims to counter this by encouraging meaningful connections between flatmates, making the co-living experience fun and interactive. Users can connect with like-minded individuals, expanding their social circles and creating supportive communities within their living spaces.

Also Read: Is co-living a good opportunity for property owners?

The platform is designed to make housing searches seamless across different regions, overcoming language barriers and legal complexities. This focus on simplicity and community might be the right recipe for a great co-living life in a new city, especially for young professionals who are seeking not just a place to live but a sense of belonging.

Scaling up and expanding horizons

Currently, Livingo operates in Singapore, Shenzhen, and Taipei, with plans to expand further into Asia. In its hometown of Singapore, Livingo already has established strategic partnerships with multiple major co-living space operators such as Isa Appartments, Helloaya, Suitetogether, Comfyrooms, Westwood Hostel, and more.

Within 3 weeks Livingo already has over 500 active listings and garnered significant user interest, with over 10,000 impressions just within a short pre-launch period, and it supports crucial localisation features like WeChat Pay and Gaode Maps for Mainland China users, ensuring usability across different regions.

Livingo is ambitious. I truly see the app not just as a tool for finding housing, but as a platform that will revolutionise the way people live and connect globally.

With co-living on the rise, Livingo is well-positioned to lead this shift toward a more flexible and community-centered way of life. I want Livingo to be more than just an app—I want it to be a movement for sustainable living.

 

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