From 16-Year-Old Dropout to Build 4M+ Users Platform | Theodoric Chew, CEO Intellect

Описание: Most founders chase what’s trending. In 2019, mental health in Asia wasn’t one of them. It was stigmatized, overlooked, and considered “too early.” Intellect chose to build anyway.
Founded by Theodoric Chew in Singapore, Intellect has grown into one of Asia’s leading mental health startups, serving millions of users globally and hundreds of enterprise clients, including Fortune 500 companies. What started as a lean, low-touch mental health app has evolved into a full-stack mental healthcare platform combining technology, AI, and clinician-led support.
But Intellect’s growth wasn’t driven by hype. It was built on conviction — that mental healthcare access in Asia was a matter of when, not if. By starting with focused B2B pilots, building trust before chasing big contracts, and solving for Asia’s complexity first, Intellect turned an overlooked market into a scalable global business.
In this conversation, we break down the strategy behind building a mental health company before the market was ready — and what founders can learn about timing, B2B sales, and scaling startups in Asia.

00:00 Introduction
00:42 Chapter 1: Start Before You're Ready
03:23 Chapter 2: Bet on Timing, Not Approval
07:08 Chapter 3: Make The Hard Market Your Advantage

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