Local tech firm takes AI playbook abroad

Filipino software firm BossLabs AI is taking its locally developed technology model overseas, starting with Malaysia as it seeks to turn solutions built for Filipino businesses into a regional growth engine.

At a media briefing on Wednesday, BossLabs AI co-founder Michael Manago said the company is in talks with potential partners to replicate its business model, with Malaysia targeted for its first overseas rollout in October.

Indonesia and Thailand are next on the company’s radar, while a more aggressive regional expansion is planned for next year.

The push would give BossLabs AI access to a much larger customer base outside the Philippines while positioning it to compete in the growing regional enterprise technology market.

Manago said businesses across the region face many of the same technology challenges encountered by local companies, creating room for BossLabs AI to export solutions developed for the domestic market.

"My dream is to become the SAP (System Applications and Products in Data Processing) of Asia. The problems that we have here are the same problems businessmen have in Indonesia, in Malaysia. For third-world countries, where we are all consumers, we were never creators. We’d like to be in the forefront of all of this,” Manago said. 

BossLabs AI is making its regional bet barely five months into operations, after building a customer base of more than 40 businesses using its customized software systems.

“Currently, we have more than 40 customers. We are only around five months into doing business. We are a startup, right? We have 40 customers working with us, having us create their own hyper-customized systems,” Manago said.

The company builds tailor-made business applications and the underlying technology needed to run them, including databases, hosting, security, and communications. 

BossLabs AI is also looking beyond Southeast Asia for capital and strategic support. 

Manago is set to travel to the United States in January to pursue AI executive education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, while exploring potential investors and partners that could help bankroll the startup’s overseas expansion.