The Problem Solver

Gillian Tee of eldercare start-up Homage relies on her tech background to create solutions in “unsexy” spaces.

- Karen Tee

Gillian Tee loves water sports. Fresh from a Phuket surfing trip, she talks about unforeseeable weather changes that surfers have to react to, saying, “I love that part because that’s how it is in the real world”.

This ability to respond effectively to problems is demonstrated by her decision to set up Homage in 2016. The 37-year-old technopreneur had returned from the US that year and had found it extremely challenging to find a carer for her mother, who has a medical condition. Tee decided to take action to address Singapore’s caregiver shortfall.

Weaving in the human touch was key. “When I think back on the impactful moments in my life, they are the times when I felt supported and cared for,” she says, sharing fond memories of her grandmother and nanny and simple pastimes such as watching TV dramas and discussing them. In health care, too, interactive activities are valuable. “We needed infrastructure to help enlarge the pool of caregivers who are not perfunctory in service, alongside having the right training and experience,” she explains.