In many bathrooms, mouldy cups and grimy toothbrushes are juxtaposed against inspiring personal care products. “One side of the countertop says ‘chore’ while the other says ‘mindful self-care ritual’,” illustrates Julian Artopé of Zenyum.
As part of its effort to make oral care more appealing, the company offers products that are user-oriented and chic. The ZenyumSonic electric toothbrush, for instance, busts out 33,000 vibrations a minute and comes in five colours. It also recently collaborated with Pokémon to produce designs featuring the famed Japanese pocket monsters.
While whitening strips and water flossers now also make up the product range, Zenyum first launched in 2018 with just 3D-printed invisible braces. The innovation, which uses computer simulations to align a person’s bite, intrigued Artopé. “I love seeing step-changes in adoption of new technologies that improve our lives. Moreover, the process of making invisible braces is scalable, and the product, oftentimes less expensive than traditional braces,” he explains.
“From a consumer’s perspective, the product is superior. Why go for metal and wire brackets when you can have something that is unnoticeable, removable, more affordable, and less painful?”
Julian Artopé on the invisible braces boom
Headquartered in Singapore, Zenyum currently employs some 250 staff across nine markets in Asia and positions itself as a tech-enabled ‘smile cosmetics’ company, the category of which it created. In addition to 3D printing, it also operates a mobile app that allows customers to submit images and track the wear time of their aligners. Artopé says the software is used by 80 percent of its customers every month.
In his opinion, the company’s meteoric rise is attributable to several factors. First, a tailor-made product of inherent complexity, which makes it hard to copy. Second, a focus on effective customer acquisition and strong partnerships from the start. This translates into high conversion rates, efficiency metrics and an exclusive distribution network attractive to investors. Zenyum has to date received US$60 million (S$80.5 million) from venture capital firms such as Peak XV (formerly Sequoia Capital) and L Catterton.
But Artopé’s path has not been without obstacles. His biggest challenge has been keeping the business running during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly since its model relies heavily on customers visiting its dental partners. “We used the time to improve our products and services so we could hit the ground running as soon as the lockdown lifted,” he lets on. “As the saying goes, ‘When fishermen cannot go to sea, they mend their nets’.”
He expects to keep raising the bar now that things are on the comeback trail. It helps that 300 million Asians below age 35 will have significant disposable income within the next six years. “This generation is different—they don’t want to splurge on cars, houses or furniture. Instead, they invest in shared experiences through building connections and improving their social graphs,” he points out. “They want to be the best version of themselves. It’s about being positive, and one of the most important aspects of that is a beautiful smile.”
His advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? Make sure the total addressable market exists. The chances of survival when building a startup are low enough, so try to even the odds by getting the timing and macro-economic tailwinds right.
Also, focus on operations and execution. “So many companies that think the next product release or an updated version of their website will change everything. In startups, there are no silver bullets, only lead bullets. Your operations will get you there.”
Art director: Ed Harland
Videographer: Yvonne Isabelle Ling
Video editor: Alicia Chong
Photographer: Mun Kong
Photographer’s assistant: Hizuan Zailani
Makeup: Keith Bryant Lee using Clarins
Hair: Aung Apichai
