“It is tempting for startups to think about growth immediately, but I believe you have to earn the right to scale.” – Anthony Chow
If Anthony Chow were a musician, you might guess he plays the piano. Composed, understated, and easy to get along with, the CEO and co-founder of Igloo cuts a different figure from the archetypal hard-charging technology founder.
It takes only a brief conversation with Chow, however, to realise that beneath the easy manner is an astute analytical mind, one that has spent the past decade turning a deceptively simple problem into a sophisticated technology business.
Founded in Singapore, Igloo began after Chow and his co-founder encountered the frustrations of physical key handovers while hosting on Airbnb. Their answer was smart access technology that could generate time-sensitive credentials remotely, even without the lock itself being connected to Wi-Fi, a capability enabled by the company’s proprietary algoPIN technology.
From those beginnings, Igloo has grown from smart locks for short-term rentals into an access technology company serving everything from multifamily housing and co-living spaces to hospitality and unmanned businesses. Today, Chow says Igloo works with more than 5,000 businesses globally and processes more than one billion unlocks annually.
Earlier this year, Anthony Chow and his team convened more than 450 real estate leaders, technologists, operators, and policymakers for Unlocked26, its inaugural summit in Singapore. The gathering also provided the stage to unveil iglooOS, the company’s software-led access platform designed to connect buildings, operational workflows, and property systems through a unified access layer.
What are some of the proudest moments in your career?
There have been many visible milestones but the moments that stay with me are much more personal. I still remember our first distributors who took a chance on us when we were a small company. Their willingness to believe in us gave us the confidence to keep going.
Another important milestone was having the opportunity to work with Airbnb in our early years. As a company that had originally been inspired by our own experience as Airbnb hosts, being given the opportunity to pilot and partner with Airbnb felt particularly meaningful.
Opening our North American headquarters in Austin was another defining chapter. It represented a bold bet on ourselves and on the opportunity we saw in the United States.
What’s a lesson that has stayed with you?
Business is ultimately about people. Before thinking about scale, you need to make your first few customers genuinely happy. Listen closely to them, solve their problems properly, and earn their trust.
It is tempting for start-ups to think about growth immediately. You have to earn the right to scale.
What’s a long-held belief that you’ve changed your mind about over the years?
Initially, I thought passion was everything. Today, I think discipline matters much more. There will be days when you do not feel inspired, when nothing seems to be working, and when the outcome is far from certain.
Showing up consistently, especially when you do not feel like it, is what builds companies, careers, and relationships.
What excites you most about the future of your industry?
Access control is becoming part of a much larger ecosystem that includes artificial intelligence, digital identity, automation, robotics, and connected buildings.
Software made computers and smartphones programmable, and I believe buildings are now moving in the same direction. In the future, a building will not simply be a static physical structure. It will be able to understand who is entering, respond to different users, automate operations, and connect intelligently with other systems.
What’s something you’re trying to be better at?
Being a better listener. As a founder and CEO, people often expect you to have answers. Earlier in my career, I probably felt that I needed to respond quickly and provide a solution.
Over time, I have realised that asking a better question is often much more valuable than giving an immediate answer. The more senior you become, the more important it is to create space for other people to think, contribute, and take ownership. If you always provide the answer first, you may prevent someone else from developing a better one.
Photography by Eugene Lee of Enfinite / Hair & Makeup by Sveta Klyn of Suburbs Studio
