Who We Are
Helping small businesses work well with AI — steadily and without pressure
Permata Labs was founded to fill a gap: good-quality AI advice and setup that is genuinely scaled to the needs and resources of a small firm.
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Started from a simple observation
Permata Labs came together in 2022 when its founders — each with backgrounds in business operations and applied software — kept seeing the same pattern. Large technology firms were producing capable AI tools, but the guidance available on adopting them was aimed at enterprise buyers with sizeable IT teams and budgets to match.
Small firms — professional practices, specialist retailers, independent consultancies — were left to sort through options on their own. Some adopted tools hastily and found them awkward to use. Others held back entirely because the whole area felt too uncertain to commit to.
We started Permata Labs to offer something more measured: an honest look at where AI can genuinely help a small business, followed by careful setup and patient support. The name reflects our intent — precise work, considered at every face, shaped to hold value over time.
Our Mission
To help small businesses in Singapore adopt AI tools with clarity and confidence — giving honest assessments, working at their pace, and staying available long after the initial setup.
Our Approach
We study how a business works before suggesting anything. We configure tools to fit existing routines rather than asking teams to adapt to tools. We explain clearly, walk staff through each step, and remain available when things need adjusting.
Where We Work
We are based at Battery Road in Singapore's CBD and work primarily with firms across the island. Our team understands the local business environment, the regulatory landscape, and the practical pressures that small firms navigate daily.
The Team
The people behind the work
A small, focussed team with experience across business operations, applied AI, and client engagement.
Rajan Krishnamurthy
Co-Founder & Principal Consultant
Rajan spent over a decade in business operations before moving into applied AI work. He leads Appraisal Sessions and the overall approach to client engagements.
Siti Lestari
Co-Founder & Integration Lead
Siti manages all technical configuration and handover work. Her background in software and small business operations means she builds things that people can actually use daily.
Marcus Tan
Client Support & Retainer Lead
Marcus manages ongoing retainer clients and coordinates quarterly reviews. He keeps communication clear and ensures that clients always have someone to turn to on a weekday.
Our Standards
How we keep the work worth trusting
A few principles that govern every engagement we take on, from initial appraisal through to long-term retainer work.
Data Privacy Compliance
We operate within Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act and ensure that any tools we configure for clients handle personal information appropriately.
Written Deliverables
We document what we build. Every integration includes a written diagram and handover notes so clients are never dependent on us to understand their own setup.
Plain Communication
We do not use technical language as a barrier. Explanations are given in plain terms, and we are patient with questions at any stage of an engagement.
Scope Discipline
We define what each service covers before work begins and hold to that scope. If something additional comes up, we discuss it openly rather than expanding quietly.
Regular Review Cycles
For retainer clients, we review performance quarterly with clear notes. This keeps the work honest and gives clients a natural point to reassess their needs.
No Obligation on First Consultation
The Appraisal Session is designed to inform, not to commit. Clients receive a complete written summary regardless of whether they choose to continue further.
About Our Expertise
AI integration for small professional firms in Singapore
Small businesses across Singapore — from accounting firms and legal practices to specialist retailers and independent consultancies — are asking the same practical question: where does AI genuinely help, and where is it more trouble than it is worth? At Permata Labs, that question is the starting point for everything we do.
Our Appraisal Session was designed specifically for owners and managers who want a clear-eyed view before spending money or changing how their team works. It takes the form of a working conversation, not a sales presentation. We look at the actual tasks that consume time and attention, mark the areas where AI tools could add something, and are equally clear about the areas where they are unlikely to. The written summary we provide afterwards is direct and candid.
For firms that decide to move forward, our Tailored Integration service builds on that assessment. Rather than deploying off-the-shelf configurations, we take the time to understand your workflows — your software, your communication patterns, the way tasks move through your team — and then configure tools that fit into those patterns. We stay attentive through the setup period and beyond, covering a fortnight of follow-up after handover.
For businesses that see AI as a continuing commitment, our monthly Kept and Polished Retainer provides the ongoing care that tools require to stay useful. Needs change, software updates, and the way a team uses a tool evolves over months. We handle the upkeep, the small refinements, and the occasional larger reassessment, reviewing everything with you clearly each quarter.
Permata Labs operates from Singapore's CBD and works within the local regulatory and business context. All engagements are conducted with transparency, with written records, and at a pace that works for the business rather than the consultant.
Work with Us
Ready to have a candid conversation?
An Appraisal Session is the natural first step. No obligation, no pressure — just a considered look at what AI might genuinely offer your firm.
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