eVantage Technology was founded in 2010 by Soo-Meng Lim and Sam Walker, who teamed up to build a boutique IT services company with a focus on delivering bespoke solutions for SMEs in the finance sector, including hedge funds, private equity firms, and family offices.
Since then, the company has evolved significantly. By 2015, it had broadened its industry reach to include clients in the aviation, marine, manufacturing, and professional services sectors. Today, it has also expanded beyond Singapore’s shores to service the Asia-Pacific region, and even clients as far afield as the UK and Chile.
This expansion has necessitated moving beyond the traditional break-fix model of IT support and transitioning into a more proactive, managed services approach. They achieved this through a partnership with Kaseya who supported them with AI-powered cybersecurity and IT management tools.
SMEhorizon speaks with Soo-Meng Lim, CEO of eVantage Technology, on how this partnership has supported their business goals. Daniel Garcia, VP & GM of APAC, Kaseya, also weighs in on how SMEs can work with Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to safeguard themselves against cyber risks, thereby leveraging innovation without sacrificing protection.
Delivering more value to clients
As eVantage Technology expanded in scope and reach, they realized that they needed to provide more to their clients. Lim recalls that they “wanted to move beyond the traditional break-fix model of IT support and transition into a more proactive, managed services approach.
“Our goal was to deliver more value to clients, not just resolving issues as they arise, but helping to prevent them altogether. By embedding ourselves more deeply into our clients’ operations, we’re better able to support their growth through strategic IT management and continuous improvement.”
The drive towards innovation and improvement is seen throughout the Singapore business landscape. Garcia notes that in Singapore, “we’re seeing rapid adoption of AI, cloud services and automation — driven by digital-first government initiatives and competitive market pressure. Sectors like financial services, legal, accounting and logistics are moving fast to modernise.”
The expansion of risk alongside innovation
However, he adds, “in doing so, they’re also expanding their digital attack surface. A recent QBE survey shows 66% of SME leaders are concerned about AI-related privacy risks, with over half worried about security breaches. At Kaseya, we’re seeing the most vulnerable sectors are those handling sensitive data, but lacking internal Incident Response Plans.”
The dangers are real and significant. “We’re entering a new era where cybercrime is faster, cheaper and more scalable — all thanks to generative AI,” explains Garcia. “Threat actors are using these tools to create personalised phishing emails, deepfake impersonations and highly targeted scams with frightening accuracy.
“This isn’t just a theoretical risk — it’s already here. According to our latest research, human error is now the leading cause of cybersecurity incidents, up from 15% in 2023 to 45% in 2024.
“Singapore’s recent Exercise SG Ready Phishing campaign showed over 30% of recipients opened phishing emails and 17% clicked — figures that underscore the urgency of pairing AI-driven defence tools with practical, ongoing education.
“SMEs need to go beyond simply investing in software — they must also foster employee awareness and ingrain resilience into their organisational culture.
MSPs mitigating the expertise gap
Lim agrees that security is important, emphasising that “security is always a top priority for us, especially given the industries we serve.” Achieving the necessary level of protection is not always easy, given the limitations that SMEs face. Garcia explains that “for many SMEs in Singapore, the biggest cybersecurity challenge isn’t the threat itself — it’s having the time, people or expertise to respond effectively.
“Many businesses still treat cybersecurity as an afterthought, when in reality, it needs to be foundational. Only 40% of Singapore SMEs say they feel fully informed on cyber risks, down from 47% last year. And phishing susceptibility remains high — with local click rates on malicious emails in line with or above global averages.
“This tells us that awareness and preparedness aren’t keeping pace with the risks.”
In these conditions, MSPs play a bigger role, helping SMEs move quickly without increasing risk exposure. Lim shares that the capabilities provided by Kaseya – real-time monitoring, timely updates, and robust backup solutions – have allowed his company to provide a high level of protection and resilience to their clients.
At the same time, the strong support provided enabled eVantage Technology to navigate the period of change management and technical migration smoothly. “The onboarding was smooth, and the benefits of enhanced capabilities and efficiency have far outweighed the initial learning curve,” says Lim.
Allowing SMEs to focus on growth
Lim is unequivocal about the benefits of working with an MSP. “It’s a no-brainer. Engaging a Managed Service Provider is a strategic move for any SME looking to scale and stay competitive,” he says. “It enables businesses to focus on growth while leaving the complexities of IT management to trusted professionals.”
Garcia concurs, saying that “the right MSP can be a game-changer — not just for cybersecurity, but for long-term business resilience.” When choosing an MSP, he encourages SMEs to think them as more than vendors, but as a partner that understands the business.
His advice is to look for an MSP that:
- Takes a security-first approach, combining prevention, detection and recovery.
- Understands your sector’s needs, from compliance to customer expectations.
- Provides visibility and control with dashboards and reporting that demystify security.
- Is ready to scale with you with tools, automation and AI capabilities that grow as you do.
