[Hong Kong, 29 December 2020] “The Invincible Bond of Technology and Client Collaboration” has been vividly demonstrated at the Business of IP Asia (BIP Asia) Forum , which, during a panel session, explored the invaluable relationship The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) creates with its clients and partners and the important role it holds in Hong Kong’s innovation and technology ecosystem.
The panel discussion, moderated by ASTRI Chief Operating Officer Dr Martin Szeto, featured Mr Victor Wong, Chief Executive Officer of Bridge AI; Mr Andy Ho, Managing Director of Nexplore Hong Kong; Mr Albert Lo, Chief Architect at Nova Credit Limited; and Mr Daniel Au, Chief Executive Officer of Tectonic Technology Innovation Company Limited. The panellists highlighted the essential role of collaboration to our technological advancement and the value ASTRI, as Hong Kong’s largest applied technology research and development (R&D) centre, brings to its partners.
Dr Szeto asked the panellists to share their insights on working with ASTRI, and how their collaboration with ASTRI had helped solve their pain points.
Together with ASTRI, Bridge AI launched Hong Kong’s first distance-learning app for special educational needs (SEN) students in 2020. Mr Victor Wong described the ASTRI team as “very helpful”.
“ASTRI’s team not only looked at what we needed but was also able to think ahead about the much bigger picture to provide a service for Bridge AI,” Mr Wong said. A Bridge AI SEN solution, supported by ASTRI technology, won the silver medal of Community Outreach Award in eLearning Forum Asia 2020, the only team from Hong Kong to win a medal in this category.
Mr Andy Ho from Nexplore Hong Kong emphasised the importance of reliable solutions to their work in the construction sector.
“We wanted robust solutions to improve productivity and safety on-site,” Mr Ho said. “We wanted to identify good partners because we are not just talking about money or data, we are talking about lives. Keeping everyone on our site safe is a priority. We really liked ASTRI’s coverage… from our earliest meetings they came up with solutions and quick demos. We loved that very much – the proactive team and collaborations.”
Mr Albert Lo from Nova Credit Limited was impressed with ASTRI’s expertise, reputation and high-quality work.
“The entire experience with ASTRI has been brilliant,” said Mr Lo. “ASTRI has been in the industry for a long time and it knows our pain points as well as we do – perhaps even better.”
Mr Lo also had some advice for anyone else looking to work with ASTRI in the future, especially those in the financial sector.
“ASTRI has a unique position; you can trust them with your secrets. There will be a time when ASTRI has heard of something you should look at. Get your idea right and be open with ASTRI from the beginning,” he advised.
Mr Daniel Au from Tectonic Technology Innovation Company explained how his company had the idea to create an online IP protection and trading system about seven years ago and realised that blockchain would provide an effective solution.
“Eventually, we found ASTRI,” said Mr Au. “Our experience was great, ASTRI’s researchers worked well with us to solve the pain points and implement innovative ideas to strive for improvement.”
In concluding this session, Dr Szeto reiterated ASTRI’s commitment to Hong Kong’s innovation and technology ecosystem. “There is always a way to collaborate,” he said. “When we start engaging [on a project], we do not only look at the commercial side. Our mission is to improve competitiveness (of our client’s business), so we will dive deep into our client’s business, understand its needs, and then work with our clients to find solutions.”
To date, ASTRI has transferred nearly 750 technologies to the industries and been granted more than 850 patents in the Mainland, the US and other countries.
END
Caption:
Photo_001: (From left) Mr Victor Wong, Mr Albert Lo, Dr Martin Szeto, Mr Andy Ho and Mr Daniel Au joined the panel discussion themed “The Invincible Bond of Technology and Client Collaboration”.
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