HKSTP incubation programme aids new 3-D tech start-ups

Some of Hong Kong’s most dynamic start-ups have the confidence and ambition to take on a dual challenge. They are aiming to get a new business off the ground with all the planning and effort that entails, but are also looking to base their enterprise on the very latest in 3-D and imaging technology.

That adds an extra level of complexity involving the design, development and testing of breakthrough products or services, while also creating the customer interest to generate sales and sustain future revenues.

“Starting a business is like building a city,” says Nick Lau, founder of PHO Imaging, which focuses on developing technology to produce high-definition, high-speed imaging equipment at a competitive price. “We want to make these amazing imaging tools available for people from all walks of life. By capturing things like the motion of a bee flapping its wings, or a coin flipping in the air, they can open up new ways of observing the world we live in and reveal details of what happens in much less than the blink of an eye.”

Lau had long dreamt of starting his own business, and took the decisive step just before finishing his PhD in 2012. His answer to friends who questioned his lack of experience and the risks involved was that there is no “perfect” time to start a new venture, and the best way to learn is by doing.

“Getting everything up and running is tiring, but also very rewarding because you are learning something new every step of the way,” says Lau, who can count on support from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP) incubation programme. “We may still be at the stage of ‘struggling and surviving’, but the company I co-founded has been involved in the development of several types of scientific and industrial imaging equipment, which have been sold to a number of research and educational institutes, [so we are clear about the way forward].”

In terms of practical applications, Lau sees future uses in automated manufacturing, where wide deployment of cost-effective, high-speed imaging equipment could facilitate faster, more accurate manufacturing processes and quality checks. This would help to minimise the effects of human error and to reduce labour costs.