Tips for Starting a Business (Dr. Deng Shuming)

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This articleauthorDeng ShumingVisiting professor of the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences and School of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong, and writes columns for the Hong Kong Economic Journal“Kami Shingo”.

Robert Solow, the 1987 Nobel Prize winner in economics, once questioned the actual help that computers could bring to the economy. He pointed out that even though it was already the computer age and computer applications were everywhere, its impact was not seen in productivity statistics; then labor productivity took off, and today no one doubts that computers can improve productivity.

Robert Solow, winner of the 1987 Nobel Prize in Economics, once questioned the actual help that computers can provide to the economy. (AFP file photo)

Similarly, artificial BroadCast Unitedligence (AI) was just a concept in the eyes of the public ten years ago, but today it has become a tool that students can also use. Recently, I have seen the effectiveness of AI in promoting efficiency from several start-ups, and they are all from the local young generation, which is encouraging. One of the start-up teams that uses AI well is composed of several young people from the University of Hong Kong.KodiflyThey use AI to detect whether there are fallen trees, wild boars or intruders along infrastructure such as railways, so that managers can respond early.

Taking the British railway as an example, there are currently an estimated 14 million trees around the railway tracks throughout the UK. More than 400 accidents are caused by fallen trees every year, resulting in losses of more than HK$800 million. The SpatialSense three-dimensional spatial perception core technology developed by Kodifly combines LiDAR technology with AI and advanced machine learning algorithms to accurately and in real time understand the distance, volume and location of objects. It can operate stably even in bad weather and dark environments, which is not something that ordinary monitoring equipment can do. It can assist in real-time monitoring and safe operation of projects or facilities such as railways, airports, highways, and construction sites.

Kodifly, formed by several young people from the University of Hong Kong, uses AI to detect whether there are fallen trees along infrastructure such as railways, so that managers can respond early. (Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Economic Times)

According to the startup’s website, the system can significantly improve railway operation efficiency, including reducing vegetation inspection costs by 80%, reducing the risk of accidents by 34%, and increasing operational efficiency by 45%. Although they have only been established for three years, they have accumulated a lot of experience that can be used as a reference for other startups, including:

1. Multiculturalism combined with interdisciplinary professional perspectives inspires unexpected innovation – the team members come from Hong Kong, the Mainland, Tajikistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan, and the combination is very international; the professional fields cover mechanical engineering, computer science, computer engineering, civil engineering and logistics engineering, etc.

2. Contact customers through intermediaries – Railways, airports, and highways are all operated by large public institutions or government departments. It is difficult to contact them due to limited personal connections. This is also a problem I often faced in the early days of my business. Kodifly will work with partners who are familiar with the target customer base and contact customers through them.

3. Develop and adjust technology for application scenarios and different market needs – How to effectively integrate innovative technology with existing infrastructure is a greater challenge, especially since Hong Kong’s road facilities are mature and have limited room for change. The team will suggest adding some facilities or using mobile devices to make it easier for customers to accept.

This startup was selected into our Esri Startup Program last year, where they can use GIS software and receive training for free. I hope they can promote the development of smart cities with geospatial BroadCast Unitedligence.