You can’t see every danger but ViAct’s AI can—and it’s saving lives in workplaces

The early stages of developing this industry-specific AI required Ng and Cheuk to spend six to nine months on each of two proof-of-concept projects. This involved visiting construction sites, taking extensive photos and videos, and feeding them into the system for training and fine-tuning.

“There are some incidents that may occur only once or twice a year on a job site, so you’ll never have sufficient data to train the AI. You have to then rely on your industry knowledge—you need to teach the AI yourself,” Ng, a Tatler Gen.T Leader of Tomorrow, explains. As the client base grew, project data continuously improved the system’s accuracy and capabilities. The result, according to the company, is technology that can cut accidents by 95 per cent and reduce staffing costs by 70 per cent.

While Hong Kong remains its home base, ViAct has expanded into other markets, including the Middle East. There, it works with Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s national oil company, and Neom, the country’s ambitious urban megaproject. The Middle East, Ng says, was an obvious choice because of its surge in large-scale infrastructure works, often ten times the size of projects in Hong Kong. “When we moved the hardware to desert environments with high temperatures and low humidity, it couldn’t function effectively, so we essentially had to redesign it,” he says, adding that products must also cater to local workplace protocols and needs. 

The company plans to build its presence in Asia while preparing to enter the US and Europe. To fund that growth, ViAct raised US$7.3 million in a Series A round in April, led by Dublin-based private equity firm Venturewave Capital, with participation from Singtel Innov8, the corporate venture arm of Singaporean telecommunications conglomerate Singtel, and Korea Investment Partners, a subsidiary of financial group Korea Investment Holdings. The capital will support product development, R&D and local hiring in key markets.

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Ng identifies several emerging trends shaping the industrial AI sector, which ViAct is already exploring. The engineering industry involves extensive paperwork—contracts, compliance documents and reports—which he believes large language models and generative AI could streamline. Meanwhile, robotics could ease workforce shortages and rising labour costs. As job sites become increasingly digitised, AI can serve as the intelligent layer for smarter, data-driven decision-making.

In 2019, three years after its inception, ViAct had already reached profitability—an uncommon milestone for young start-ups in the region. “For start-ups in Hong Kong or Asia to survive, the first step is breaking even, especially when fundraising and financing environments aren’t particularly active,” he notes, stressing the need to balance scaling up with conserving capital. The key, he says, lies in setting short-term goals that meet market needs and deliver financial returns while maintaining focus on long-term vision. “Once you’re off track, you’re not building a start-up. For example, if you focus too heavily on current needs, you become a small-to-medium enterprise (SME) without long-term direction for further technological development.”

Ng’s driving vision is the belief that AI can make workplaces safer, a longstanding challenge in construction that innovation has struggled to solve. “An unsafe workplace can lead to serious injury, costing you an arm, a leg or even your life. And you’re not just affecting an individual—you’re affecting a family, the entire atmosphere and culture of a company,” he says. “I’m a strong believer that technology can change the world. The time I invest here isn’t just for monetary value, but to impact others’ lives.”

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Here, we ask Ng a quick-fire round of questions to discover what interests him most about technology. 

What’s the last thing you asked ChatGPT?

Gary Ng (GN): I asked ChatGPT for a second opinion on any work-related matters. My last question was about researching a company’s background, such as its team size and recent projects, and compiling that information into a list. 

What’s the type of tech that fascinates you the most?

GN: Anything related to AI. Every day, new agentic AIs are being introduced to the market. Then, it would be robots. I am interested in their use cases. 

What’s the worst piece of advice you’ve ever received? 

GN: It’s hard to decide which advice I’ve received is the worst, but many people like advising founders. To start your own venture, you need to have a strong belief in what you’re building, know that you’re an expert in a specific domain, and make your own judgment. 

Initially, some investors told us they didn’t believe people would invest in us for safety-related technology. If I had trusted them, I wouldn’t be able to grow this company. Many people offering advice aren’t founders themselves, and what they say doesn’t always align with your business objectives or goals. 

If you could have a superpower, what would it be? 

GN: I wish I could have a superpower that allows me to access the most resources, then I would develop more advanced technology. If I could, I would probably form a team to build a market-leading large language model. 

Meet more Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow 2025 who are shaping the future in the Technology sector. 

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