Preventing factory fatalities using generative AI

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Image credit: Timmy Loen

Co-founders Gary Ng and Hugo Cheuk previously worked in building engineering. During their time in the industry they witnessed construction sites struggle with fatal accidents and project delays.

Driven to modernize traditional site monitoring, they launched ViAct in 2016.

😟 Problem

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates workplace deaths and diseases cost the global economy US$3 trillion annually. Safety regulations are simultaneously tightening across major Asian markets.

Despite these stricter compliance standards, heavy industries rely heavily on finite human attention for monitoring.

💡 Solution

The startup plugs computer vision directly into existing CCTV infrastructure. This system automatically flags safety violations and environmental hazards in real time. The platform offers several key capabilities.

• Over 200 pre-built AI modules for safety and productivity tracking.
• Edge AI devices for processing without internet access or heavy cloud dependency.
• LiDAR integration and drone monitoring for complex or aerial environments.
• An LLM-powered generative AI co-pilot for decision support and automated reporting.
• IoT wearables for tracking worker health and asset movement.

Image credit: viAct

📊 Market size

The startup is targeting heavy industrial sectors globally, including construction, manufacturing, mining, and ports. Infrastructure expansion across the Middle East and Asia are expanding these workforces rapidly.

Based on its current run rate, the company estimates its immediately addressable market to be worth US$100 million.

🤝 Team

• Gary Ng. Co-founder and CEO. He leads the company’s corporate vision and commercial scaling, drawing from his past senior management experience at Nasdaq-listed Stratasys.
• Hugo Cheuk. Co-founder and COO. A building engineer by trade, he oversees day-to-day operations and strategic growth, having previously led business development at Shiseido HK.
• Andy Hsu. VP of innovation and commercial. He manages product deployment and commercial partnerships, building on his previous role as sales director at Securitas Hong Kong.

🚀 Traction

• Onboarded over 500 clients worldwide across heavy industries.
• Reached EBITDA positive status.
• Gained recognition from the World Economic Forum and Forbes.

🏆 Competition

💰 Financials

🚩 Risks