Innovating through Challenges: RoboticsCats' Digital Transformation Odyssey

Forbes defines digital transformation as "harnessing technology to disrupt your business model, reimagine your company image, and appeal to customers." At RoboticsCats, a digital-native startup born in 2019, we have our own story of transformation.

In 2019, we envisioned building the world's best wildfire detection camera system, a hardware-and-software powerhouse. But the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in our plans. Global supply chains froze, government budgets tightened, and cross-border travel halted, forcing us to reimagine our business model.

Survival demanded a pivot. We ditched the hardware-heavy model and pivoted to LookOut, the world's first AI wildfire detection SaaS solution. This shift saw us transform from a B2G player to a B2B / B2B2G provider, offering a monthly subscription service to empower government agencies, businesses and property owners against wildfire threats.

At the most basic level, digital transformation involves using digital technologies to change a business process to become more efficient or effective. With the support from APlus Digital Academy and other partners, our digital transformation journey is fueled by cloud computing, data & AI, automation, customer experience, and cybersecurity technologies. These forces have brought us:

• Boosted efficiency and productivity:?Automation streamlined tasks like camera network management, billing, and operations, while GenAI empowers our content marketing.
• Expanded market reach:?Our website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and more, help us connect with customers worldwide. LookOut already boasts its first overseas customer, all the way in Uruguay – 18,000km from our Hong Kong headquarters! Our AI wildfire detection technologies are now protecting forests and community in the US, Australia, Colombia, Singapore, Spain, Brazil, Korea, Portugal, Vietnam, Greece, Indonesia, etc. We will do more in Europe in 2024!
• Cost savings:?SaaS and cloud computing offer flexible, affordable consumption models. We embraced this opportunity and built our own game-changing SaaS solutions to empower our customers.
• Enhanced collaboration and communication:?Tools like Zoom, Teams, Gitlab, Google Docs, Notion ... keep us connected daily.
• Increased agility and flexibility:?We transitioned from VPN to ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) and SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) for a more secure and adaptable network. Working remotely became our norm – 60% in 2020, 90% by 2023. Our "office" now functions as an R&D hub for cameras and networking devices. Securely connecting to this hub, business applications, cloud resources, and even customer camera networks is crucial. We collaborate seamlessly with suppliers, channel partners, and universities across the globe, providing them with temporary NordLayer SASE accounts and access to our R&D hub during joint-development projects and trainings.

"Digital transformation is the process by which companies embed technologies across their businesses to drive fundamental change. The benefits? Increased efficiency, greater business agility, and ultimately, unlocking new value for employees, customers, and shareholders," says Accenture.?We couldn't agree more!

Curious how we transitioned from VPN to ZTNA? Stay tuned!

PS

1.LookOut Wildfire Detection SaaS is a digital tool empowering governments, forestry, plantations, energy infrastructure, homeowners, NGOs, and non-profits to transform their wildfire management. Sign up for your free trial and experience the difference today!

2.Flower Years at Eaton HK is a great cafe for remote work and creative task.