Sushil Rathee, an HKUST MBA alumnus who graduated in 2021, is Founder, Director and Solution Director of iGo Tech, a Hong Kong Science Park deep-tech startup developing AI and IoT solutions for sustainable built environments, emergency communication and elderly-care safety. With over 18 years in smart technologies, telecom, IoT and international business development—including more than a decade at Huawei—he founded the company in 2024 to turn real-world signals into measurable, increasingly autonomous operations.
The “aha!” moment came from a persistent market gap: systems collect and display data but rarely act on it. “Ideas are inexpensive. The real game is execution,” he says. Guided by the rule that every solution must deliver clear ROI, this insight produced Hidden Wonders (AI-powered smart greenery and microclimate platform), ResQNet (zero-signal emergency network), HiddenCare (connected care solution), plus AIoT dashboards and digital twins.
His HKUST MBA was transformative. It shifted his mindset from pure technology to business fundamentals: “Good technology alone does not create a sustainable business.” Cash flow, customer pain and willingness to pay became the starting points. The demanding schedule built discipline, while the HKUST–HKSTP–Google ecosystem supplied the pathway from idea to paid pilots and commercial traction.
The hardest challenge was distinguishing genuine validation amid endless opinions—“searching for a diamond among many stones.” The turning point arrived when customers committed to paid pilots. “It confirmed the problem was real, our solution delivered value, and customers considered it worth paying for.” That experience taught the team to focus on specific use cases, deploy practical solutions and iterate. Today, iGo Tech has real deployments and paid projects, recognized by more than 20 awards including the BEYOND Expo Innovation Awards 2026, Top 10 Finalist in Startup World Cup 2026 (Hong Kong), Merit Award at Hong Kong Techathon+ 2026, Google x HKSTP Rocketing AI selection, and a Global Recognition Award 2026.
Sushil insists founders must feel problems on the ground. He has worked alongside frontline teams, lived restricted routines to understand elderly life, and experienced weak-signal isolation himself. “When you experience a problem on the ground… it begins to feel like your own problem to solve.”
Looking ahead, he aims to grow iGo Tech into a leading Hong Kong-headquartered AI/IoT company with strong Asian and global reach—using Hong Kong for innovation, Mainland China for manufacturing and engineering, and India for software talent. His advice: “Fall in love with the problem, not with your solution. The road becomes clearer with every step you take.”
Sushil Rathee’s journey shows how an HKUST MBA, corporate experience and Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem can turn technical insight into practical technology that advances sustainability, safety and care.
Know more about Sushil and iGoTech from the following video clips:
HKSTP Future Ecopreneurs Team Programme
https://youtu.be/KVF2YWUdtMQ?is=0OQ2Ou3npC7aQE-S
HKUST MBA Interviews:
https://youtu.be/4zhXaJScjWg
https://youtu.be/SxCjjtZ2MZE
Alibaba Jump Starter Interviews:
For ResQnet Solution: https://youtu.be/EnRVKtQGx3g
For Hidden Wonders Solution: https://youtu.be/tCsYSyNL8nY
Interview by Protechting Innovation Program of the Fosun Foundation:
https://youtu.be/I9gaOQLhhJI