Beyond, Linear invest Hong Kong’s Insight Robotics

Other participants included Brizan Investments, an entity associated with Ping Ko, a former dean at Hong Kong University of Science & Technology’s engineering school. The fresh capital will be used to grow the business in Asia Pacific and develop new technologies.

Founded in 2009, Insight focuses on using sensors and robots, including aerial survey equipment, to collect real-time fire detection data in parkland and agricultural environments. Other offerings include a big data storage application that allows rapid extraction of spatial data which can then be processed using smart algorithms for insurance and risk management purposes.

"The Insight Robotics team has long been focused on large-scale aerial survey data processing and has accumulated in-depth hardware and software technology knowhow,” Can Zheng, a vice president at Linear, said in a statement. “The application of big data technology to forestry and agriculture is still in its infancy, but the market potential is huge." 

Insight has optimized its systems for natural conservation areas, commercial forests, and agricultural settings such as oil plantations. According to Beyond Ventures, the deliberate burning of forests is responsible for about 30% of global carbon emissions, and some 1.5 million hectares of land are now being protected by more than 100 wildfire detection robots.

Beyond is a Hong Kong-based investor established by technology-focused VC firm eGarden Ventures and a group of local serial entrepreneurs. It operates in partnership with China-based Hony Capital but maintains a strong investment focus on the Hong Kong innovation ecosystem.

Linear is a Shanghai-based early-stage investor focused on applied data intelligence and was founded by former executives at Facebook and JD.com. It claims to have invested in more than 40 start-ups in China as a major focus, as well as a number of companies in the US and Southeast Asia.

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Save this article  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Greater China
• Technology
• Industrials
• Cleantech
• Early-stage
• Hong Kong (China)
• Agriculture
• Venture