Winning the 2016 Talent Unleashed Award in APAC for Best Start Up – Social Impact, Dr Hong Sheng Chiong of Odocs Eye Care speaks about his business, how they started and entering the awards.
oDocs Eye Care is a social enterprise that focuses on the development and distribution of affordable smartphone based technology for primary eye care. The company was founded in 2014 by two eye doctors and launched its first open-source retinal camera project which received global attention and gained more than 3000 clinical users in less than a year.
What inspired you to start oDocs Eye Care?
My personal experience in third world countries has made me realise that we all take many things for granted. I saw a mother who brought her son to one of the rural clinics in Mombasa, Kenya. Her child had gone blind (of unknown cause) but the general practitioner (GP) didn’t even bother examining the child’s eyes, and I asked “why?” She said “we have got no equipment at all”, not even a simple ophthalmoscope to look inside the eye. I will always remember that incident. It became a challenge for me to come up with a simple and affordable solution to make access to basic diagnostic eye equipment affordable.
Tell us about the business, where do you see it going?
oDocs Eye Care’s core business is the development and distribution of smartphone based technology such as portable retinal imaging adapter, anterior segment microscope and visual testing application. We believe mobile medicine is growing, and with the advancement in mobile technology, more people will have access to mobile technology as it is becoming more affordable and accessible. We believe the shift will happen in medicine and surgery too. We believe mobile medicine will reach its peak within the next 5 years, and ultimately, self-care medicine will take over.
What is the best part of your role?
The best part of my role is being the founder of the company. It started as a research project and then when I saw the potential in it, instead of protecting the intellectual property in it to make money, I released the blue print in the hope that mass adoption of the technology would help save sight. Since the launch, in a year over 5000 clinicians have used our design. Being able to listen and share their story is one of the best part of this project.
What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had from starting your own business?
The biggest learning experience I’ve had from this initiative is that innovation and invention plays a minor role in the whole thing. It is the hard work, perseverance, public relations, and communications that made a big difference. You don’t have to be smart to win.
What advice would you give to yourself knowing what you do now?
There are plenty of problems to be solved in this world, innovation and invention will not stop. If one idea is taken already or doesn’t work, stop and move on.
Who is your biggest business inspiration?
Elon Musk is my biggest business inspiration. I do not know him personally nor do I like his personality or character but I was inspired by his vision to offer the world a complete solution to be sustainable in a holistic manner. With three of his major companies Tesla, Solar City and Space X, he offered mankind an opportunity and a dream to be more responsible as a dominant species on this planet. A solution against total self-annihilation which I personally believe in it. From a surgeon’s perspective, I believe the evil of good is better.
What interested you about the Talent Unleashed awards?
It is a highly regarded award and the opportunity to meet top international entrepreneurs, innovators and philanthropists is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Where do you see the technology industry going in the next 10 years?
This is just the beginning of an era of mobile-technology revolution. A shift towards mobile-based technology for health care needs is likely to be a temporary spike. The longer term future is towards self-care and self-monitoring. I believe with the advancement in artificial intellegence, such as those used with Deep Learning, a platform for self-care has already begun. It is only a matter of time before we call a robot doctor.
To find out more about their website click here: http://www.odocs-tech.com/
Best of luck oDocs Eye Care! Results of the 2016 Talent Unleashed Global Grand Final will be announced at the event on the 18th of August 2016.