Forbes Asia recently released the third annual edition of the 100 To Watch list, which spotlights small companies and startups in the Asia-Pacific region that are on the rise. Three startups nurtured by PolyU, namely Eieling Medical Limited, Fleming MedLab Limited and Telefield Medical Imaging Limited, have been selected for this prestigious list out of over 550 submissions.

Prof. Zheng Yongping, Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering, Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Director of the Research Institute for Smart Ageing, co-founded both Eieling and Telefield; and Dr Kelvin Heung Ho-lam, Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Building and Real Estate is a co-founder of Fleming MedLab.

Eieling, backed by the PolyU Tech Launchpad Fund and funding from an industrial partner and several private investors, is currently conducting clinical trials in several major hospitals in Mainland China and Hong Kong for its innovative product, Liverscan®. It is a palm-sized and wireless ultrasound imaging device designed for liver fibrosis assessment. Telefield has so far secured more than HK$100 million in funding for its scoliosis assessment system Scolioscan®, including support from the PolyU Entrepreneurship Investment Fund. Scolioscan® is the world’s first and only ultrasound scoliosis assessment system. It is currently being used in hospitals and clinics in 13 countries and regions, benefiting over 20,000 scoliosis patients worldwide.

Prof. Zheng is delighted that his startups align well with the University’s strategic mission to become an innovative world-class university.

Fleming MedLab focuses on developing a lightweight, wearable and easy-to-use medical-grade rehabilitation robotic exoskeleton. This technology aids stroke patients in brain cortex reorganisation and mobility recovery during rehabilitation training. With financial support from the PolyU Micro Fund, Dr Heung is able to fully concentrate on his entrepreneurial endeavour and translate his research outcomes into real-world impacts.

This year’s 100 To Watch list highlights startups that are targeting underserved markets or applying new technologies. The startups featured on the list come from 13 countries and regions across 11 categories, with 15 of them originating in Hong Kong.