AI driverless technology company UISEE to set up international headquarters, R&D centre and corporate treasury centre in Hong Kong (with photos)
​Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced today (February 22) that its client UISEE, having built a solid business foundation in Hong Kong, has picked Hong Kong to set up its international headquarters as its springboard to global expansion. It will also set up a research and development (R&D) centre in the city focusing on applications for overseas developments.
The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, lauded the success of UISEE, “We are very delighted to see the continuous growth of UISEE in Hong Kong and beyond. UISEE’s success shows that the city is an ideal platform for advanced technology companies to build a solid foundation for their global expansion, and to raise funding to ensure their continued success.”
The Beijing-founded company, which is a leading autonomous driving technologies company already with two R&D centres and multiple offices in Mainland China, expanded to Hong Kong in 2018 and started their first overseas driverless project with Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in 2019, having won the project over other companies from Germany, Japan, and Mainland China.
To date, UISEE has provided more than 50 driverless cars to HKIA, including autonomous electric baggage tractors, driverless patrol cars and driverless shuttle buses, completing more than 700 000 kilometres of real driverless operation. Their solutions help address challenges such as labour shortages, intense outdoor working conditions and cost issues.
The Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of UISEE, Mr Gansha Wu, said Hong Kong is a strategic location for research and development, which is in line with the group’s vision of “Beijing DNA with Hong Kong bloodline, China standard for global products”.
He said, “Having established our safety record and operational efficiency with HKIA, which showcases our company’s capabilities, we are expanding our foothold to Singapore, the Middle East and Europe. Hong Kong with its strategic location, strong global business network and connectivity is an ideal location to base our international expansion from, so it is only natural that we set up our international headquarters here.”
UISEE had previously announced three rounds of financing from strategic investors, including German electronics giant Bosch, the National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund (under the Ministry of Finance), Chongqing Gaoke Group, and Dongfeng Asset Management. Hong Kong, as an international financial centre, is being considered as a location for a dual-listing for the company’s initial public offering.
Ms Lau confirmed that InvestHK and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises will continue to work with UISEE to facilitate the establishment of their first overseas R&D centre, introducing further business opportunities into Hong Kong and assisting the company’s continued expansion overseas.