With his mobile access company KiLax, Boris Kwok wants to make physical keys a thing of the past
Keys are small, easily dropped and misplaced. And as a way of getting into an office, co-working space or other shared premises, they are also wildly inefficient. Keys can be lost or codes forgotten, staff members waste their time managing access, and the whole set-up isn’t even particularly secure.
KiLax hopes to change that. The company—co-founded by Boris Kwok in 2016—makes cloud-based mobile access systems that allow people to use their phones rather than any sort of physical object like a key or card. Offering a range of both off-the-shelf and customised products under the name Optiki, the company uses optical encryption technology which transmits data using light, improving both reliability and security compared to traditional systems. As well as shared premises, applications include objects such as safes, lockers and mailboxes; systems can even include a booking system that allows companies to collect payment for access.
Driven to create an impact
Kwok previously worked for more than 20 years for major water, oil, power and chemical engineering companies before deciding to strike out on his own.
“About ten years ago, mobile phones were starting to become a big part of our lives,” he says. “At that time, not that many people were doing anything like this, and we saw an opportunity. When you have your own business, you can keep building something; when you work for a big company, you’re just a small part of that company. It is more rewarding to work and make a difference, instead of just being a small piece of a big company.”
Round-the-clock mobile protection
It wasn’t all plain sailing, though. “For a small company, building a workable system from scratch was really challenging. We had to do everything ourselves.
“People get used to things that they’ve had before, and introducing something new can be challenging. We were lucky we had some customers who were willing to try something new.”
It helps that the company has a compelling offer for potential customers. It can help them cut costs and also improve efficiency, removing the need for time-consuming processes like physically distributing access cards or keys.
“If you’re a co-working space or a large corporation, you can use your administrative staff to do something other than manage security”, says Kwok. “Everything can be done through your computer or handheld device, wherever you are, at any time of day.”
It also alleviates problems like unauthorised duplication of keys and cards, as well as lost keys and forgotten codes; and it has positive sustainability implications, cutting both waste and the energy used to make new physical keys and cards.
On home turf
These days, the company’s clients include Tencent WeStart Hong Kong, the Hospital Authority, Hong Kong Broadband Network, the Institute of Vocational Education Tsing Yi, Ooosh Coworking Space and Kai Shing Management Services. There are also some unusual potential applications of its technology and expertise: for example, it has been advising insurance companies on how to stay in control of sensitive physical documentation and hospitals on how to secure dangerous drugs in operating theatres.
Another of its customers is Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) itself, which has used its technology on thousands of lockers and mailboxes. The company completed the IncuTech programme in 2020, moving to the new Data Technology Hub at Tseung Kwan O InnoPark.
“HKSTP has been very supportive to start-up companies like us, continuously hosting events, seminars and exhibitions that are great opportunities to meet with people and corporations from virtually all industries,” says Kwok. “Alongside commercial support, we very much appreciate being able to reach markets outside Hong Kong, including tour visits to Taiwanese innovation incubation organisations and also the world-class CES [consumer electronics] exhibition in Las Vegas.”