- A star-struck girl screams: ‘Isn’t that a K-drama oppa coming our way? Or are they shooting the Cantonese version of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ at Hong Kong Science Park?’
- Her know-it-all friend shushes: ‘Get ahold of yourself! That’s Mattis of Aerosim!’
Mattis Tsang’s company, Aerosim, is based in Hong Kong Science Park where there is a dynamic community of people with diverse domain knowledge. Photo: HandoutMattis Tsang definitely looks cool in his aviator jacket, but then he is a licensed pilot, as well as the managing director of Aerosim, a Hong Kong Science Park start-up at the forefront of next-gen aviation training technologies. Indeed, the company has just signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with Boeing to collaborate on cutting-edge training programmes which aimed to expedite the digital transformation for the future of aviation in Asia.
The insignia patch on the jacket reads “AEROTYRND”, which stands for technology (TY) and research and development (R&D). Taken together, they represent Aerosim’s entrepreneurial spirit and guiding philosophy.
Hong Kong’s Innovation & Technology sector thrives on diversity
“I wear the jacket all the time to remind myself that although I work in the Hong Kong Science Park but I’m still staying on track of aviation,” Mattis says. “I have always been passionate about flying. So I signed up for aviation training in Australia and stayed around the aviation sector for the past 15 years.”
Before that, as something of a global citizen, he was educated in Singapore, Australia, Switzerland and Hong Kong, which led to qualifications in business and tourism, pursuing a PhD, and a spell as a teacher.
“Start anywhere. Shift boundaries. Be fearless”
Now, though, he believes he has found his true calling and is delighted to be part of the start-up community at the Hong Kong Science Park where he can network with and learn from people who are visionary and on the leading edge.
Like Mattis, they are also driven by a passion to do something groundbreaking, perhaps as medical doctors exploring the field of biotech, software engineers, pioneers in AI and robotics, or experts in smart city concepts. “You see a lot of professionals with diverse domain knowledge in the Hong Kong Science Park,” says Mattis, who greatly enjoys the hip vibe this creates.
Diverse teams spark impact through game-changing innovation
As one of the brains behind Aerosim, he is helping to blaze a trail for Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and Asia. He is confident that, with the aviation sector now bouncing back, there will be a surge in demand for both business and leisure travel, increasing the need for well-trained aviation passion over the next few years. Aerosim’s training programmes, using state-of-the-art software and simulators, can play a big part in that.
“Our simulators and systems let trainees get the feel of flying and gamifying those sophisticated concepts into pleasure,” Mattis says. “They can try out different weather conditions and problems, even the failure of parts of the aircraft, before stepping into a real cockpit. We help pilots fly with confidence, and our solutions have been proven to help reduce training time by 30 per cent.”
I&T companies need diversity to create dynamic teams
When advising would-be entrepreneurs and early-stage start-ups, he always delivers a clear message.
“Don’t give up easily when chasing after your dream. Be adventurous and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and shift boundaries.”
Take a leap into city’s biggest I&T ecosystem through the HK I&T Career Expo until April 17!