Jade Francine (WeMaintain): "Connected Cities with French Innovation"

Localising to Succeed

Why did you choose Hong Kong to accelerate your international development?

Hong Kong was an obvious choice for us. Firstly, because my co-founder Benoît Dupont and I have strong personal ties to Asia. But more importantly, we identified here a highly demanding technical environment, very regulated, yet incredibly responsive. That's exactly what we're looking for: challenges that match our technology. The strategic partnership with MTR Lab, a subsidiary of the transport giant MTR Corporation, was a catalyst. It allowed us to quickly integrate into the local ecosystem.

What is your approach to adapting to this new market?

Our strategy is resolutely "glocal": we maintain a common technological core but rely on a local team, granting them autonomy. In Hong Kong, we have about fifty employees, mainly Hongkongers. We obtained our maintenance license—which is not granted to everyone here—and secured major public contracts, notably with the MTR network for the maintenance of around 150 critical pieces of equipment. The local establishment is therefore genuine, not merely symbolic.

Making Asia Our Primary Market

How does your technology make a difference?

We bring a breakthrough to a sector that is still very manual. Thanks to our IoT sensors and predictive maintenance platform, we detect failures before they occur. For example, our "Maximize" solution can alert in case of handrail slippage or abnormal stoppage on an escalator. This allows for planned interventions, reduces downtime, and improves safety. Moreover, we remain human-sized and thus responsive, even though our solutions match those of large groups, and our equipment is multi-brand, enabling the management of heterogeneous fleets. This is what appealed to MTR Labs.

Asia seems to be a priority for you...

Clearly. Today, 50% of our revenue is generated in the United Kingdom, but Asia is our strongest growth area. Singapore was our first step, Hong Kong the second. And within 15 to 18 months, we believe Asia will be our primary market. It's not just a matter of volume: it's also a region where innovation is valued, where local teams are extremely responsive, well-trained, and ready to adopt new tools.

French Technology Has Its Place in Hong Kong

Winning the Innovation Prize at the France-Hong Kong Grand Prix—what does that represent?

It's a valuable recognition, both for the Hong Kong team and for the entire company. It shows that French technology has its place here when it knows how to adapt. And it highlights a successful international collaboration between Asian operational excellence and French innovation.

How do you see the future of urban maintenance?

We are at a turning point. Large cities will have to maintain more and more equipment with fewer and fewer human resources. This implies automating, forecasting, and optimizing. Our mission is to enable this transition while maintaining a high level of quality and safety. It's a sustainable and responsible vision that we deeply believe in.

And for you personally, what does this Asian adventure represent?

It's a return to my roots. My background is Franco-Indian; I've always been drawn to this part of the world. Here, I find an energy, a capacity for quick action, a desire to move forward. These are values we also cultivate at WeMaintain. Building bridges between cultures is also what entrepreneurship is about.

For more information: www.wemaintain.com