Tech-Garage Vol. 5 Arrives in Sarawak: UGO Inc. Showcases Cutting-Edge Robotics to Power Smarter, Safer Facilities
The fifth edition of the Tech-Garage Seminar, themed Robotic Facility Management for a Better Sarawak, was successfully held on August 1, 2025, at Makeramai Makerspace in Plaza Merdeka, Kuching. Organized by Leave a Nest Malaysia and powered by UGO Inc., with support from the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), the event brought together 36 attendees from 21 unique entities, including universities, government-linked companies, and private sector organizations. The seminar focused on the potential of robotic solutions to support Sarawak’s transformation into a smart, inclusive, and sustainable society.
The seminar commenced with an opening remark by Dr. Hadi Akbar Dahlan, Assistant Manager at Leave a Nest Malaysia, who emphasized Leave a Nest’s commitment to bridging science and society by enabling academic innovation to become viable, scalable businesses that deliver real-world impact. This was followed by a welcoming remark from Mr. Khairool Adzelan, Manager of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at SDEC, who reiterated Sarawak’s vision of becoming a data-driven, economically prosperous, and environmentally sustainable region by 2030. Dr. Takumi Jindo from Leave a Nest Japan introduced the Global South Project, a Japan METI-supported initiative aimed at facilitating Japanese tech ventures’ global expansion. UGO Inc. is a flagship recipient of this award and has been supported by Leave a Nest through partnerships facilitated by AMEICC and Enterprise Singapore for the Southeast Asian market.
Mr. Roy Hadrien Presenting About UGO DX Solutions
A core highlight of the event was the presentation and live demonstration by Mr. Roy Hadrien from UGO Inc., a Tokyo-based robotics company founded in 2018. UGO Inc. is at the forefront of redefining the integration of humans and robots to build smarter, more efficient societies. Their flagship products, ugo Pro and ugo Mini, are intelligent service robots designed specifically for tasks such as facility inspection, environmental monitoring, predictive maintenance, and security operations. These robots are powered by the ugo Platform, which combines cutting-edge hardware—such as telescopic 4K cameras, multi-environmental sensors, and robotic arms—with advanced software featuring AI tools, no-code automation, remote control functionality, and system integration capabilities. UGO’s solutions help alleviate labor shortages and reduce dependency on manual inspection processes in complex environments like power plants, water utilities, manufacturing sites, and data centers.
Attendees take opportunity to inquire about UGO's solutions
What distinguishes UGO's robotics ecosystem is its adaptability and proven impact. The robots can integrate with building infrastructure, such as elevators, enabling vertical mobility and remote access to multiple floors. The platform supports multilingual interaction, remote patrol scheduling, anomaly detection, and 24/7 surveillance, making it an ideal solution for sectors facing aging workforces or needing enhanced facility management. UGO’s systems are already being used by major Japanese corporations including NTT Data, Murata Manufacturing, and Chugoku Electric, with documented results such as 50 to 70 percent reductions in inspection time and operational workload. During the event, attendees experienced a live cross-border demonstration where ugo Pro and ugo Mini were operated remotely from Sarawak to perform actions in Japan—showcasing the real-time responsiveness and international scalability of the platform.
Robopreneur Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian robotics company founded by Dr. Hanafiah Yussof, also presented its role as UGO's official Malaysian distributor, following an MoU signed earlier this year. Robopreneur highlighted its mission to revolutionise robotics and AI adoption in Malaysia through its Robot-as-a-Solution platform and proprietary Vision AI technology.
Group Discussion among the participants in Tech Garage Sarawak
Afterward, the seminar continues with an interactive segment which divided participants into five discussion groups that tackled key questions about the future of robotics in Sarawak. These included evaluating the types of robots needed, readiness of current infrastructure, ensuring long-term sustainability, bridging local demand and supply gaps, and strategies for inclusive community engagement. The group sharing session revealed valuable insights into local challenges and opportunities, highlighting a strong appetite for collaborative solutions. Insights gathered will inform the planning of future initiatives and events in Sarawak.
The event closed with a remark by Mr. Abdul Hakim Sahidi, Managing Director of Leave a Nest Malaysia, who emphasized the importance of two-way learning. He expressed appreciation for UGO’s interest in understanding local needs and encouraged ongoing dialogue to tailor technology solutions to Sarawak’s context. The event concluded with a group photo and a networking lunch, setting the stage for future collaborations that aim to bring advanced robotics into the heart of Sarawak’s development journey.