While self-driving cars and robots for cleaning and security are familiar tropes in sci-fi Hollywood movies, Jonathan Lam, the co-founder of Hong Kong tech startup Butler, asked: Could an entire building operate autonomously?

“You can easily order food through Deliveroo, request courier services with Uber, and many online retailers have embraced e-commerce. However, when it comes to housing—a basic necessity—nothing really comes to mind,” Lam, a Gen.T Leader of Tomorrow, says.

In 2022, Lam and his team reoriented Butler from a housekeeping service platform to a building management system. Powered by AI, this product aims to elevate tenant experiences by allowing staff to oversee facilities more effectively. Notable property developers and management companies like JLL, Henderson Land Group and New World Development have benefited from its services.

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