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Jimmy Chow

Hong Kong entrepreneur Nathan Hui Tin-ho has turned a deeply personal experience into a thriving business by founding a technology start-up that helps elderly people fight dementia through games inspired by local culture.
The 32-year-old’s blend of empathy and innovation has earned him a place as a finalist in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards in the entrepreneurship category.
“My grandfather refused to see a doctor. He did not think there was anything wrong with him,” he said. “That is when I realised that even the best medicine does not work if people are afraid to take it.”
After graduating in biotechnology from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hui joined a pharmaceutical firm specialising in neurological drugs.
The experience opened his eyes to a bigger gap that exists between medical science and real human behaviour, and made him devoted to serving the community.
In 2019, Hui founded Medmind Technology Limited with just HK$120,000 (US$15,425) from PolyU’s Micro Fund.
Working out of a small room with a few classmates, he built the prototype of ‘NeuroGym’, a gamified cognitive training platform designed for elderly people with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia.

The early days were tough. “I went to an elderly care centre in Sai Kung to demonstrate it, and no one wanted to play,” he recalled with a grin.
“It was a humbling lesson in true entrepreneurship that a good idea isn’t enough without relentless iteration and user-centric designs. If this version did not work, I’d go back and make a better one.”
The breakthrough came when he added something deeply familiar – Hong Kong culture.
The games now take place around virtual mahjong tables, teahouses and wet markets.
“Older people do not like unfamiliar tools. But when they see a scene that feels like home, they start smiling and that is when the training starts to work.”
Medmind’s approach has turned rehabilitation into enjoyment. The company now serves more than 40,000 elderly users across 300 NGOs, hospitals and care centres in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore.
Cognitive scores among long-term users have improved noticeably, with carers reporting higher engagement.
As the business expanded, Hui ensured that purpose stayed ahead of profit, creating a self-sustainable model for social impact.

Medmind reinvests much of its revenue into research and product innovation, including remote therapy tools developed during the pandemic and motion-based esports games that combine exercise with cognitive training.
Looking ahead, Hui plans to broaden the company’s reach beyond the elderly.
“We’re designing games that encourage intergenerational bonding, schoolchildren to move more and develop healthy exercise habits,” he said.
Now a recognised voice in Hong Kong’s gerontech scene, Hui said he believed that constant innovation was the only way for a start-up to stay afloat.
For Hui, entrepreneurship has always been about perseverance and empathy.
“Our goal is to build a business rooted in sustainable kindness and long-term impact,” he said.
The Spirit of Hong Kong Awards is co-organised by the South China Morning Post and Sino Group to recognise the efforts of the city’s unsung heroes who contribute to the community or inspire others with stories of how they overcome personal challenges.


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Hong Kong

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Nathan Hui founded Medmind after realising through a personal experience that there is a wide gap between medical science and real human behaviour


Nathan Hui founded Medmind after realising through a personal experience that there is a wide gap between medical science and real human behaviour.


Spirit of Hong Kong

Macau

Singapore

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: man helps elderly combat dementia through local culture

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Nathan Hui founded Medmind after realising through a personal experience that there is a wide gap between medical science and real human behaviour

Nathan Hui founded Medmind after realising through a personal experience that there is a wide gap between medical science and real human behaviour