Bitmo Lab is testing an ultra-thin, bendable tracker built to fit inside items traditional trackers can’t
Updated
March 17, 2026 1:02 AM
Bitmo Lab's MeetSticker tracker. PHOTO: BITMO LAB
Location trackers have become everyday accessories for keys, bags and luggage. But as personal items grow slimmer and more design-focused — from minimalist wallets to passport sleeves and specialised gear — tracking them has become less straightforward. Most trackers are built as small, rigid discs that assume the presence of space, loops or compartments. That assumption has created a growing mismatch between modern product design and the technology meant to secure it.
Hong Kong–based startup Bitmo Lab is attempting to address that gap with a device called MeetSticker. Instead of the solid plastic casing typical of most trackers, MeetSticker is engineered to be flexible and ultra-thin, measuring just 0.8 millimetres thick. The bendable design allows it to sit within narrow compartments or along curved surfaces without altering the shape of the object. Rather than attaching to an item externally, it is intended to integrate discreetly inside it.
That structural shift is the core of the product’s proposition. By removing the rigid shell that defines conventional tracking hardware, MeetSticker can be placed in items that previously had no practical way to accommodate a tracker. Bitmo Lab states that the device connects through a proprietary network and a companion application compatible with both iOS and Android, positioning it as a cross-platform solution rather than one tied to a single ecosystem.
The implications extend beyond form factor. Objects without obvious attachment points — such as compact travel accessories or specialised tools — could potentially be monitored without visible add-ons. In doing so, the device broadens the scope of tracking technology into categories where aesthetics, aerodynamics or compact design matter as much as functionality.
Before moving toward retail distribution, however, the company is focusing on validation. Bitmo Lab has launched a five-week global alpha testing programme beginning February 9. Sixty participants will receive a prototype unit and early access to the app. According to the company, the programme is designed to assess durability, usability and real-world performance before a wider commercial release. Participants who provide feedback will receive a retail unit upon launch.
Such testing is particularly relevant for flexible electronics. Unlike rigid devices, bendable hardware must withstand repeated flexing, daily handling and environmental exposure. Early user data can help refine manufacturing processes and software optimisation before scaling production.
As with other connected tracking devices, privacy considerations remain part of the equation. Bitmo Lab has stated that data collected during the alpha programme will be used strictly for testing purposes and deleted once the programme concludes.
Whether flexible trackers will redefine the category will depend on how they perform outside controlled testing environments. Still, the introduction of a near-invisible, bendable tracking device reflects a broader shift in consumer technology. As everyday products become thinner and more design-conscious, the tools built to protect them may need to adapt just as seamlessly.
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METiS TechBio’s blockbuster IPO signals rising investor interest in AI startups focused on how drugs are delivered inside the body
Updated
May 14, 2026 3:02 PM
HIV-1 virus particles, coloured red. PHOTO: UNSPLASH
Investors are beginning to place bigger bets on AI startups focused on drug delivery infrastructure rather than drug discovery alone. That shift was on display this week after METiS TechBio, a Hong Kong tech-bio startup focused on AI-powered drug delivery systems, debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
The listing made METiS TechBio the world’s first publicly traded AI-powered drug delivery startup and the first AI-powered large-molecule biopharmaceutical startup listed in Hong Kong. The startup raised more than HKD 2.1 billion through its IPO, making it the largest healthcare listing in Hong Kong so far in 2026.
Investor demand was unusually strong. The Hong Kong public offering was oversubscribed by more than 6,900 times while the international tranche recorded 82 times oversubscription. More than 280 institutional investors participated in the international placing.
The strong demand reflects a wider shift in AI biotech. Over the past few years, much of the sector’s attention has focused on using AI to discover new drugs or molecules. METiS is taking a different approach. The startup focuses on how medicines are delivered inside the body after they are developed.
That challenge is becoming harder to ignore in biotech. Designing a therapy is only one part of the process. Delivering it precisely to specific organs, tissues or cells remains a major hurdle, especially for newer therapies involving RNA, proteins and large-molecule drugs.
METiS is trying to solve that problem through its proprietary NanoForge platform. The system uses AI to design and test nanodelivery systems that help medicines reach targeted areas inside the body more efficiently. The platform combines AI models, simulation systems and high-throughput screening tools to speed up formulation development and improve delivery precision.
The startup says it has already achieved targeted delivery across eight organs and tissue systems including the liver, lungs, heart, muscles and central nervous system.
One of its lead programs, MTS-004, became China’s first AI-enabled formulation drug to complete a Phase III clinical trial. The drug is being developed for pseudobulbar affect, a neurological condition that affects emotional expression. According to the startup, AI tools helped reduce preclinical formulation development time from up to two years to less than three months.
Investor interest in the IPO also came from some of the world’s largest asset managers and healthcare funds. BlackRock led the cornerstone investments with a USD 50 million subscription. Other participating investors included UBS Asset Management Singapore, Mirae Asset, ORIX Corporation, Deerfield, RTW, Hillhouse Capital and IDG Capital.
METiS is also building what it describes as a “platform collaboration + product partnership” business model. The startup currently works with more than 30 pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners globally, including large pharmaceutical companies and medical research institutions.
The company reported RMB 105 million in revenue in 2025, largely tied to upfront payments connected to its MTS-004 partnership agreements. It also said some platform collaboration contracts could reach milestone values of up to USD 109 million.
Chris Lai said: "The future of biomedicine will no longer be simply about 'taking medicine when one falls ill.' METiS TechBio's ambition is to harness AI to build nano-rockets that can navigate with precision through the inner space of the human body's 30 trillion cells, write the code of nucleic acids and proteins into cells, and reprogram diseased and aging cells into healthy cells. This was our founding aspiration, and it is the mission to which we will dedicate our lives. The IPO marks a new starting point for us to accelerate forward, and we will strive to live up to the support and trust we have received from all sectors."
The IPO also highlights how Hong Kong is increasingly positioning itself as a hub for next-generation biotech and AI healthcare startups. While investor excitement around AI drug discovery has cooled in parts of the market, startups focused on delivery systems and biotech infrastructure are beginning to attract stronger institutional backing.
For METiS, the challenge now will be turning that investor confidence into commercially viable therapies and long-term partnerships. But the listing suggests that AI-driven drug delivery is starting to emerge as a category investors are willing to treat as core biotech infrastructure rather than a niche research experiment.