Lessons from SensorUp's Founder

The first weekend SensorUp founder and CTO Steve Liang arrived in Canada as a student, his professor called him to his office and said they were going to write a proposal.

That proposal was what sparked his graduate research and his focus as a professor and entrepreneur.

Liang shared a few of the highlights and challenges he experienced along the way to a packed house at the Energy Transition Centre on May 23 as part of the InterGen Breakfast Club event, supported by CRIN.

As a student, Liang saw his professor launch his own company that Microsoft acquired.

“I was like, that’s what professors do, they start a company, and they have a global impact,” he told InterGen Program Director Khalid Hansraj during an interview attended by more than 70 participants in person and an online audience.

SensorUp is a software platform for methane emissions reduction. It connects multiple sensors and aggregates multi-sensor data onto “a single pane of glass,” so companies can effectively visualize and monitor methane emissions, quickly detect leaks, and carry out immediate repairs.

After working in other sectors, such as defence and agriculture, in the company’s early days, SensorUp found the strongest demand for its platform in methane emissions reduction.

“We can do two things – find it and fix it and help them to really operationalize that. Number two is better reporting,” Liang said. “If you can reduce your methane intensity, there’s a possibility that you can sell your gas at a premium. So, it’s a win-win for everybody.”

Liang offered some advice for InterGen participants. He encourages other professors to commercialize their research and become entrepreneurs, as they know the topic best. He also stressed the importance of having a mentor.

“I told my students in my university class…find a mentor, and the bar of that mentor is to find someone you do not deserve,” he said. “You need to have an honest relationship with your mentor so the mentor can say what they want, and you grow from that.”