From Oil and Gas Industry to AI: How a Young Startup Is Saving Lives in Factories

Every year, thousands of workers die in preventable industrial accidents. Safety documentation is overlooked, operational procedures are not checked, and minor mistakes turn into major disasters. But what if AI could detect these errors before they cause harm?

That is the question posed by a young CEO named Thomas Lee Young – and he has the answer.

When Real-World Knowledge Meets Technology

Lee Young is not your typical tech founder. Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago amidst oil rigs, he had a rare opportunity to deeply understand issues that most Silicon Valley engineers can only read about in books.

After plans to study at Caltech were disrupted by COVID, he switched to Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol. At Jaguar Land Rover, he was exposed to Human Factors – researching how to design systems to reduce human error. This experience painted a comprehensive picture of market needs.

“Why isn’t anyone using technology to automate safety checks?” he wondered.

A Truly Powerful AI Platform

Lee Young and co-founder Aaryan Mehta (CTO) met through Entrepreneur First, one of the most competitive startup programs in the world (acceptance rate 1%). They built a platform that automates industrial process audits – comparing operational documents with regulations, technical drawings, and safety policies.

No more manual document scanning or searching. Their AI does this work in weeks instead of five years.

Real-world deployment numbers speak louder than any speech:

• 10,800 errors detected in a company’s process in just 2.5 months
• $35 million saved in costs compared to manual review
• 2-3 years of audit time compressed into a few weeks
• $2.5 million+ annual contract value from clients

When Luck Isn’t Enough

A major Canadian energy company was an early customer. There, Lee Young’s platform discovered that pressure errors in safety documents had existed for 10 years without anyone noticing. Medha Agarwal of Defy.vc commented: “They were just lucky nothing happened.”

This isn’t a story about luck – it’s about a system failure and technology finally fixing it.

Investment and Expansion

Defy.vc led a seed round of $3.5 million, with participation from Precursor, Rockyard Ventures, and angel investors including Charlie Songhurst.

Currently, the platform operates at three locations, with plans to expand to Houston, Guyana, and Brazil. With 27,000 oilfield service companies just in the US, and potential in other industries like chemicals, manufacturing, and renewable energy, the market is waiting for solutions like this.

Why Youth Is an Advantage

Lee Young initially faced skepticism from executives twice his age. But as the numbers started speaking – errors were detected, accidents prevented, costs significantly reduced – attitudes changed rapidly. On-site workers even requested investment in the company.

Deep understanding of the problem from its source – not just from outside observation – made all the difference.

A New Field in the Making

As the company grows, new challenges emerge: recruiting skilled engineers fast enough. But the platform’s unique position – at the intersection of AI and heavy industry – has become an unexpected recruiting advantage. Engineers tired of building low-impact B2B sales tools see here a real opportunity to make a difference.

FAQs

What is the core technology?
AI automates industrial safety audits by comparing operational documents with regulations, technical drawings, and corporate policies to prevent accidents.

Who are the investors?
Defy.vc led a $3.5 million seed round, supported by Precursor, Rockyard Ventures, and other angel investors.

Where is it currently operating?
Deployed at three locations with plans to expand to Houston, Guyana, and Brazil.

What is the market opportunity?
Just in the US oil and gas sector, there are 27,000 companies. There are also vast opportunities in chemicals, manufacturing, energy, and other heavy industries.

Conclusion

Lee Young’s story isn’t about a young genius from Silicon Valley. It’s about someone who identified a real problem, from a place most tech founders overlook, and built a solution that can save lives. The diversity of perspective – from Trinidad oil fields to AI technology – has become a true competitive advantage in tackling long-standing industrial challenges.