Journey: Building in Cambodia, Kevin Sabbe’s Technological Bet

He arrived in Cambodia at 18, almost by chance, thanks to a Franco-Cambodian friend. Fifteen years later, Kevin Sabbe has made this country far more than a destination: a home, a family, and the heart of an ambitious entrepreneurial project.

Kevin Sabbe

Founder of SKAI Technology, an IT services company based in Phnom Penh, this former CTO who studied at Epitech and taught at the Kirirom Institute of Technology aims to prove that Cambodia can produce technology that meets international standards. A portrait of a French entrepreneur rooted in Southeast Asia.

Can you introduce yourself in a few words?

My name is Kevin Sabbe. I am French, originally from Créteil in Val-de-Marne. I have been living in Cambodia for several years and I am the founder of SKAI Technology, an IT and technology services company based in Cambodia.

We support companies in software development, artificial intelligence, automation, internal tools, and the establishment of dedicated technical teams. We also work extensively on AI training, helping companies use it in a practical, effective, and controlled way.

Tell us about your academic background

My path was not entirely conventional. In middle school, I did not really like school. What interested me most were computers, video games, and understanding how things worked. I got my first computer very young, around five years old, and grew up with that curiosity for IT.

In high school, I pursued a vocational baccalaureate in accounting, with the idea of entering the workforce quickly. I liked numbers, mathematics, and logic. Just before graduating, I discovered Epitech, a highly technology-oriented school that made me want to continue my studies.

I completed a master’s degree where I learned through practice, with many projects, teamwork, and professional experiences.

I also had the opportunity to complete several internships in Cambodia, as well as an international exchange year. Between 2010 and 2015, I was already spending a large part of each year in Cambodia, sometimes around eight months out of twelve.

Tell us about your early professional experience

I began my first professional experiences in Cambodia, particularly in web development. Initially, I worked on websites and CMS platforms, then gradually moved into mobile applications, Python, automation, and more technical projects.

During my studies, I frequently traveled between Paris and Cambodia. This taught me early on how to work across two cultures, two markets, and two different approaches to projects.

I then worked for two years at KIT, the Kirirom Institute of Technology, a Cambodian technology university established by Japanese founders. There was a strong culture of work, project-based learning, and hands-on experience. I trained more than 300 students through Python and programming bootcamps.

This experience had a significant impact on me because it allowed me to see firsthand the potential of young Cambodian talent.

Later, I worked for four years as CTO for a French company. I built a technology subsidiary in Cambodia almost from scratch, notably leveraging the network of KIT alumni. After this experience, I decided to launch my own company: SKAI Technology.

Tell us about your relationship with Cambodia

My relationship with Cambodia began in 2010. I first came at 18, notably thanks to my best friend, who is Franco-Cambodian. I immediately liked the country.

At first, it was for holidays. Then came studies, internships, encounters, work, love, family, and entrepreneurship.

Between 2010 and 2015, I was already living a large part of the year in Cambodia. In 2015, as a recent graduate, I returned to France for about a year to work, save money, and prepare for my permanent move. Then, in 2016, I settled in Cambodia full-time.

Today, my life is here. I have two children in Cambodia with a Cambodian partner. Cambodia is not just a place where I work; it is my home, my family’s country, and the core of my entrepreneurial project.

What are your ambitions?

My ambition is to make SKAI Technology a benchmark in high-quality technology services, starting in Cambodia.

I also want to help change the perception of offshore work. It is sometimes associated with lower costs but also lower quality. I believe that in Cambodia, there are serious, motivated, well-trained talents who speak English and can work to international standards.

Our goal is to build a company capable of serving clients in France, Singapore, and more broadly across Europe—especially in French-speaking countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada—as well as in English-speaking markets.

I also have a strong local ambition: to create better-paid jobs in technology. For years, I have seen very low salaries in the Cambodian tech sector, sometimes far below the actual value produced. I want to build a company that better trains, supports, and values local talent through high-quality international contracts.

Describe your professional activities

Today, I lead SKAI Technology. We support companies that want to create, improve, or maintain digital solutions.

Our activities include web development, applications, internal tools, automation, artificial intelligence, UX/UI design, infrastructure, DevOps, and the creation of dedicated technical teams.

We also focus heavily on AI training and support. Many companies want to use artificial intelligence but do not always know where to start, how to integrate it into their workflows, or how to maintain control over their data and processes. Our role is to make these tools simpler, more useful, and better managed.

My daily role is both strategic and operational: developing business activity, structuring offerings, recruiting the right profiles, overseeing projects, and ensuring that clients receive serious, useful, and well-executed work.

Describe one of your projects

The most important project today is the development of SKAI Technology itself.

The idea is to create a technology company based in Cambodia that can operate at international standards. We aim to connect the needs of French, Singaporean, and international companies with talent based in Cambodia.

This project is built on three pillars: technical quality, project management, and talent development. It is not just about selling software development services; it is about building a real organization with methods, monitoring, training, and quality standards.

Launching SKAI Technology in 2025 was a real turning point. After several years as a CTO, I wanted to create a company closer to my vision: serious, human-centered, international, and capable of demonstrating that Cambodia can produce high-quality technology.

What do you do outside of work?

Outside of work, I spend a lot of time with my family and children. This is a very important part of my life in Cambodia.

I enjoy sports, especially running, trail running, marathons, and outdoor activities. Cambodia offers great places to get out of Phnom Penh, go camping, visit Kirirom, or explore other landscapes.

I also enjoy simple things: going to the pool, spending weekends with family, having a beer with friends, or going out for dinner as a couple. With the often intense pace of entrepreneurship, these moments help me maintain a good balance.

What do you like most and least about Cambodia?

What I like most about Cambodia is its energy. There is so much to build. You can feel that the country is moving fast, that opportunities exist, and that many young people want to progress.

I also like the fact that it is still possible to have a tangible impact. In technology, education, entrepreneurship, or training, there is a lot of room to create, structure, and move things forward.

What I like less is sometimes the overly quick or caricatured view that some people have of Cambodia. The country is sometimes reduced to its limitations, stereotypes, or an overly simplistic image. But when you live here, work here, and build with local teams, you also see the potential, seriousness, and energy behind it.

Of course, not everything is perfect. There are still challenges in terms of training, professional standards, structure, and infrastructure. But for an entrepreneur, that is also what makes Cambodia interesting. It is not just a place to work; it is a place where you can build something.