Healthy tree-planting solution won in HKBU startup competition

Some university students have come up with a solution to remotely support the growth of tree seedlings as a means to help mitigate climate change and they have recently won a  startup competition held by Hong Kong Baptist University.

To offset carbon footprint, some corporations chose tree-planting in rural areas. However, they are usually left unattended due to labor shortage and high transportation costs, making early seedling death a common phenomenon. Not only does it fail to achieve the carbon reduction target, it also causes biowaste. 

MetaGreen, a startup formed by students from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and HKBU, has launched a device called GrootX to help nurture the growth of saplings. It offers nutrition to the saplings through black soldier fly, an insect with plenty of protein, which is commonly used for waste decomposition. The device is partly made of recycled bottle plastic and an IoT remote control is installed so that tree planting in rural areas without 5G coverage would not be a hassle and manpower can be saved. The reusability also helps reduce cost and carbon footprint. 

The team has been working with local green groups, who have been approached by companies wanting to have carbon offset by tree planting. The innovation idea and the business model has won the team the first prize in  techstars_ Startup Weekend 2024 Social Innovation organized by HKBU Centre for Innovative Service-Learning TriAngle.  

The first runner-up award went to Ricefort, which turns rice hulls into fireproof bricks. Some retailers and shopping malls have already expressed their interests towards the idea of the team comprising students from HKUST and the University of Hong Kong.

Bio-Leisure, which has organized Wild Boars Quest, consisting of hiking activities and outdoor games, won the second-runner up award. It is a team formed by HKBU students. 

Students received entrepreneurship training including business model formation, marketing and pitching skills, as well as a startup clinic before the competition over a weekend.