Local nature-tech start-up MetaGreenX, set up by three graduates from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, has developed "CubeX," a solar-powered soil sensing device to improve the survival rate of seedlings planted in remote rural areas, with a cloud-based data analytics platform.
Co-founder and chief-executive Kathy Ng observed that traditional greening efforts often suffer from insufficient maintenance efforts after planting, which makes initial efforts futile. To address this, she and two other HKUST graduates founded the start-up in an attempt to attract younger generations to the green industry through a data-driven, standardized operating model.
The device uses a probe inserted into the soil to monitor key data including soil temperature, humidity, pH, conductivity, and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels in real time. This data is then transmitted back to the backend AIoT platform every two hours, generating 1,000 to 2,000 data points daily. The data will then be transformed into visual charts and inspection suggestions.
The technology allows farmers to remotely monitor crop growth in real time, and even help predict the most suitable crop varieties for the next planting cycle.
Ng revealed that the team is working to transform the pilot technology into a mature business model, and has already partnered with five to eight NGOs for pilot projects, aiming to convert these partners into future customers. The start-up also offers a free trial to small and medium-sized farms.
She added that the company's business is progressing steadily, aiming for at least HK$1 million in net profit by next year. She also mentioned overseas expansion will officially begin next year, with plans to first enter Malaysia, followed by exploration of other Southeast Asian markets.
The start-up had formerly joined the ‘SVhk-Sino Impactathon’held by Sino Group and Social Ventures Hong Kong, an initiative gathering start-ups to generate insights through community engagement and pilot projects to inform the Northern Metropolis’s long-term development. A total HK$200,000 in seed funding was awarded to 11 winning teams at the award ceremony.
