Micro Grants
We provided young innovators who interested in researching and developing their circular solutions and business ideas with access to some grant funding.
Grant Recipients
Coffee Ground to Mushroom
VGU, Vietnam
Problem identified: With rapid urbanisation and population growth, demand for resources and the amount of waste generated from the food industry is increasing. Typically for every ton of coffee grounds disposed of, 0.08 tonnes of CO2e are emitted through decomposition.
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Circular idea: Recover used coffee grounds and use them to grow mushrooms, as a way to support nutrition, save resources and prevent greenhouse gas emissions.
Rebrix
BPSU, Philippines
Problem identified: Non-renewable materials and industrial products like aggregates, cement, and other additives are used on a large scale (e.g. for pavement bricks), which poses risks to human health and the environment.
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Circular idea: Utilize crushed mussel shells as a partial replacement for fine aggregates and rice husk ash as a partial replacement for cement in the production of pavement bricks.
Book Booth
VGU, Vietnam
Problem identified: Paper used in the printing industry consumes natural resources like water and wood. The ink used comprises chemical components that can pose a risk to the environment. The life cycle of printed products is relatively short once their content has been utilised.
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Circular idea: Create an exchange box dedicated to promoting the sharing of books, newspapers, magazines, and other reading materials among those who no longer need them and those who do.
Cementos
BPSU, Philippines
Problem identified: There is excessive exploitation of natural resources such as limestone to meet the demand of Portland cement. In addition, the production of cement generates massive amounts of carbon dioxide.
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Circular idea: Utilize widely available banana and orange peel waste as partial cement replacement material in producing improved quality and economical cement while minimizing carbon dioxide emissions and fruit waste generated.
Circlyst
UNDIP, Indonesia
Problem identified: Even though there is a Dipo Waste Bank initiative at Universitas Diponegoro, waste on campus is still not properly segregated and the overall waste management system needs to be improved. A total of 865 kg of litter per day is poorly sorted on campus.
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Circular idea: Help sort the waste on campus and utilise the plastic waste collected from the Dipo Waste Bank to upcycle them into new products or recycle into raw materials for other products.
Biocharcons
BPSU, Philippines
Problem identified: Approximately 4.5 million tons of bamboo are utilized for industrial purposes which lead to tremendous amounts of bamboo waste materials. Also, with the expansion of cities, consumption of materials such as steel, cement and sand is expected to increase.
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Circular idea: Develop an optimized concrete mixture using bamboo-derived biochar as a carbon sequestration mechanism and partial replacement to ordinary Portland cement.
Sedulur
UNDIP, Indonesia
Problem identified: The generation of plastic waste (e.g. from food packaging) tends to increase along with the increase in population which can have a negative impact on human health and the environment. In addition to plastic waste, food waste is also a problem faced in Indonesia.
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Circular idea: Create a food packaging film out of a chitosan polymer and graphene oxide nanomaterials which would function as a sensor to monitor food quality and prevent spoilage.
Makakan
ANDU, Philippines
Problem identified: At the Ateneo de Naga University cafeteria, food waste is generated daily and tons of it end up in the garbage. In Naga City, 30% of the solid waste in the city is food waste.
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Circular idea: Turn the food waste from the ADNU cafeteria into compost using bioreactors that utilise energy from the grid and solar panels. The compost will be sold and also used to fertilize a university kitchen garden.
