Tommy’s journey began with a summer trip that took him to rice mills in mainland China. There, he witnessed something that felt both routine and alarming: piles of rice husk—the agricultural by-product of rice production—were being burned on-site simply to get rid of them. The smoke, the smell, and the sheer scale of it made the problem impossible to ignore. He learned that rice husk disposal is often handled through burning or landfilling, creating unnecessary carbon emissions and air pollutants. That moment planted a lasting question in his mind: if rice husk is produced in such huge volumes, why are we treating it only as waste?
When Tommy returned to Hong Kong, he began researching rice husk’s properties and potential applications, and he realized it could be a valuable, versatile resource rather than a burden. What started as one person’s observation soon became a mission. Tommy built the RiceFort team by bringing together talents from different universities and disciplines—technology, business development, marketing, and design—so the idea could be developed not only in the lab, but also into a real business model and product pathway.
In the early stage, the biggest challenges were money and machinery. As a student-led team, resources were limited, and HSUHK did not have the specialized equipment needed to process rice husk into stable, scalable materials. Without the right machines, even the strongest concept remains a prototype. Tommy and the team spent months reaching out to potential supporters—workshops, manufacturers, laboratories, mentors, and community partners—seeking technical advice, testing access, production support, and space to iterate. Many attempts led to dead ends, but each conversation strengthened our understanding of requirements, improved our process, and sharpened how we communicated our value.
Those efforts eventually turned into momentum. With growing support and validation, we overcame key technical barriers and began producing rice husk-based goods that can be used in furniture and interior applications—transforming agricultural waste into practical, low-carbon materials aligned with the circular economy.
Our progress has also been recognized through major milestones, including the 11th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition – Entrepreneurship Grand Award, and First Prize (Social Enterprise / Cultural & Creative Services category). We also received a Silver Award at the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition (2025), National Grand Final, among other honors. These achievements remind us that the journey is not only about awards, but about proving that sustainable materials can be realistic, scalable, and impactful.