LU entrepreneur’s innovative vending machine awarded at Hong Kong Techathon 2022
Photo: Hazel Zou Shiqi (left) founded FlashGreen with Ken Chan (centred) and Anson Ting (right) from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
FlashGreen, founded by Lingnan alumnus Hazel Zou Shiqi (Psychology, 2021) with two partners, was second runner-up in Smart City and Sustainability at the Hong Kong Techathon 2022.
The social enterprise recycles residual stocks of short-dated, best before date foods, and offers them for sale in vending machines with a companion mobile app. By combining technology and sustainability, FlashGreen provides a smart, sensible way to reduce unnecessary waste by challenging the concept of the best-before date, and encouraging responsible consumption. Features such as product reservation, automated price adjustment, and discount functions have been added to the traditional retail vending machine with IoT and real-time telemetry technologies.
With the encouragement of their academic advisor Prof Mark McGinley, Director of Core Curriculum and General Education, the team plans to install more machines in different districts to benefit the needy.
The team plans to install more machines in different districts to benefit the needy.