Projects, Awardees and Programmes:
Wind.n.Sand
Charlotte Wong Ka-man, Bachelor of Science with Honours in Testing and Certification

GreenBox Technology
Coco Chan Chui-ying, Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in Ageing Society and Services Studies

Competition:
“Well Being · Start-Up” Programme

Organiser:
Hong Kong Housing Authority

Details:
To encourage and support young people in pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) launched the Well Being·Start-Up programme, which offers shop premises in shopping centres under the HA for shortlisted young entrepreneurs to trial their business plans rent-free for seven months. Two brands run by our alumni and a student, Wind.n.Sand and GreenBox Technology, stood out from 180 applications and were selected for the programme among 15 other winners.

Wind.n.Sand was founded in 2019 by Testing and Certification graduate Charlotte Wong Ka-man, who collects and cleans used recycled materials, like coffee capsules, and crafts them into beautiful accessories. In addition to selling her products online and at occasional markets, she hosts upcycling workshops to promote waste reduction and recycling. Selected for Breakthrough's Trial and Error Lab in 2022, the brand has been exploring possibilities for turning more waste materials into accessories, with the aim of eventually launching a physical store. The Well Being·Start-Up programme is fast-tracking the brand's goal by giving it a store in Kai Chuen Shopping Centre, Wong Tai Sin.

GreenBox Technology, a winner of HKMU MetroChallenge 2022, was co-founded by an HKMU alumnus in Public Administration, Eric Wong Yiu-hong, and an external partner. He has invited Coco Chan Chui-ying, a student in Ageing Society and Services Studies, to run the start-up together. Focusing on promoting reusable silicon takeaway boxes, the brand's long-term goal is to develop a reusable box rental system that offers cleaning services and works with delivery platforms, restaurants and food factories to replace disposable packaging. To learn more about the public's attitude towards eco-friendly takeaway boxes, the brand will set up pop-up stores in various shopping malls under the HA.

Targeting individuals aged 35 or below, the Well Being·Start-Up programme will run from October 2024 to April 2025. Participants do not need to pay rent and will receive assistance with basic shop renovation and marketing. Their business performance will be regularly reviewed by the HA, which will take 20% of any profit made by participating brands to support the ongoing development of the programme.