Teen Innovators Win Top Prize for Plastic Alternative in Hang Seng x HKFYG’s Seek Our Ways Social Ideation Programme

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 May 2025 - A team of four Form Three students from Good Hope School has developed a revolutionary plastic alternative, earning them the Junior Division Grand Award in the inaugural Seek Our Ways Social Ideation Programme.

Their invention, the "Fully Biodegradable Gel", offers an edible, dissolvable and eco-friendly solution to single-use plastic.

Supported by Hang Seng Bank and organised by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) Leadership Institute, the Programme themed "Future Exploration is in the Hands of Youths", focused on three key social areas: "Environment and Sustainable Development," "Promoting Sports for All," and "Elderly and Wellness." It encourages young people to tackle social issues through creative solutions. The debut edition attracted an overwhelming response, receiving nearly 1,000 applications from students. After over 10,000 hours of diverse learning and mentorship over six months, more than 400 participants developed nearly 90 innovative solutions to drive social progress.

Following rigorous rounds of competition, nine teams advanced to the finals held recently, where they presented their ideas to a panel of judges. Three winning teams were selected based on their solutions' effectiveness, innovation, scalability and their presentation skills.

The Final Pitching Competition and Award Presentation Ceremony took place at Hang Seng Headquarters, with Eric Chan Sui-wai, Commissioner for Youth officiating as the Guest of Honor. He was joined by Diana Cesar, Executive Director and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank, Hsu Siu-man, Executive Director of the HKFYG and Grace Chan Man-yee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service. The event also brought together school representatives, mentors and over 400 students to witness the emergence of winning teams.

Diana Cesar, Executive Director and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank, said, "As Hong Kong's largest local bank, Hang Seng Bank is very pleased to leverage our connections and the expertise of our colleagues to empower youth in driving social innovation through this Programme, alongside our financial support. We hope this Programme encourages young people to engage with societal issues, broaden their horizons and ignite their interests in social innovation."

Hsu Siu-man, Executive Director of the HKFYG, remarked, "Social innovation requires keen insight and the courage to change; every change begins with attention to issues and imagination for the future. I am delighted to see participants actively engage in the Programme, injecting new hope and possibility into society." She also expressed her gratitude to Hang Seng Bank and other partnering organisations for their support in nurturing future leaders."

Fifteen-year-old students Ho Lok Ting, Law Hau Wing, Lo Sin Sum and Tsang Lok Yu, the Grand Award winners in the Junior Secondary Division, designed their "Fully Biodegradable Gel" after learning about sea turtles harmed by plastic waste. The material, made from gelatin and agar, can package dry foods or even serve as shopping bags while decomposing harmlessly." Law Hau Wing said, "Traditional plastic linger for centuries as it is non-biodegradable and harmful to the environment. Our 'Fully Biodegradable Gel' disappears without a trace. We hope to collaborate with food manufacturers to bring the product to market."

The Senior Secondary Division Grand Award went to Fanling Kau Yan College, where five Form Four and Form Five students, Chen Tin Oi, Lee Yan Ue, Liang Ka Ki, Ng Ka Yin and Zou Tsz Ham designed a "One School, One Elderly Centre" proposal to pair schools with elderly centres, fostering mutual learning and companionship. Inspired by an initiative in their sister school in Mainland China, the team developed a sustainable model including curricula, activities, and a B2B framework to scale the project in Hong Kong.

A cross-university team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong College of Technology, won the Tertiary Division Grand Award for "Fruitful", a project repurposing apple pulp into leather-like material. Over the past six months, team members Cheng Hoi Kei, Ho Ka Hei, Lai In Ha, Wong Ngai Fung and Yau Ho Lun conducted in-depth research on this technology and overcame technical challenges. They aim to produce wallets, coasters and other accessories, reducing reliance on synthetic fabrics to promote sustainable development in Hong Kong.

Each winning team will receive HK$20,000 and an opportunity for valuable career immersion experience at Hang Seng Bank. Audience-voted "My Favourite Team" Awards were also presented, with each winning team receiving HK$5,000. For further details about the winning teams, please refer to the appendix. The second edition of the Programme will open for applications by the end of this year, encouraging more youngsters to drive social progress.

Winning teams of Grand Award

Grand Award - Junior Secondary Division
School and Name of Students	Good Hope School Lo Sin Sum, Ho Lok Ting, Law Hau Wing, and Tsang Lok Yu
Theme	Environment and Sustainable Development
Proposal	Byebye Traditional Plastic
Description	"Fully Biodegradable Gel" is a new material designed to support heavy items, similar to conventional plastic. It is available in two types: Type 1: Crafted from gelatin, this variant offers a firmer texture, making it ideal for packaging noodles and dry foods. It comes in red, green, orange, and transparent colours, dyed using vegetable and plant powders. Type 2: Made from agar powder, this type provides a softer, a more flexible texture with strong water resistance. Distinguished by its blue colour, its texture is similar to traditional plastic, making it ideal for shopping bags.

Teen Innovators Win Top Prize for Plastic Alternative in Hang Seng x HKFYG's Seek Our Ways Social Ideation Programme / Page 7

Grand Award - Senior Secondary Division
School and Name of Students	Fanling Kau Yan College Chen Tin Oi, Lee Yan Ue, Zou Tsz Ham, Liang Ka Ki and Ng Ka Yin
Theme	Elderly and Wellness
Proposal	One School, One Elderly Centre
Description	Through interviews with frontline elderly service social workers, elderly policy researchers and secondary school management, the team discovered that current intergenerational integration programmes are often one-time services lacking continuity and depth, failing to fully address the needs of the elderly and wasting school resources. The "One School, One Elderly Centre" initiative aims to: 1. Match elderly centres with secondary schools 2. Equip members of elderly centre and secondary school students with knowledge 3. Facilitate communication between the two groups 4. Document their interactions for improved communication The programme offers sustained, face-to-face exchange activities over one year, along with matching support, lesson plans, teaching materials and suggested activities for participating organisations through an online platform to facilitate collaboration between schools and elderly centres.

Grand Award - Tertiary Division
School and Name of Students	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong College of Technology Lai In Ha, Cheng Hoi Kei, Wong Ngai Fung, Yau Ho Lun and Ho Ka Hei
Theme	Environment and Sustainable Development
Proposal	Fruitful
Description	The team proposed an innovative biomaterial solution that converts waste pulp from the juice industry into high-performance eco-friendly materials. This technology can increase the bio-based content of the pulp to over 85%, reducing carbon emissions by 95% compared to traditional materials. Additionally, it boasts excellent physical properties, effectively addressing the challenges posed by limited food waste recycling facilities.

Winning teams of "My Favourite Team" Award voted by the event's audience

Divison	Theme	School	Name of Students	Proposal
Junior Secondary	Environment and Sustainable Development	Good Hope School	Ho Lok Ting, Law Hau Wing, Lo Sin Sum and Tsang Lok Yu	Byebye Traditional Plastic
Senior Secondary	Promoting Sports for All	St. Paul's Convent School	Chan Hoi Yau, Jiang Ka Yi, Kwok Hiu Ching, Tai Cheuk Wing and Yung Chi Kay	City of Maze Runners
Tertiary	Environment and Sustainable Development	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong College of Technology	Cheng Hoi Kei, Ho Ka Hei, Lai In Ha, Wong Ngai Fung and Yau Ho Lun	Fruitful

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