Team Moonbeam

Congratulations to an interdisciplinary team of budding entrepreneurs – comprising KONG Qi Herng (Year 4, Pharmaceutical Science), Varden TOH (Year 3, Data Science and Analytics) and LIM Jia Wei (Year 4, Mechanical Engineering) – on receiving the Most Innovative Award from A Chain of Positive Change – Universitas 21 (U21) Real Impact on Society and Environment (RISE) awards 2022!

Their startup, @themoonbeam.co, changes the way food waste is treated by upcycling cooked rice to create sustainable beer and granola.

The team went through a multi-step upcycling process – collecting unserved rice that is safe for consumption; sterilising the collected rice; fermenting it; and bottling and packaging the alcohol.

They also interviewed university students, working professionals, alcohol and craft beer drinkers and craft beer bar owners to study the feasibility of their idea and to better understand consumers and their concerns. They found that consumers are generally receptive to switching to sustainable products.  

The RISE awards recognise projects seeking to make a positive impact on global challenges related to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Winning teams are selected by an international panel from the world of social entrepreneurship and innovation. 

View their video pitch here.