RWE Germany:
RWE is a multinational company based in Essen, Germany that generates and trades energy in Asia-Pacific and within Europe.
Ekipa Germany:
Ekipa connects startups, researchers, universities, and industry leaders to creatively solve pressing issues by providing a platform for project collaboration.
Mangroves: a case study on the significance of restoration efforts. Nature is the best technological defense against tropical storms. The value of mangroves had been underestimated until their loss emphasized their significance. Therefore, I found them especially relevant as the image for our project on biodiversity preservation initiatives.
UI Mock Screens
Below is an excerpt from the competition’s semi-finals on March 5, 2025. It showcases my storytelling capability in introducing our product idea as a solution concerning Biodiversity Credits.
Although we were not selected for the finals, I was able to manage our project timeline adjusting the expectations with each setback and push my creative boundaries.
On the right are 2/10 screens I designed using Figma. The rest cannot be displayed for privacy reasons.
Play the audio below while viewing the slideshow.
Presentation transcript:
Slide 2:
We would like to start our presentation by acknowledging the premise of this competition: biodiversity.
So, we ask “Why should we care about biodiversity?”
Do you mean apart from the reason that we require it to sustain life on Earth?
I know it's cheeky to answer a question with a question, but we should define what it means to care.
Often, it is only when we risk losing something do we experience an innate need to protect “it”… biodiversity in this case and inevitably ourselves as we are a part of it.
Slide 3:
Numerous articles addressing biodiversity loss acknowledge human activity (such as overfishing, monoculture farming, mining, and hyper-development) as the leading cause.
So, if we understand that biodiversity is needed to sustain life, our lives specifically…
Slide 4:
“Why don't we go along with our own self-interest?”
Slide 5:
There have been countless theories on this, but Freud's theory about the “death drive” and “humans’ natural inclination towards chaos” have been parroted in many philosophical discussions.
While we can go back and forth debating why we struggle with this, it's critical to understand that defining the “why” is a multi-faceted issue.
Slide 6:
There is no one concrete answer. So let's try a super quick thought experiment to illustrate this point. From Milton Friedman's observation, I ask you to identify where the focus should be in trying to resolve this paradox.
“Unless it is (politically) profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing, the right people will not do the right thing either, or if they try, they will shortly be out of office.”
― Milton Friedman
Slide 7:
If you thought “wrong people”, “right people”, or “right thing”, you wouldn't be far off as defining wrong and right have been the focus in religion and ethics for centuries. Therefore, the least subjective approach would be looking at profitability to try and solve the paradox.
Slide 8:
So, we ask, “What if this behavior is a symptom of our current system and what we perceive to be profitable?”
Slide 9:
For context, the current economic system views the exploitation & extraction of natural resources as a means of making a profit. Ultimately, we need solutions that align environmental protection with economic security. Therefore, linking biodiversity protection with economic success can drive change.
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