Summary:
Rick Lui took a gap year that transformed into a successful business venture.
Plasticvore Chain is revolutionizing pest control with natural repellents.
The start-up targets a wide range of customers including shopping centres and restaurants.
Current pest control methods in Hong Kong are outdated and ineffective, relying on glue traps and poisons.
The rodent-control pesticide market is projected to grow to US$11.6 billion by 2032.
The Journey of Rick Lui
For Rick Lui, taking a one-year break from university in 2021 proved to be a pivotal moment in his life. His experience as a rodent-control specialist for Hong Kongās public housing provider laid the groundwork for his entrepreneurial venture.
Introducing Plasticvore Chain
At just 24 years old, Rick is the founder and CEO of Plasticvore Chain, a biotech start-up dedicated to creating natural pest repellents. This innovative start-up has already gained recognition, winning a competition organized by the Hong Kong University of Science Technology in October.
A New Approach to Pest Control
The two-year-old start-up has launched a product that offers a humane, effective, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional pest control methods. Their target customers include shopping centres, restaurants, food markets, commercial buildings, farms, and detached houses.
Rick highlights the outdated methods prevalent in Hong Kong, stating, āPest control is a very old-fashioned industry, relying heavily on mouse glue traps, rat poisons, and sometimes cement powder.ā For instance, he notes that around 300 glue traps might be used in a single night in an enclosed basketball court, resulting in an average of only three mice caught. This approach is neither effective nor humane.
Market Potential
According to Future Market Insights, global sales of rodent-control pesticides are projected to nearly double to US$11.6 billion by 2032, driven by increasing health concerns. Some of Plasticvoreās clients include the local franchise of the global pest control firm Orkin, a Hong Kong-listed cleaning contractor, and management firms for shopping centres and commercial buildings.
Rickās insights about the industry, particularly its reliance on conventional pest poisons and traps that utilize food-based baits, were gained during an internship at a consulting firm that advised the Housing Authority.
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