Five students from Sarawak to the Top 5 National URIIS Student Business Innovation Challenge 2026

MIRI, 24 September: Five students from universities in Sarawak made a proud achievement by being named Top 5 National Finalist in URIIS Student Business Innovation Challenge 2026, a nationwide student business innovation competition hosted by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia.

The Rising Hornbill team was led by Curtin University Malaysia's Energy Engineering student Loon Kai Qian, along with Swinburne University of Technology chemical engineering students Adrina Wong Wei Ni and Leonard Wong Yu Rui as well as Swinburne University of Technology's electrical and electronic engineering student Yong Jin Rong.

Following the team is a student in Psychology from University of Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Rita Lee Ziting.

According to a statement from Champs Education today, Rising Hornbill successfully passed the recommendations and presentation evaluation at the national level before stepping into the Grand Finale at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.

Through the competition, the team highlighted SawitBridge, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based Industrial Symbiosis platform that connects small private palm plantations with buyers of agricultural waste.

The platform was developed to convert less exploited agricultural residues into new sources of income, as well as promote more transparent and sustainable practices in the palm industry.

According to Team Chief, Loon Kai Qian, SawitBridge's strength is also driven by the team composition that combines expertise in energy, chemistry, electrical and electronics as well as psychology.

He said the diversity of disciplines allowed the team to combine technical development with an understanding of the real challenges that might affect technology adoption among smallholder communities.

"This is more than just a competition for us. It's about the discussion, the reflection, the debate and the beliefs that we built up along the way.

"The result is not the whole story, but the relationships we built as a team", he said.

The achievements also show how collaboration between students from different academic backgrounds can produce ideas that combine technology, sustainability and community needs. - TVS