UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) students once again recorded an achievement at the national level. Team Jangan Lupa Makan from the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), whose members are Luthfi Aditya, Daris Yasser Zuhdi, and Christian Matthew Sutanto, won first place in the Business Plan Competition SPACE 3.0. The competition, organized by the Entrepreneurship Club (UKM Kewirausahaan) of Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), also named them winners of Best Proposal and Best Presentation.
KelpCo, edible packaging
The work that took the team to the podium is called KelpCo: Seaweed Edible Packaging. The product is a sachet made from seaweed carrageenan that is safe to consume. It aims to replace single-use plastic in instant food and beverage packaging, one of the main sources of waste accumulation.
Team leader Aditya said the idea stemmed from concern over sachet waste in Indonesia. According to him, the packaging is made to full food-grade standards, dissolves completely in hot water, and can be eaten directly. “So there is no waste left behind,” he said.
Besides environmental concerns, KelpCo also has a social mission. Under the motto “From the Ocean, For the Earth,” the team planned to buy local seaweed harvests so that coastal farmers also gain added economic value. “We want the farmers to feel the benefit directly,” Aditya said.
Challenges during the competition
Sutanto acknowledged that the preparation was full of challenges. The team had to prepare the proposal and pitch deck while juggling their studies and various activities.
“There were a lot of unexpected things during practice. We had planned to wake up at 3:00 a.m. to rehearse, but we ended up waking up at 6:00 a.m., and we were almost late to the venue,” he said.
The challenge continued into the Q&A session. None of the judges’ questions matched what the team had prepared. “We had to answer as best we could using the knowledge we had. After that session, we briefly had some negative thoughts,” Sutanto said.
However, the outcome was beyond expectations. Among teams from various universities, they went home with Best Presentation, Best Proposal, and First Place.
Hopes for the future
Winning three awards at once is proof of FEB UNAIR students’ ability to design green businesses. “We feel grateful and proud because all of our efforts and hard work have paid off. This is a reminder that hard work is never in vain,” Zuhdi said. Team Jangan Lupa Makan hoped KelpCo could become a real solution to plastic waste while also benefiting seaweed farmers in coastal areas.
“Ideas that seem simple can be the solution to big problems. Start with what you have, don’t wait for perfection, and don’t be afraid to fail. The important thing is to have the courage to try and keep learning,” he advised.
Author: Christian Matthew Sutanto
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
