Using rice-husk to develop vegan leather and creating clothing from hemp were the two winning ideas from this year’s Pitch for the Planet event, at the University of Sussex. 

The fourth annual Dragon’s Den style competition took place on Wednesday 24 April, with Sussex students pitching their ideas to build a more sustainable world and be in for a chance to win up to £5,000, as well as a spot on the summer accelerator programme to help bring their idea to life.  

Actor and campaigner Will Attenborough hosted the event this year, which was held at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, a space named as a tribute to Lord Richard Attenborough, former Chancellor of the University of Sussex, and Will’s grandfather. 

Will is heavily involved in climate activism, having co-led The Green Rider Campaign, which uses artists’ contractual power to negotiate stronger sustainability practices in TV and film, as well as working with the UK insurance industry to help them transition away from a fossil fuel-based economy. 

Will told the audience: 
“There’s so much climate doom around us, but we need to normalise the incredible steps people are making to find solutions to the climate crisis. There’s no lack of solutions. As a collective, we’ve never had so much power, which is why we need to change the conversation from despair to agency and possibility.” 

Four Sussex students were selected as finalists and pitched their solutions to some of the world’s biggest sustainability challenges, from sustainable materials to food sustainability, in front of a judging panel, who then went on to select two winners. 

The panel included former Sussex student Lucy Hughes, founder of MarinaTex, Andrew Morgan, Professor of Practice, Business Engagement and Innovation at the University of Exeter and member of the Royal Society Industry College, as well as the University’s own Dr Shova Karki, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Sustainability and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students, Kate O’Riordan.  

Artificial Intelligence and Adaptive Systems Masters student, Arham Rahim has been awarded £5,000 for her project in which she uses rice-husk to develop vegan leather. Arham has identified that traditional leather tanning processes consume between 15-50 tonnes of water and has a significantly damaging impact on the environment. Utilising rice-husk, a material that is in abundance, only requires the rice to be washed, and can be made just as durable and without the use of polymers, unlike leather. Arham plans to use the funding to develop her research and investigate the biodegradability of the material. 

Energy and Climate Policy Masters student, SenamileSishi and her teammatesZanele Sishi and Michael Asante have also been awarded £5,000 for their sustainable fashion business, StitchedByZan. The team are currently developing clothing items from hemp. With the fashion industry accounting for 10% of all global emissions, Senamile and her team aim to develop new ‘SussexThreads’, which will see University of Sussex branded sustainable clothing options made available on campus. The team plan to use the funding to research waterless dying techniques to be used on hemp items.  

Matt Montgomery, Head of Sustainability at the University of Sussex says: 

“We heard four fantastic student initiatives at this year’s Pitch for the Planet, all focusing on a different solution to help address the climate crisis.  

“I’d like to congratulate the efforts of our students in pitching their ideas to our expert panel – it was incredibly inspiring to hear their ideas andlearn more about the passion projects of our students. I look forward to seeing how our winners progress their ideas over the coming year.”