After developing the first batch of Ferticlay, a new sustainable clay material made of food waste, BA(Hons) Interior Design graduate Jodie Monteiro decided to hone her product design and business acumen by joining LASALLE’s Programme for LASALLE Creative Entrepreneurs (PLACE), which provided her with guidance on how to develop her ideas into a business.
At PLACE, Jodie was mentored by LASALLE lecturer Dr Clara Fernandes, whom she credits for kick-starting her journey towards becoming an entrepreneur and encouraging her to take part in more competitions to meet creatives like herself.
Jodie then set up a company together with National University of Singapore student Ong Kok Chung, and the duo have won or placed in a number of startup competitions. Most recently, Ferticlay was selected to represent Asia at Princeton University for TigerLaunch in April 2022 — the largest student-run entrepreneurship competition in the United States.
"While others may see recycling as a hassle or inconvenience, I see it as one of the most rewarding ways of giving back to the earth,” says Jodie.
