“Be your biggest competitor. Challenge yourself to be better than you were yesterday.”
VASANDANI Nimisha Haresh
Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration ·Financial Technology and Innovation · Year 4
Vasandani Nimisha Haresh and her three teammates are from different ethnic backgrounds. They are well aware of the frustration the minority ethnic groups in Hong Kong feel when they fail to find restaurants that cater for their dietary, cultural and religious needs. Inspired by the observation and experience, they are now in the process of creating an app called Flick to put a stop to this “diner dilemma”.
“Most of the dinning and restaurant apps in the market randomly present results to users who still have to scroll through an almost endless list to find the right eatery.” It can get more frustrating when one wants quick answer or has dietary restrictions—halal, vegan, gluten-free, keto-friendly, sustainable, just to name a few. “We solve this problem with our AI-based propriety recommendation systems to personalise dining options that take users' special dietary requirements into consideration,” Vasandani explained.
Still in the development stage, the app is set to launch by next year. Vasandani is responsible for conducting research, handling operational issues, and reaching out to customers from the view of digital marketing. 'My role is crucial to ensure ideas are effectively communicated and growth strategies are properly implemented. I am constantly on the lookout for expansion opportunities for our business.”
The app won in the Cyberport University Partnership Programme, and was also conducive to Vasandani's winning of two University scholarships.
“Being an ethnic minority student, I sure have a lot to overcome. Here at HKMU, how we perceive things may be different, but I feel everyone is treated equally and with respect. We are all given the same opportunities. In fact, I was additionally qualified for scholarships designed for the minority groups. That's an advantage I have, and it gives me the courage to show my talents and skills by being different.”
