What if the key to saving the planet was hanging in your closet? For four second-year BAScii students, the answer to a more sustainable future came in the form of clothes - borrowed, not bought. Their groundbreaking idea, ROOP: Renting on Loop, didn’t just challenge fast fashion - it earned them 1st place at the international 3rd BU x Berkeley SkyDeck Fund Hackathon 2025.
"Dressed to Impress" - and Outshine the Rest
With more than 50 teams from across Asia vying for the top prize, the competition was fierce. Organized by Bangkok University and the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund (USA), the hackathon invited student innovators to create sustainable business solutions under the theme Sustainability in Business Innovation. Among this sea of talent, it was Team Foresee - Mr. Paan Urusopone, Ms. Paphanun Pratumrongrat, Ms. Aphitchaya Ngamwongwan, and Mr. Napatthorn Assanaungsanakul - who captured the judges’ attention with a simple yet powerful vision: making renting clothes the new norm.
"Our shared love for fashion and personal experiences renting outfits for vacations and events like birthdays, showed us how fragmented and inconvenient the process is, with endless searching and separate vendor chats. We saw fashion rental as a sustainable alternative to buying clothes that often sit unused, especially as thrifting and second-hand fashion are becoming more popular."
While their idea was stylish - it was also smart. ROOP: Renting on Loop aims to transform how people engage with fashion by offering a streamlined rental platform that supports circular consumption and cuts down on clothing waste.
Was it a "quick win"?
Not at all. This victory wasn’t stitched together overnight.
From the first video pitch to the final presentation, the road was anything but smooth. The team faced the classic startup dilemma: how to say everything with less. Condensing their idea into a compelling five-minute pitch that could hook judges and investors proved to be one of the biggest challenges.
"One thing we valued most was validating the problem by talking directly to hundreds of users and continuously refining our interface and features, over four times, to ensure it truly fit. We overcame this by splitting tasks: some of us handled market research and interviews, and financials while others focused on refining our website prototype, and storytelling. Constant teamwork and feedback helped us stay focused and deliver a strong, unified message."
Sealing the Deal: A Winning Pitch on the Final Stage
At the Final Pitch event, Team Foresee presented ROOP with confidence, clarity, and charisma - impressing a panel of seasoned judges including Mr. Brian Bordley (Partner at Berkeley SkyDeck Fund), Dr. Kris Panijpan (Managing Partner at 9Basil, an investment and advisory firm), and Dr. Chinawut Chinaprayoon (Executive Vice President at Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa)).
Winning THB 100,000 and the coveted first-place title for "Renting on Loop" was a proud moment, but for the team, the impact went far beyond trophies and cash. They were inspired by the diverse ideas from international teams, and it opened their minds to new ways of thinking. Most of all, it showed them that Thai students can truly shine on the global stage.
What's next?
Now, the question isn’t what’s next - it’s how fast can they launch? The team is already deep into backend development and preparing ROOP’s first version.
“This isn’t just a project - it’s our future startup,” they said. “We want to build a community around fashion rental and show that sustainable choices can be easy, accessible, and stylish.”
Their story is more than a win; it’s a reminder that innovation often begins with a question, a frustration, or even a favorite outfit. And when young changemakers turn everyday problems into world-changing ideas, everyone wins.
Congratulations to Team Foresee. Your creativity, grit, and vision embody the spirit of CSII - where diverse minds come together to drive real-world impact.