Hey there! I’m Shain Wai Yan, a marketing student with a love for bold ideas and sustainable solutions. I recently had the chance to lead my team in the Circular Economy Business Plan Competition, hosted by Strategy First University in collaboration with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) — a prestigious event that brought together 850+ participants and 96+ teams from across Myanmar.

   The result?

Loop Library third prize annoucement.png

We proudly secured third prize 🥉 for our concept: Loop Library — an imaginative business plan that redefines book rental services for the digital, eco-conscious era.

🌱 What Is Loop Library?

Loop Library isn’t a real business (yet!), but a fully developed conceptual project created to showcase how sustainable models can revolutionize even the most traditional industries — like libraries and bookshops.

Here’s the vision:

-📱 A mobile- and web-based book rental platform that encourages sharing instead of buying

- 🚲 A system that uses bicycles and e-bikes for delivery to reduce emissions

- 📚 A community-powered ecosystem of readers, donors, and environmental advocates

- 💚 A business model that reinvests in literacy and sustainability — donating 50% of ad revenue to related causes

You can even explore a live demo I built using Node.js:

🔗 looplibrary.com

Loop Libray web introduction .png

🏆 About the Competition

The competition challenged us to develop innovative business ideas using the principles of the circular economy — rethinking how we use, share, and reuse resources for a better future.

Our Loop Library pitch included:

- 📊 Detailed market research (Did you know over 950,000 potential readers could benefit in Myanmar alone?)

- 🌳 An environmental impact analysis (Book production consumes massive amounts of water, wood, and energy)

- 💻 A full platform prototype showing how users could sign up, rent, and connect

- 🔄 A strategy focused on social impact, carbon footprint reduction, and resource circulation

After intense rounds of review and a live pitch, our team proudly walked away with third place out of 96+ teams.

Why This Project Mattered

What made Loop Library stand out?

-We focused on real problems: books are expensive, wasteful when unused, and inaccessible to many.

- We offered a creative yet realistic solution: a system that not only promotes reading but also community, sustainability, and local job creation.

- We backed it up with research, design, and a working website to demonstrate feasibility.

Even though it’s a conceptual plan, Loop Library sparked meaningful conversations and positive reactions from judges, mentors, and peers — especially about the potential of the circular economy in Myanmar.

My Personal Takeaway

Building Loop Library — from scratch — was a transformative experience. From mapping out the business structure and calculating the water and wood saved, to coding the website and refining our pitch deck, I learned what it takes to shape an idea into something real enough to inspire.

It wasn’t just about the prize. It was about showing that with creativity, research, and purpose, we can imagine better systems — and maybe someday, bring them to life.

🪴 Final Thoughts

Loop Library may not be live in the real world (yet), but its mission lives on in every effort we make to learn, share, and think sustainably.

If you’re passionate about sustainability, tech, and community — or just curious about the concept — I invite you to explore our prototype at:

🔗 looplibrary.com

And who knows? One day this dream might become something more.

Thanks for reading! 🌍📖