On November 26, Monash University hosted an exchange event in Shanghai, connecting students with industry leaders to discuss entrepreneurialism, innovation, and sustainability. Eric Rupert, Founder of altPlus, joined the panel alongside Sissi Chao, Founder of RePlasTerial, and Richard Brubaker, Founder of Collective Responsibility, to share insights into building purpose-driven businesses with practical, market-ready solutions.
丨 Grounded Conversations on Business and Product Value
At the heart of the event was a candid dialogue about what it takes to succeed in building innovative businesses in today's market.
Eric Rupert shared altPlus' journey of developing bamboo-based materials, emphasizing that sustainability alone is not the selling point—it is the product's ability to perform and meet market demands that ultimately drives success.
“The value of any business or product must be tied to its performance,” Eric said. “Sustainability is a fundamental aspect of our materials, but it’s not what we lead with. The market buys products that deliver real value in terms of price, functionality, and reliability. Sustainability enhances that value but cannot be the sole focus.”
Sissi Chao, Founder of RePlasTerial © altPlus
Sissi Chao of RePlasTerial highlighted her experience in creating upcycled products from waste plastics, demonstrating how innovative materials can solve waste management challenges while maintaining competitive performance standards.
The session was moderated by Richard Brubaker, Founder of Collective Responsibility, who framed the discussion to help students understand the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and responsible business practices.
丨Key Takeaways from the Discussion
The panel touched on critical elements of building a purpose-driven but market-focused business, including:
© altPlus
●Entrepreneurial Mindset: Building a business that solves real-world problems and delivers measurable value.
●Market-Driven Innovation: Ensuring that products meet functional, price, and quality benchmarks before highlighting their sustainability benefits.
●Collaborating with Corporations: Developing solutions that align with corporate goals and operational realities, extending their ability to innovate sustainably.
●Practicality in Execution: Turning ideas into actionable strategies that fit within the constraints of budgets, engineering, and market demands.
Eric Rupert, Founder of altPlus © altPlus
Eric Rupert shared practical examples from altPlus, explaining how the company collaborates with global corporations to bring bamboo-based materials to market.
These materials help clients reduce their environmental footprint, but the focus remains on meeting performance metrics first.
丨Realizing Sustainable Impact Through Market Alignment
Eric’s presentation, “The Journey of Bamboo,” emphasized the process of transforming raw materials into engineered solutions that meet industrial and consumer needs.
By focusing on performance-first products, altPlus has helped clients integrate bamboo into packaging, construction, and fiber applications, creating tangible market impact.
© altPlus
“Sustainability should be intrinsic to what we create, but the primary question is whether the product works well at a price the market sees as reasonable,” Eric said. “If you can meet those criteria, the sustainability benefits will amplify the value proposition.”
丨A Platform for Practical Collaboration
The Monash University event underscored the importance of practical innovation in achieving sustainable business growth. Students were encouraged to think beyond ideas, focusing instead on execution and aligning solutions with market needs.
Eric concluded, “Success in this space is about more than mission statements; it’s about creating products that perform and fit within the realities of business operations. We aim to work with partners and future professionals who share this pragmatic approach.”
Contact altPlus
For more information on how altPlus can help you deliver high-performance, sustainable material solutions, contact us at connect@altplus.xyz.
altPlus – Engineering Performance for a Sustainable Future.
Commentaires