Mabel Chan (UCL MSc Computer Science 2017) shares how her company, Carbon Linking, is using gamified educational technology to raise the next generation of climate leaders.
Mabel always knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur.
After completing a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing at Bayes Business School, she found herself opposite her father in a dim sum restaurant asking him to become her first investor. She was pitching an idea for an app platform that she had begun to develop as part of an enterprise competition during her degree.
“This is a tech company,” her father said. “Why should I invest in you if you do not have a background in tech?”
That’s when she set her sights on the MSc in Computer Science at UCL.
Learning the language of the future
For Mabel, studying at UCL was about more than just filling a gap in her CV. It was about learning the language of the future.
“It is similar to becoming proficient in English or Mandarin or Cantonese. I knew that learning the language of computing was essential to becoming an entrepreneur in a future dominated by technology.
“The course at UCL was very well-rounded. It was not just about learning to code, but about giving you fundamental knowledge of the architecture of computing. It also gave me valuable practical experience with the opportunity to work with industry partners. For example, I got to work with Microsoft on my final project, developing a prototype of a potential new product. And the support I got from my professors was phenomenal.”
Since graduating from UCL, Mabel has kept in close contact with her supervisor Dr Yun Fu, who has been a valuable mentor on her entrepreneurship journey. And her ongoing connection with UCL and the Department of Computer Science came full circle when, in early 2023, she was invited back as an industry partner on the course.
Offering a prototype development project through her company Carbon Linking, Mabel worked with those students following in her footsteps to deepen their experience of industry.
“It was great experience and I still keep in touch with the students I worked with. I met them after they graduated for drinks in London, and we exchange messages occasionally with updates on their career progress. It’s very nice.”
Teaching the language of the future
After graduating from UCL, Mabel initially worked for global advertising agency Spark Foundry before taking the leap to co-found Carbon Linking in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I had always wanted to be an entrepreneur and make an impact in the world since studying for my IGCSEs. After a difficult 2020 involving early-wave COVID-19, an autoimmune disease, and the loss of my grandfather, I was reading the book, Yijing, or ‘Book of Changes’ in English. It helped me rethink a lot of things in my life.
“The book explained the links between humans, nature and the universe. And it made me realise that we must treasure our environment and our resources, and that maybe there was a way I could increase people’s awareness of sustainability and help to make long term behavioural changes.”
And so Carbon Linking was born: an educational technology company that redefines sustainability education delivery through the gamification of learning.
Through a range of clever gamified courses delivered in primary and secondary schools across Hong Kong, Carbon Linking makes lessons about sustainability and the environment fun. And evidence shows that engagement is high, with students awarding a score of 4.59 out of 5 for the program’s ability to “elevate interest”, and the gamification process motivating students to continue working on their projects outside of school.
“After the first lesson, we tell students there are mini quests for them to do after school. We emphasise that these are not mandatory and are not homework. Despite this, 93% of students complete all the extra tasks with an accuracy rate of 87%. This means they are not only engaged but they are learning, and their learning extends well beyond the classroom.”
A recent collaboration with Ocean Park (one of Hong Kong’s oldest and largest theme parks) is one of Mabel’s proudest achievements to date.
“We developed an escape room-style game for students to play when they visit the park. They become marine demigods and transform into different sea animals, solving marine plastic pollution problems to save the ocean.
“The main objective of the programme is for them to understand the impact of microplastic pollution on the world, and that human choices matter.”
So far, the programme has been delivered to more than 4,000 students in Hong Kong and has been recently renewed to run in the park until 2027. A second collaboration with Ocean Park is also now live, transforming traditional giant panda study tours into a role-based treasure hunt. In this immersive experience, students explore the park to unlock hidden treasures, turning a standard tour into an active, high-stakes adventure.
The future looks bright for Carbon Linking, as Mabel sets her sights on expanding the company’s impact by leveraging the power of AI.
“We are developing an agentic AI that functions as a professional-grade team for creators, democratising the creation of game-based engagement experiences just as Canva democratised visual design. This technology empowers creators to launch immersive, real-life adventures driven by team-based collaboration, all supported by an AI-driven CMS that transforms engagement data into actionable, real-time insights.”
“We are evolving for a new world and I am excited to see what more we can achieve.”
Staying Connected with UCL
“Without UCL, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” says Mabel.
From the rigorous MSc in Computer Science and support of her supervisor, to returning to UCL to work with current students and being a regular attendee at alumni events, Mabel feels that the continuous support she has received from UCL has propelled her career.
“As alumni, no matter where we are in the world, we can benefit from all of these opportunities. I have been able to meet like-minded people and access professional development long after graduation.”
“It feels like UCL always remembers me. And that is so valuable.”
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