Systems Focus

Hawaiʻi imports approximately 85–90% of its food and nearly all of its fuel. This dependency creates compounding risk — a single disruption to shipping routes affects food prices, energy costs, and economic stability simultaneously. We model these dependencies to identify where local production and alternative supply chains could reduce systemic fragility.

Despite favorable growing conditions, Hawaiʻi’s agricultural output has declined steadily since the sugar and pineapple era. Remaining farms face challenges in distribution, labor, and market access. We study the coordination gaps between growers, distributors, and institutions to understand where technology could lower friction without adding complexity.

Island logistics are inherently constrained by geography, port capacity, and limited redundancy. Small inefficiencies compound across the supply chain. We examine interisland freight patterns, last-mile delivery economics, and inventory management to find practical improvements that work within existing infrastructure.

Hawaiʻi consistently loses skilled workers to the mainland due to cost of living and limited career opportunities. This creates a cycle: fewer builders means fewer local companies, which means fewer reasons for talent to stay. We explore how remote work infrastructure, local project opportunities, and community networks could retain and attract the people these islands need.