“Start up – Nurturing Success”: The 3rd HNMU Creative Startup Competition

In response to the “National Startup” movement and activities celebrating the 91st anniversary of the founding of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (March 26, 1931 – March 26, 2022), following the previously organized “Startup Creativity” event, the Center for Science, Technology Management & Development Cooperation, in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Hanoi Metropolitan University, has launched and organized the third series of activities called “Startup Creativity – HNMU” for the 2021–2022 academic year.

Pre-competition seminar

The 3rd “Innovation and Startup – HNMU” program for the 2021–2022 academic year is a community-benefit activity that supports and connects staff, lecturers, and students in entrepreneurship, fostering creativity. It spreads the startup spirit, provides knowledge, and honors promising creative startup ideas, helping the staff, lecturers, and students of Hanoi Metropolitan University realize their entrepreneurial dreams successfully. Moreover, this activity serves as a platform for exchanging experiences and knowledge with experts; it also acts as a bridge connecting resources from individuals and organizations inside and outside the university, creating conditions for ideas to be practically implemented.

The “Innovation and Startup – HNMU” activities for the 2021–2022 academic year include a series of events: the seminar “Innovation and Startup – HNMU”; the “Innovation and Startup – HNMU” competition at the unit level; and the preliminary and final rounds of the “Innovation and Startup – HNMU” competition at the university level.

Participants include staff, lecturers, and students of Hanoi Metropolitan University who are interested in and passionate about startup activities, with innovative ideas or startup products. Participants are required to write a startup idea or business model that has been or is being effectively implemented, develop a complete business plan, present their ideas, implementation methods, and product promotion strategies, and finally convince the judges and investors to fund their startup projects.

To kick off the 2021–2022 Innovation and Startup activities, the seminar “Guidance on Building and Implementing the 3rd Innovation and Startup – HNMU” took place from December 21 to 22, 2021. The event was held both online and in-person and attracted participation from prominent speakers such as Mr. Võ Xuân Hoài, Head of the Enterprise Support Department – National Innovation Center; Mr. Trần Trí Dũng, Director of the Startup Program in Hanoi and Central Vietnam, representing the Swiss Startup Program; Mr. Nguyễn Nghĩa Vượng – Chairman of the Vietnam 4.0 Business Council; and CEOs from well-known innovative and socially responsible companies including CEO Phạm Việt Hoài, CEO Kym Việt, CEO; Ms. Nguyễn Hà Trang – CEO of YGO Vietnam Service Joint Stock Company; and Mr. Nguyễn Bảo Quốc – Founder & CEO of BQ Training & Consulting. The seminar was successfully held with active participation from students, lecturers, specialists, and staff working and studying at the university.

The seminar’s success inspired enthusiasm among contestants and supported the organization of the 3rd “Innovation and Startup – HNMU” program for the 2021–2022 academic year. Based on the activities implemented at training units, the Organizing Committee selected 28 ideas from various training units to participate in the preliminary round of the 3rd “Innovation and Startup – HNMU” program for the 2021–2022 academic year.

The preliminary round took place from March 5 to March 15, 2022, with participation and evaluation by a judging panel composed of experts both from inside and outside the university specializing in “Innovation and Startup” activities. All ideas were assessed by the judges as meeting requirements, complying with regulations, demonstrating creativity, and showing potential for investment and practical implementation. Additionally, the idea teams showed seriousness and ensured the schedule and progress of the activity.

Based on the judges’ evaluations, five ideas won Encouragement Awards, and ten outstanding ideas were selected to participate in the final round of the “Innovation and Startup – HNMU” program, which was scheduled to be held in late March to early April 2022.

Prof. Dr. Đặng Văn Soa, Vice Rector of the University

The final round is expected to be organized in three parts: Part 1 – Project presentation; Part 2 – Debate with paired opponents; Part 3 – Responding to and interacting with situational questions from the judging panel.

Starting a business is always a challenging process, full of risks and difficulties. Therefore, the Organizing Committee hopes to accompany entrepreneurs by seeking out and supporting ideas, providing training in experience, and finding investment opportunities to help successfully implement startup ideas in reality.

Alongside the “HNMU Creative Startup” activities, your innovative startup ideas will have the opportunity to be implemented, bringing practical benefits to the entrepreneurs. If developed with proper production-business strategies, product promotion, and timely financial support, these startup ideas will generate long-lasting real-world impact, boosting the entrepreneurial spirit among staff, faculty, and students at Hanoi Metropolitan University.

For more information, please contact:

Office of Science, Technology Management & Development Cooperation (QLKHCN&HTPT)

Phone number: 02438341848

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