Spreading the Spirit of Student Entrepreneurship at Thai Nguyen University

On the afternoon of April 16, at the Digital Center, Thai Nguyen University (TNU) held the Final Round of the 2026 Thai Nguyen University Student Startup Competition.

Photo: Delegates attending the program.

Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Hung, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of TNU, Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Ha, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Chairman of the TNU Trade Union, representatives of the University Office and functional departments, leaders of member universities and affiliated units, along with a large number of TNU staff, lecturers, and students attended the event.
Also present were representatives from the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Hue University.

This year’s competition attracted 22 student-led projects. After the preliminary and semi-final rounds, the Organizing Committee selected 10 outstanding projects to compete in the Final Round, including: Turning Grass into Gold, Cambridge Laboratory – Personalized Test Preparation Platform, Live Local – Slow and Authentic Living, Sa Pa Herbal Care for Women – Herbal heat pack, Lai Chau Ginseng – Nurturing Aspirations from the Mountains, Hobime – Fermented Product Chain from Wild Bitter Melon (Mac Khay Khau, Bac Kan); Smartcare Box – Family Health Kit; Tinh Thuy Tea – Capturing the Essence of Nature in Every Leaf; Clean Gac fruit (Spiny red fruit) Cooperative Model with Integrated Value Chain; Shereship – Community-Based Shared Logistics Platform.

Photo: Teams presenting their startup ideas.

The Final Round brought together the most outstanding projects selected from previous rounds. It provided an opportunity for teams to present their ideas, demonstrate creativity, critical thinking, and the feasibility of their projects, while also connecting with experts, investors, and businesses. This opened up new directions for nurturing and developing promising startup ideas. During the Final Round, representatives of the 10 projects delivered presentations and responded to questions and critiques from the judging panel.

Photo: The Final Round featured the most outstanding projects selected from earlier stages.

In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Ha, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Chairman of the TNU Trade Union, emphasized: “A notable highlight of this year’s competition is the diversity, depth, and strong applicability of the top 10 projects. Each project is not merely a business idea, but also a story and a practical solution closely linked to real-life needs, culture, and society. These 10 projects with typical identities yet share a common spirit of creativity, social responsibility, and a strong aspiration to create value. With further investment, refinement, and development, many of these projects have the potential to become successful startup models in the future.” He also affirmed that TNU will continue to organize meaningful activities to further promote the student startup ecosystem.

Photo: Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Ha delivering the opening speech.

At the end of the competition, the Organizing Committee awarded one First Prize to the project “Turning Grass into Gold” from the TNU Lao Cai Campus; two Second Prizes, three Third Prizes, and four Consolation Prizes to other outstanding teams.

Photo: The Organizing Committee presenting awards to winning teams.

The competition has contributed to promoting and developing the movement of entrepreneurship, innovation, and research capacity among students. It has helped spread the entrepreneurial spirit, equip students with startup knowledge and skills, and identify as well as support innovative ideas and startup projects. Furthermore, it plays a role in developing the innovation and startup ecosystem by effectively connecting support resources, attracting attention and support from scientists, economists, investors, businesses, and the broader community. Selected projects will be nominated to participate in the 8th National “Students with Startup Ideas” Competition organized by the Ministry of Education and Training.