Launching the contest “Students with startup ideas 2022” – a meaningful playground for students

NTTU – After the success of the contest “Students with creative startup ideas 2021”, Nguyen Tat Thanh University continued to launch the contest “Students with startup ideas 2022” on May 19, 2022.

Attending the launching ceremony, representing Nguyen Tat Thanh University (also the Organizing Committee), there were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong – Vice President; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bach Long Giang – Director of Innovation and Incubation Center cum Manager of Science and Technology Department; Huynh Hong Mai, MSc. – Deputy Director of Innovation and Incubation Center; Nguyen Thi Thu Thao, MSc. – Secretary of the Youth Union. The participating universities included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Van Nam – Dean of Law Faculty of National Economics University cum Co-Head of Community Village Techfest 2022; Huynh Quoc Trung, MSc. from Van Lang University; Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu – Deputy Director of the Student Culture House in Ho Chi Minh City; Dr. Dam Quang Thang – Chairman of the National Innovation Startup Advisory Council, General Director of Agricare Vietnam; Hua Phu Doan, MSc. – President of NTTU Business Club, Director of Tan Viet My Trading and Service Co., Ltd; Nguyen Le Kha, MSc. – President of IPO-SIHUB Business Club, Director of Sigma Investment and Consulting Joint Stock Company; Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy – Standing Vice Chairwoman of the Southern National Startup Advisory and Support Council; Nguyen Van Nga, MSc. – Director of Agrocom Vietnam Co., Ltd; Pham Minh Tri, MSc. – General Director of C Plus Holdings Digital Ecosystem Joint Stock Company; together with leaders of faculties, institutes, departments, entrepreneurs, and more than 600 students of participating universities.

The contest “Students with start-up ideas 2022” with the theme “Challenge of creative startups for smart city 2022” is co-organized by Nguyen Tat Thanh University, the Student Culture House in Ho Chi Minh City, and Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, under the professional sponsor of the National Innovation Startup Advisory Council, the Southern National Startup Advisory and Support Council, and other supporting organizations.

The contest “Students with startup ideas” is held annually to promote entrepreneurship and innovative solutions in the student community, enhance knowledge and skills for startups, create a useful playground, and initate the innovative spirit in learning and scientific research as well as in the life of young generation. The contest also helps connect employers with students, creating opportunity for potential projects to approach investors, search and select innovative ideas as well as feasible projects to be advised, supported, incubated, and implemented successfully.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Nguyen Phuong Thanh Ngan – the student of Pharmacy Faculty of Nguyen Tat Thanh University, former champion of the contest “Students with start-up ideas 2021” shared that the contest is really an interesting and useful playground for students to enhance knowledge in different fields. Besides, it provides a lot of valuable things, not only memories but also well-preparation for our future career path.

Nguyen Thanh Phuong Ngan – the student, speaking at the launching ceremony

Requirements of the contest in 2022:

1. Applicants

• All NTTU’s students and alumni with a passion for innovative startups.

• Each group is limited within 05 members and each team must have an instructor or a mentor guiding the project during the contest.

2. Rights of lecturers and students participating the contest

2.1. For lecturers

• Receiving the Certificate for having the project participated in the contest, hours for scientific research counted, rewarded as regulated by the University.
• 10 teaching hours added if the project enters the final round.
• 20 teaching hours added if the project wins the first prize.
• In addition, 10 teaching hours added if the project is chosen for higher level competitions.

2.2. For students

• 02 conduct points added for students who register to participate in the contest.
• 05 conduct points added for students who enter the final round.
• 1 conduct point added for students who come to the contest for cheering up.
• Being eligible for Top 10 projects to the final round and the Champion Award.

3. Rules of the contest

3.1. Applications and the prelimary round

• From the date of the announcement to 5:00 p.m on June 20, 2022.
• Applicants (both individual and group) must submit online the astract of startup ideas.
• The panel reviews and selects applicants for the semi-finals (expected 25-30 teams).

3.2. The semi-final-rounds: from July 01, 2022 to August 01, 2022

• The Organizing Committee announces successful applicants for semi-final rounds before 16:30 on June 30, 2022.
• The training for semi-final rounds “Developing innovative ideas and startup projects for students 2022”: July 8, 2022 at the hall A801, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, 300A Nguyen Tat Thanh Str., Ward 13, District 4.
• The semi-final round: 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM on July 29, 2022 at the Student Culture House Hall at, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (Dong Hoa Ward, Di An City, Binh Duong Province).
• Teams will present their presentations directly to the jury.
• The jury will select 10 best projects to enter the final round.
• 10 teams enter the final round shall be announced on August 1, 2022.

3.3. The final round: from August 01, 2022 to September 17, 2022

• The Mentoring workshop to connect mentors for startup projects of the final round: 09h00 – 16h30 on August 5, 2022 at the Hall A801, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, 300A Nguyen Tat Thanh St., Ward 13, District 4.
• The teams are mentored and guided to experience the implementation of projects within 4 weeks at the NTT Innovation and Incubation Center (from August 5, 2022 to September 5, 2022).
• The training session for the final round “Application of innovation, product and financial development for start-up projects”: on August 5, 2022 at the Hall A.801 Nguyen Tat Thanh University, 300A Nguyen Tat Thanh Str., Ward 13, District 4.
• Submit documents for the final round via email of the Organizing Committee before 16:30 on September 12, 2022.
• The documents include: the presentation, powerpoint slides and video introducing the project (2-3 minutes), sample product, model, drawing… (if any).
• The final round:

+ From 09:00 to 12:00 on September 16, 2022: Contestants display sample products, photos and posters at the Hall A801, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, 300A Nguyen Tat Thanh Str., Ward 13, District 4.

+ From 15:00 ti 16:00 on September, 2022: the jury scores the posters

+ From 7:30 to 11:30, September 17, 2022: The teams will present in the final round at the Hall A801, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, 300A Nguyen Tat Thanh Str., Ward 13, District 4. The jury will score and select the winners.

3.4. The closing and awarding ceremony

• October 7, 2022: Awarding prizes to winning projects and finalist projects are introduced to businesses and investors for the fund raising.

4. The prizes

Total prize of 65,000,000 VND in cash, and incubation packages at NIIC equivalent to 300,000,000 VND:

• 01 First Prize: VND 20,000,000 in cash and a 1-year incubation package at NIIC equivalent to VND 120,000,000
• 02 Second Prizes: Each prize is worth 10,000,000 VND in cash and the 6-month incubation package at NIIC equivalent to 60,000,000 VND.
• 02 Third Prizes: Each prize is worth 5,000,000 VND in cash and the 3-month incubation package at NIIC equivalent to 30,000,000 VND.
• 05 consolation prizes: Each prize is worth 2,000,000 VND in cash and the 3-month incubation package at NIIC equivalent to 30,000,000 VND.

In addition, the Organizing Committee also has extra prizes and gifts for students participating and cheering in the contest.