Biopesticides from almond leaves replacing antibiotics in aquaculture won the championship of the Creative Entrepreneurial Ideas Contest for Students in 2023.

On August 29, 2023, Nguyen Tat Thanh University solemnly organized the final round of the Creative Entrepreneurial Ideas Contest for Students in 2023. The contest was jointly organized by Nguyen Tat Thanh University, the Ho Chi Minh City Student Cultural House, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, the Southern Entrepreneurship Advisory Council, and the NTTU Enterprise Club.

At the event, Nguyen Tat Thanh University was represented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong, Vice President. The organizing committee included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bach Long Giang, Director of the NTTU Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubation, Head of the organizing committee; ThS. Nguyen Van Hieu, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Student Cultural House, co-head of the organizing committee; ThS. Huynh Hong Mai, Deputy Director of the NTTU Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubation.

The judging panel consisted of ThS. Nguyen Le Kha, Director of SIGMA Investment Consulting Joint Stock Company, Chairman of the Entrepreneur Club IPO – Sihub; Ms. Vu Kim Anh, Deputy Director of the Business Research and Support Center BSA; TS. Ngo Dac Thuan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of IP – GROUP Joint Stock Company; ThS. Nguyen Van Nga, Deputy General Director of MebiFarm Company – Member of the Advisory Board for Entrepreneurship Support in the South; ThS. Le Thi Be Ba, Deputy Director of the High-Tech Agricultural Enterprise Incubation Center in Ho Chi Minh City; Mr. Huynh Thanh Van, Chairman of the Southern Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, Chairman of the S Furniture Company Council; Ms. Rose Nguyen, CEO of the Paris Institute for Scientific Research in Aesthetics; Ms. Phan Thanh Quy Truc, Deputy Head of the Technology Management and Technology Market Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong, representing Nguyen Tat Thanh University, presented flowers to the judging panel of the competition.

With the theme “Promoting open innovation and digital transformation,” the 2023 Creative Startup Ideas Competition was launched on April 12, 2023, and received over 100 entries from more than 30 universities and colleges nationwide, with diverse projects in various fields such as Biotechnology, Healthcare, Information Technology, and Food Technology.

Speaking at the event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong said, “The competition aims to create a meaningful playground, providing opportunities for students to learn, practice, and promote entrepreneurial creativity, as well as opportunities to meet and connect with experienced businesses. The competition also serves as a foundation for creative and feasible ideas, with mentors from businesses providing support, and the university incubating and implementing them into startups. Over the years, NTTU has incubated many projects from this competition, providing students with opportunities to participate in competitions at the ministry, industry, and international levels.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong, Vice President of Nguyen Tat Thanh University, delivered a speech at the Final Round.

In the Preliminary Round, the judging panel selected 60 teams to advance to the Semi-Final Round, and 27 outstanding teams proceeded to the Final Round. The projects in the Final Round continued to receive training sessions from the Organizing Committee on skills to improve product completion, business models, startup finance, fundraising, and pitching, to enhance the quality of the competition.

In the Final Round, the 27 teams were divided into 3 groups for 2 rounds of competition. Round 1: teams displayed their products and standees at their tables, and the judging panel scored them accordingly. Each team had 5 minutes to present their project and 7 minutes to answer questions from the judges. After that, the judges selected the TOP10 teams to advance to Round 2. In Round 2, the TOP10 teams presented on stage, with each team having 3 minutes to present and 3 minutes to answer questions from the judges.

After scoring, evaluation, and selection based on criteria such as innovative ideas; feasibility and competitiveness of the project; application of science and technology in all fields, the judging panel awarded the first prize to the Aquabetle Plus team – a product that enhances efficiency from the extract of almond leaves from Nguyen Tat Thanh University.

The organizers awarded the First Prize to the Aquabetle Plus team – a product that enhances efficiency from the extract of almond leaves from Nguyen Tat Thanh University.

The Second Prizes went to the Gen shampoo and conditioner from blue ginger of Duc Trong High School, Lam Dong, and LOTUSLEEP – a natural sleep aid film from lotus heart and Vietnamese herbs (University of Economics and Business – Ho Chi Minh City).

ThS. Nguyễn Văn Hiếu, Deputy Director of the Student Culture House of Ho Chi Minh City, and PGS. TS. Bạch Long Giang, Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubation Center of NTTU, awarded the second prizes to 2 teams.

The Third Prizes went to CentiWork – a platform connecting Freelancer Talents with Businesses (University of Economics and Law, Foreign Trade University – Ho Chi Minh City, Banking Academy) and the Herbal Insecticide from neem oil and bình bát seeds (Nguyen Tat Thanh University).

TS. Ngô Đắc Thuần, Chairman of the Board of Directors of IP – GROUP, and ThS. Huỳnh Hồng Mai, Deputy Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubation Center of NTTU, awarded the third prizes to 2 teams.

There were 4 consolation prizes:
_ Production of scented candles, wax from coconut and young grapefruit (University of Economics – Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon University, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology)
_ SAKEFIT product – Cookies rich in resistant starch from Vietnamese sake fruit, University of Economics – Ho Chi Minh City
_ Michella – Fashionable bags made from Scoby kombucha, University of Economics – Ho Chi Minh City
_ The POLAFOAM – Natural coconut oil cosmetics, University of Economics – Ho Chi Minh City

Awarding 4 consolation prizes

The organizers also awarded 4 potential prizes to the following teams: GOVO – a crowdfunding and startup investment platform; Green World; Q HAIR – Your hair care green product; Premium dipping sauce and spices from precious medicinal plants of the Central Highlands – Central Vietnam ethnic groups. In addition, the organizers also awarded 14 movement prizes.

The judging panel awarded the potential and movement prizes.

In his role as a judge of the competition, Mr. Ngo Dac Thuan – Chairman of the Board of Directors of IP – GROUP, highly praised the projects in this year’s competition: “The projects in the finals are very practical, rich in potential, attracting the attention of many investors and have the potential for product marketization. In addition, I highly appreciate the organization of the competition by Nguyen Tat Thanh University, which is very professional in all aspects.

After more than 4 months of organization, going through rigorous rounds of competition, the organizers of the 2023 Creative Startup Ideas for Students Competition have found an outstanding champion. Through the competition, it has awakened the potential and promoted the creative thinking of students, stimulating the creation of practical ideas and products serving life. Furthermore, the projects and ideas have received approval from sponsors, thereby realizing the ideas into practice, raising the spirit of creative entrepreneurship among students with the support of the university and business units, while spreading the spirit of entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial culture to students in schools.

Information about the project that won first prize: Aquabetle Plus – A product that enhances efficiency from the extract of almond tree leaves.

Current members of Team Medilea:

_ Leader: Student Doan Thi Thu Hang (NTTU)
_ Main member: Student Nguyen Bao Danh (Nong Lam University)
_ Project manager (Founder and mentor): Dr. Tran Thanh (Institute of Applied Technology and Sustainable Development – NTTU)
_ Mentor: Ms. Truong Thi Cam Len – Faculty of Business Administration – NTTU

Dự án Aquabetle Plus – Sản phẩm gia tăng hiệu quả từ dịch chiết lá bàng

The project Aquabetle Plus – An effective product from almond leaf extract is a project researched by Nguyen Huu Tien, Doan Thi Thu Hang (Nguyen Tat Thanh University) for the past 2 years. The almond leaf extract is intended to limit antibiotics, improve the quality of aquatic products for Vietnam. The product is an application to solve practical problems, originating from the current situation of the environmental research group after the fieldwork.

The almond leaf extract product is different from other products on the market. There are currently 2 product lines: Medilea for aquaculture and Medilea Pro for ornamental fish. Some main differences are the production process and technology that maintain the pharmaceutical content of the almond leaf, minimizing loss during product production. The product has been evaluated for its content of active ingredients such as Saponin and Polysaccharides, showing a very good concentration for application in various functions. The concentration level, through technology, helps to reduce the amount used while still ensuring effectiveness, minimizing the effect on ornamental fish tanks’ water color. Additionally, the almond leaf extract also supplements some beneficial microorganisms in the product used for fish farming for the aquatic product farming market, such as some beneficial microorganisms that help aquatic animals’ digestive system function better and more effectively in digesting food.

Regarding the plans after winning the first prize in the 2023 Creative Startup Ideas for Students Competition, Dr. Tran Thanh, Institute of Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development – Founder, Project Supervising Lecturer, said: “The next direction of the group is to continuously improve the product. The group’s guiding principle is always ‘Quality brings brand value’, therefore, research to enhance efficiency is always being developed. In addition, the group is completing the production process to create an intellectual property ownership file for the product. This helps to insure the group’s ideas and is also a prerequisite for boldly expanding commercialization.”

The prize structure includes:
_ 01 First Prize: Gold Cup; 20,000,000 VND and an incubation package for 1 year at NIIC worth 120,000,000 VND;
_ 02 Second Prizes: each prize 10,000,000 VND and an incubation package for 6 months at NIIC worth 60,000,000 VND;
_ 02 Third Prizes: each prize 5,000,000 VND and an incubation package for 3 months at NIIC worth 30,000,000 VND;
_ 04 Consolation Prizes: each prize 2,000,000 VND and an incubation package for 3 months at NIIC worth 30,000,000 VND
_ 04 Potential Prizes: each prize 2,000,000 VND and an incubation package for 3 months at NIIC worth 30,000,000 VND
_ 14 Movement Prizes: each prize 1,000,000 VND and an incubation package for 3 months at NIIC worth 30,000,000 VND
_ Other awards: 01 Correctly Voted Champion Prize: 2,000,000 VND; 01 Most Favorite Project Prize: 2,000,000 VND

News: Phuong Nguyen

Photos: Media