Connecting the market to consume innovative startup products is always a focus for startup businesses.

Inspire passion

In 2023, Ms. Hoang Thi Cam Nhung won the First Prize from the Provincial Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (KNĐMST) (now Hue City) with the project "Moc An Cereal - Journey of Sustainable Development". Ms. Nhung is the founder and Director of Moc An Green Agriculture Development Company Limited, continuing the goal of bringing to users, especially mothers, children, pregnant women, the elderly... nutritious, safe, and quality cereal powder and cake products from locally available raw materials.

In addition to the traditional customer group and the small market in Hue, Moc An cereal products are gradually expanding to large markets, supplying many customers of different ages and health conditions. To develop the market, in addition to focusing on raw material areas that meet safety standards, Moc An also invests in new machinery and technology to increase productivity, quality, and diversify product lines; improve designs and packaging to meet customers' "green", "safe", and "nutritious" needs.

The startup project "Thuan An pressed rice cake - Crispy pizza conquers the world" won the first prize at the Thua Thien Hue Provincial Innovation Competition in 2021. Mr. Ngo Duc Vuong, founder of Hue pressed rice cake - Hue One Food, chose to inherit the traditional culinary quintessence of Hue people to elevate Hue pressed rice cake by standardizing the process, investing in mass production technology lines and exporting. Hue pressed rice cake's creative startup is to create a new quality product, a new design that is convenient, practical, aesthetic... but still retains its typical traditional values.

Referring to startups in Hue that are "turning around" well and have the potential to go far, Mr. Cung Trong Cuong, Director of the Institute for City Development Studies, named some typical examples such as: Hue One Food, Maypaperflower - Hue handmade paper flowers, Hoa Nen, YesHue, Royal Bo Chinh ginseng, Myy Nature, Bach Ma Herbals essential oil... "The reason these startups are "running" well is because the founders are dedicated, constantly researching, learning, self-training human resources and diligently looking for investors and markets," Mr. Cuong shared.

Remove barriers, seize opportunities

Green living, healthy consumption, environmental friendliness, application of smart technology... are the current development trends of society. Recognizing this need of consumers and the market, many individuals and organizations in Hue have focused on creative startups in a number of areas: Safe agricultural product processing, medicinal herbs, souvenirs, environmentally friendly handicrafts, traditional cuisine, digital technology, green tourism, green transformation...

From 2016 to present, activities to support the innovation ecosystem in Hue have always received investment attention and gradually become practical, achieving many results. Many creative startup ideas and projects of individuals, organizations and units have achieved high results at major innovation playgrounds at the regional and national levels, typically: Marie's Grass won the Third Prize of the National Innovation Project Development Program in 2021; Huenuts Garlic Chili Peanuts entered the top 10 of the National Innovation Competition in 2022; "Hue Royal Bird's Nest, bringing royal delicacies to every home" entered the top 20 outstanding projects of the National Innovation Project Development Program in 2023 and the award of the top 100 outstanding young entrepreneurs nationwide in 2023; "Hue cooking food - Creativity to elevate Hue specialties" entered the top 20 of the National Innovation Competition in 2024...

As a unit in the startup ecosystem in Hue, Hue Innovation Hub always accompanies, promotes and supports KNĐMST activities in the area. From 2019 to present, the Center has organized many inspirational programs, courses, workshops, bootcamps (training programs) on creative thinking, business model design, marketing, capital calling... according to specific topics and fields.

Hue Innovation Hub is also an incubator, supporting co-working space for startups, organizing product display areas, recording studios and connecting with investment funds, consultants, large enterprises... helping startups access the market and expand distribution channels.

As the Director of Hue Innovation Hub, Mr. Cung Trong Cuong believes that, in addition to good and high-quality innovative startup products, the most important thing is to have a consumer market and good consumption growth. However, in Hue, the team to do this is not strong and unprofessional. Moreover, Hue's startup ecosystem is still weak in terms of market, weak in terms of support programs and has not met the right goals and areas that need support to promote strengths. Even though there are many support policies from the State, they are still not feasible and not suitable for the needs of startups...

According to experts, in addition to building a strong, professional team that knows how to orient the market and connect the market, startups need to target Hue's strong environments and fields for creative startups, such as: Technology combined with healthcare, technology combined with tourism, tourism combined with health, traditional crafts combined with modern technology, tourism services, cuisine, sustainable green products... and should create a chain of links and ecosystems to promote creative startups to develop and grow.

Article and photos: HOAI THUONG

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/khoi-nghiep/diu-dat-startup-lon-manh-153325.html