Connecting innovative startup products to consumer markets is always a priority for startups.

Ignite your passion.

In 2023, Ms. Hoang Thi Cam Nhung won first prize in the Provincial (now Hue City) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition with her project "Moc An Cereals - A Journey of Sustainable Development". Ms. Nhung is the founder and director of Moc An Green Agriculture Development Co., Ltd., continuing her goal of providing consumers, especially mothers, children, pregnant women, and the elderly, with nutritious, safe, and high-quality cereal flour and cakes made from readily available local ingredients.

Beyond its traditional customer base and niche market in Hue , Moc An's cereal products are gradually expanding into larger markets, catering to a diverse range of customers of different ages and health conditions. To develop its market, in addition to focusing on sourcing safe, high-quality raw materials, Moc An invests in new machinery and technology to increase productivity, improve quality, diversify product lines, and enhance packaging to meet customer demands for "green," "safe," and "nutritious" products.

The startup project "Thuan An Pressed Cake - Crispy Pizza Conquering the World " won first prize at the Thua Thien Hue Province Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition in 2021. Ngo Duc Vuong, the founder of Hue Pressed Cakes - Hue One Food, chose to inherit the essence of traditional Hue cuisine to elevate Hue pressed cakes by standardizing the process, investing in mass production technology, and exporting. Hue Pressed Cakes' innovative startup aims to create a new, high-quality product with a new design that is convenient, practical, and aesthetically pleasing, while still preserving its distinctive traditional values.

Speaking about startups in Hue that are "turning around" well and have the potential to go far, Mr. Cung Trong Cuong, Director of the City Development Research Institute, named several examples such as: Hue One Food (Hue pressed cakes), Maypaperflower (Hue handmade paper flowers), Hoa Nen, YesHue, Bo Chinh Hoang Gia ginseng, Myy Nature, Bach Ma Herbals essential oils... "The reason these startups are doing well is thanks to their dedicated founders who constantly explore, learn, self-train their workforce, and diligently seek investors and markets," Mr. Cuong shared.

Remove barriers, seize opportunities.

Living green, healthy consumption, being environmentally friendly, and applying smart technology are current trends in social development. Recognizing this need of consumers and the market, many individuals and organizations in Hue have focused on innovative startups in several fields: processing safe agricultural products, medicinal herbs, souvenirs, environmentally friendly handicrafts, traditional cuisine, digital technology, green tourism, and green transformation.

From 2016 to the present, support for the innovation and startup ecosystem in Hue has consistently received investment and has gradually become more substantial, yielding many positive results. Many innovative startup ideas and projects from individuals, organizations, and units have achieved high rankings in major regional and national innovation and startup competitions, notably: Marie's Co Bang (a type of grass) won third prize in the National Startup Project Development Program in 2021; Huenuts (garlic chili peanuts) was in the top 10 of the National Innovation and Startup Competition in 2022; "Hue Royal Bird's Nest, bringing royal delicacies to every home" was in the top 20 outstanding projects of the National Startup Project Development Program in 2023 and won a top 100 award for outstanding young entrepreneurs nationwide in 2023; "Hue cooking food - Innovating to elevate Hue specialties" was in the top 20 of the National Innovation and Startup Competition in 2024...

As a unit within the startup ecosystem in Hue, the Hue Innovation Hub consistently promotes and supports startup and innovation activities in the area. Since 2019, the Hub has organized numerous inspirational programs, courses, workshops, and bootcamps focusing on creative thinking, business model design, marketing, fundraising, and more, tailored to specific themes and fields.

Hue Innovation Hub also serves as an incubation center, providing co-working spaces for startups, organizing product exhibition areas, recording studios, and connecting them with investment funds, mentors, and large businesses... helping startups access the market and expand their distribution channels.

As the Director of Hue Innovation Hub, Mr. Cung Trong Cuong believes that, besides good, high-quality innovative startup products, the most important thing is to have a market and good sales growth. However, in Hue, the team capable of doing this is not strong enough and lacks professionalism. Furthermore, Hue's startup ecosystem is still weak in terms of market access, support programs, and does not adequately address the specific goals and areas needing support to leverage strengths. Even with many government support policies, they are still not feasible or suitable for the needs of startup businesses...

According to experts, in addition to building a strong, professional team that understands market trends and market connections, startups should target Hue's strengths in areas 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, etc., and should create a chain of linkages and an ecosystem to promote the development and growth of innovative startups.

Text and photos: HOAI THUONG

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