Bringing creative ideas out of the “incubator”

Many universities and colleges are trying to create an environment and support mechanisms for students to turn their ideas into real products, gradually moving towards starting a business. However, this is not easy and requires joint efforts from many sides.

Rich in startup ideas

The Center for Innovation, Startup and Technology Transfer (CISAT, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Education) is 3,200 square ^meters wide, but it is rarely quiet. Here, there are always groups of students enthusiastically exchanging and discussing with the school's leading experts to plan the production of "made in HCMUTE" products.

Students with research projects on electrical equipment and microchips at CISAT Center, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Education

Student Nguyen Ngoc Bao Tram, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, and her team completed the project “Nutritious black garlic cake with jackfruit seeds, rich in antioxidants and with a low glycemic index for diabetics”. The project aims to create a line of healthy nutritional cakes from black garlic and jackfruit seeds. “Thanks to its low glycemic index and healthy ingredients, the product is designed to serve dieters, especially diabetics”, Bao Tram shared.

At the University of Information Technology (VNU-HCM), creative start-up activities also attract a large number of students and lecturers with many products and projects that can be applied immediately to production. Nguyen Doan Hoang Phuc, a student of the Faculty of Computer Engineering, expressed his satisfaction with his first project that he just completed: designing a RISC-V microcontroller with integrated hard coding, helping to save energy specifically for IoT systems. Hoang Phuc shared: “To save energy, the RISC-V design process requires many complex techniques in physical design. During the 6 months of implementation, I received enthusiastic guidance from teachers. With this project, I have completed the RISC-V microcontroller design that can be sent to factories for production.”

Meanwhile, at Nguyen Tat Thanh University, a group of students led by Pham Tran Minh Thu, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Technology, has implemented the project “AroTrips - Travel health care products from white turmeric”. The project aims to bring the indigenous medicinal herb white turmeric into health care products, suitable for the needs of tourists, thanks to the combination of anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and skin regeneration properties...

Looking for a "midwife" to commercialize

According to MSc. Le Tan Cuong, Deputy Director in charge of CISAT Center, for students' ideas and projects to truly become applied products, it is necessary to have the companionship and support from businesses. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Education is cooperating with thousands of businesses, in which CISAT plays the role of a bridge between research activities and production practices. The Center also deploys applied research models to promote the commercialization of technology products.

Mr. TRAN ANH TUAN, Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City Vocational Education Association:

Perfecting institutions, developing resources

A sustainable startup ecosystem cannot rely solely on the enthusiasm and ideas of teachers and students of schools, but requires three pillars: institutions - capital - human resources. These three factors must be closely linked and creatively applied to create momentum. The city needs to continue to innovate the science and technology management mechanism, towards flexibility, transparency, and increased autonomy; form strong public science and technology organizations, in a multi-disciplinary and multi-field direction, to act as the connecting nucleus between the State, businesses and schools.

One of the clear evidences for the above orientation is the MakerSpace Creative Space - a place to support start-up incubation, develop ideas and bring technology products into reality. MakerSpace has invested in many modern equipment such as welding machines, drilling machines, sewing machines, CNC cutting machines, electronic circuit boards... serving most of the school's training fields. "Thanks to that, the products developed here not only meet academic requirements but also ensure quality, applicability and commercialization ability", emphasized Master Le Tan Cuong.

At the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), in 2024, more than 30 start-up projects were successfully incubated by UEH. UEH also organizes intensive training courses, connects businesses, consults and supports student start-ups. Associate Professor Phan Thi Bich Nguyet, Director of the UEH Innovation Institute, said that the school always accompanies innovation initiatives through many programs, attracting the participation of students and experts from large companies and corporations. Since then, many innovation projects and business models associated with circular economy and green technology have been successfully developed. "For student start-up activities to truly come to life, it is necessary to expand startup centers, startup incubators... because these are the midwives for creative ideas," Associate Professor Phan Thi Bich Nguyet emphasized.

According to representatives of some businesses, to bring students' ideas and projects from the lab and incubation center to production is a long process, requiring the perseverance of the start-up entities and strong support resources. Currently, many businesses are willing to contribute capital and accompany students and schools in the product development process. However, the "young bosses" themselves need to equip themselves with additional skills outside of their expertise, especially operational and management skills to be able to start a business effectively.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training, in the period of 2020-2024, students across the country have implemented more than 42,500 startup ideas and projects within the framework of competitions and support programs organized by the ministry and provinces and cities. Of these, nearly 300 student business development projects were incubated, 12 businesses called for investment capital. Currently, about 60% of universities and colleges have established startup clubs in priority areas, based on the strengths of each institution.

QUANG HUY

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dua-y-tuong-sang-tao-ra-khoi-vuon-uom-post820687.html