Startups in schools

07:16, 21/11/2023

In recent years, schools throughout the province have focused on fostering an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit in schools through practical activities. As a result, many startups with promising projects have been discovered, nurtured, and have achieved initial success.

Starting a business with handmade wool products.

Recognizing that handmade items are a popular trend among young people and are gradually spreading to all age groups, since July 2023, a group of five young people with a shared passion for knitting and crocheting: Nguyen Tran Khoi Nguyen, Luc Nguyen Uyen Chi, Le Thi Thuy Nga, Vo Thu Thao, and Pham Ngoc Han (all 11th-grade students at Cao Nguyen Practice High School) have had the idea to start a business selling handmade woolen items.

Nguyen Tran Khoi Nguyen (on the left) introduces the group's handmade woolen products to customers.

To realize their idea, the group members pooled their money to buy yarn and materials to make products and develop an online sales channel. The products they make are usually cute and charming items such as keychains, hair accessories (headbands, hair ties), handbags, hats, shirts, table centerpieces, etc., with prices ranging from 40,000 to 180,000 VND per item (depending on size). To attract customers, the group members have "modified" the products to make them more unique and innovative by diversifying styles, patterns, and combinations of different colors and types of yarn. Along with that, the startup group posted and shared images and information about their products on their personal Facebook pages and handmade craft groups. They also created a fan page called "Sắc handmade" to introduce and advise customers on choosing and ordering items they liked and suited. In addition to ready-made products, the group also accepts custom orders based on customers' ideas and requests, along with gift wrapping services; they provide tools, materials, and instructional videos so that customers can create their own handmade crocheted products.

The group's products all have unique designs, are non-repetitive, and are adapted to suit different holidays, events, and the individual personalities of each customer. Typically, it takes at least 2 hours to make a handmade woolen product, and sometimes 2-5 days. Initially, the group mainly sold to relatives, friends, and students in the province. Now, many customers from other provinces, such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, have learned about and ordered their products. Currently, the group sells an average of 20-30 products per month. A portion of the money earned from sales is used for working capital, and the rest is used to cover educational expenses.

Nguyen Tran Khoi Nguyen, a member of the group, said that with good quality, attractive designs, and reasonable prices, the group's products have received positive reviews and feedback from customers. In the future, the group will aim to distribute products to accessory and clothing stores in Buon Ma Thuot City. Along with that, they will explore and create more knitted and crocheted products to suit consumer tastes and expand their customer base.

Recently, at the 2023 Startup and Innovation Ideas Competition organized by Tay Nguyen University, the group's project "Colorful Handmade Wool Shop - New Hope" won second prize.

Automating the passion fruit processing process.

With the desire to automate the process of separating passion fruit pulp, replacing the manual method currently used in most households and passion fruit processing facilities in the locality, in 2022, a research group from Dong Du Secondary and High School, including students: Vi Thi Thu Ha (class 12A1), Le Tran Dang Khoa (class 10A1), Le Tran Nhat Khoa (class 10A1), Pham Ngoc Thien Thu (class 10A5), and Tran Vo Thien An (class 10A3), jointly developed the project "Designing and manufacturing a passion fruit pulp extraction machine to automate the production process and increase labor productivity".

Students from Dong Du Secondary and High School introduced a passion fruit pulp extraction machine at the 2023 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Festival.

Sharing her thoughts on the project, Pham Ngoc Thien Thu, a member of the group, said: “During our field trips to passion fruit farms and processing facilities, we realized that the process was still very manual. Furthermore, although there are many passion fruit plants in the province, 100% of the processing is still done manually, which is very time-consuming. Not to mention, this method yields low productivity, incurs high labor costs, and doesn't guarantee food safety and hygiene. Understanding these difficulties faced by farmers and passion fruit processing facilities, our group researched and developed the passion fruit pulp extraction machine.”

Initially, under the guidance of their teachers, the students researched the automated machine manufacturing process through previous science and technology projects. After building a solid foundation of knowledge, they began constructing the machine. At first, the machine had many shortcomings; the passion fruit seeds were not completely separated from the shell. However, the group persevered and worked hard to overcome these issues, gradually improving the machine.

Thanks to their determination, the passion fruit pulping machine has been completed with full functionality. After being placed in the machine, the pulp is completely separated from the peel. This product not only improves labor productivity but also aims to transform passion fruit production and processing from manual, rudimentary methods to industrial production using advanced, modern techniques. Simultaneously, it contributes to the automation of agricultural processing in the locality, enhances the value of passion fruit, and thus improves the economic lives of farmers.

Thanks to its practical significance, the project "Designing and manufacturing a passion fruit pulp extraction machine to automate production processes and increase labor productivity" by a group of students from Dong Du Secondary and High School has won numerous awards, including Second Prize in the industrial and product manufacturing category at the 5th National Student Entrepreneurship Ideas Competition; First Prize at the National Science and Technology Competition for high school students in the 2021-2022 school year; the 8th Vu A Dinh Award in 2022; and First Prize at the Provincial Science and Technology Competition for high school students in the 2021-2022 school year. This also serves as motivation for the group members to strive even harder. From there, they will develop innovative methods to bring the project's product into widespread application in real life.

Kha Le - Tuyet Mai

Source