'Powering' startup ideas and projects

Many potential ideas

BIOFEED is a startup idea initiated by Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh and Truong Thi Hoai Mong - 3rd year students, majoring in Business Administration, Tan Tao University (Duc Hoa district). Originating from the need to find a sustainable solution for agricultural waste treatment, Thuy Linh and Hoai Mong were inspired by a lecture of Mr. Nguyen Vu Hieu Trung - Deputy Head of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Tan Tao University.

Presenting BIOFEED idea at the Long An province's Innovation and Startup Competition

Thuy Linh shared: "At first, we just wanted to satisfy our curiosity, but the deeper we dug, the more we realized the great potential of this model. Thanks to the teachers' encouragement and determination to bring practical value, BIOFEED gradually took shape and achieved initial successes."

This idea won the first prize in the idea category of the 5th "Innovative Startup" contest in 2024 of Long An province and the third prize in the "Innovative Startup - Creating the Future" contest in 2024.

Although studying Economics and having no professional background in animal husbandry or biology, Thuy Linh and Hoai Mong were still determined to pursue their idea. With the dedicated guidance of Ms. Vo Thi Ngoc Thanh - lecturer of the Faculty of Biotechnology, Tan Tao University, the two students gradually mastered the technique of raising black soldier fly larvae.

With the main products from flies and fly larvae (black flies and fruit flies), this product provides an abundant source of protein, environmentally friendly, producing organic fertilizer from the by-products of larvae, contributing to soil and quality of crops improvement.

Raising fly larvae minimizes the amount of waste from agricultural markets, leftover food from industrial parks and export processing zones that pollute the environment. Food waste, agricultural by-products and plastics treatment services utilizing by fly larvae helps to minimize environmental impacts and respond to climate change.

"The journey to start a business is never easy and BIOFEED is no exception. The biggest challenge for us is the lack of specialized knowledge in animal husbandry and biotechnology. Initially, accessing black soldier fly larvae was difficult, but thanks to the support of teachers, we were able to acquire knowledge and apply it in practice" - Hoai Mong said.

Currently, BIOFEED has completed the experimental breeding process and is producing on a small scale. In the near future, Thuy Linh and Hoai Mong plan to expand cooperation with livestock farms, helping the product reach more widely to farmers. At the same time, the group is also looking for more support and investment to develop BIOFEED into a sustainable business model. In addition, the two students also aim to research more by-products from larvae such as organic fertilizers, helping to optimize the value of this production process.

The Provincial Youth Union Standing Committee will support the BIOFEED idea to participate in training courses, equip them with necessary skills, knowledge and thinking, and business foundation to help complete the product and soon replicate it in practice; support connections with the Department of Science and Technology and the Provincial Young Entrepreneurs Association. In addition, the Provincial Youth Union Standing Committee will support funding to create interest, encourage, motivate creativity and contribute to the development of ideas in the coming time.

Solid support

In the period of 2018-2024, the Provincial Youth Union and the Vietnam Youth Union in coordination with the Provincial Young Entrepreneurs Association, the Department of Science and Technology organized 5 Innovation and Startup Competitions in Long An province (formerly the Creative Startup Idea Competition). After 5 times of organization, the contest received 888 entries.

Final round of the 5th Long An Province Innovation and Startup Competition, 2024

There are many ideas and projects in the agricultural sector that commercialize products, apply high technology in production and business activities, make the most of local strengths, focus on development associated with improving agricultural products and creating a new direction for the province's agricultural sector.

Before the final round took place, the Organizing Committee of the competition trained and fostered necessary knowledge and skills for the contestants such as opportunities, challenges, current startup development orientation, business development support services, market research methods, how to build a project, project presentation skills, etc.

Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union - Tran Hai Phu said: "The Long An Province Innovation and Startup Competition is a useful playground, helping young people demonstrate their talents and aspirations to start a business, enabling them to expand production and business scale, promote their passion for establishing, starting a business, and getting rich legitimately".

In 2024, the Provincial Youth Union organized many startup training courses for young union members, a seminar program to exchange and share startup experiences with typical young entrepreneurs

In addition, through connecting activities and signing cooperation agreements between the Provincial Youth Union and businesses inside and outside the province, resources have been linked to support effective startup projects and ideas of young people. In particular, in the field of environmental protection and climate change response, in 2024, the Provincial Youth Union supported 2 ideas and 5 startup projects.

Implementing Resolution No. 57, dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation, Mr. Tran Hai Phu informed: In the coming time, the Provincial Youth Union will continue to coordinate with departments and branches to support young people to start up and innovate with many practical activities; guide young businesses and start-up entrepreneurs on preferential policies, encourage businesses, especially small and medium enterprises to invest in digital transformation and apply science; launch emulation movements to promote the combined strength of the entire Youth Union, the active participation of entrepreneurs, young businesses, intellectuals, young scientists and children in and outside the province; innovate the content and form, improve the quality, expand the scale and subjects of competitions, contests, awards, scientific and technological activities, innovation and digital transformation.

In addition, the Provincial Youth Union will organize new playgrounds, models, and projects that lead technology trends for young people; enhance career orientation activities in related professions for students; coordinate with universities and technology enterprises to organize specialized training courses on new technologies for young people; deeply and widely deploy the digital learning movement, popularize and improve scientific and technological knowledge and digital capacity for Youth Union and young people./.

By Khanh Duy - Translated by Q. Thien

Source: https://baolongan.vn/tiep-suc-cho-cac-y-tuong-du-an-khoi-nghiep-a192305.html