Green startup inspiration: Young people's pioneering needed

Press conference to announce Tuoi Tre Start-up Award at Tuoi Tre newspaper office on the morning of September 18 - Photo: QUANG DINH

That was the sharing of Mr. Tran Xuan Toan - Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre Newspaper - at the press conference announcing the Tuoi Tre Start-up Award program on the morning of September 18, as the head of the program's organizing committee, when talking about the theme of Green Startup Inspiration of this year's program.

Honoring startups aiming for sustainable development

Mr. Tran Xuan Toan - Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre Newspaper - shares about the 4-year journey of Tuoi Tre Start-up Award - Photo: QUANG DINH

Launched on August 20, after more than 1 month, the program has received about 150 projects, many of which are related to the theme of green startups and sustainable development.

This year also marks the 5-year milestone of the Tuoi Tre Start-up Award. Looking back at the program’s 4-year journey, Mr. Tran Xuan Toan said that the program has received more than 1,000 startup projects, with over 200 projects being evaluated, with a total cash prize of 2.2 billion VND.

"The prize money is not big. What is bigger is the spiritual value, motivating young startups and spreading the entrepreneurial spirit to the younger generation. Reading the applications sent from all over, we are always surprised by your ideas. Up to now, many supported startups have been successful and some have returned to support new startups. That is proof of the spreading value of the competition.

This year, with the theme Green Startup Inspiration, we hope to seek and honor startups that aim for sustainable development, conveying the message to more young people."

From the preliminary round, the expert council will select the top 20 to enter the final round. The criteria for evaluating the startups that make it to the top will include sustainable development factors (finance, environment, human resources), value contribution to the community, followed by the startup’s innovation, creativity, capital mobilization strategy and sales efficiency.

Need for pioneering role of young start-ups

Associate Professor, Dr. Phan Thi Bich Nguyet - Chairwoman of the UEH Strategy and Policy Advisory Council, Director of the UEH Innovation Institute, Mr. Ngo Minh Hai - Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union, Mr. Truong Minh Dat - Co-founder of Bekon Joint Stock Company interacted at the press conference to announce the program - Photo: QUANG DINH

Present at the press conference, Mr. Truong Minh Dat - co-founder of Bekon Joint Stock Company, one of the startups in the top 20 of Tuoi Tre Start-up Award 2023, shared about the difficulties of young startups, especially green startups.

Guests received a gift of a tree at the press conference announcing the Tuoi Tre Start-up Award with the theme of Green Startup Inspiration - Photo: QUANG DINH

He believes that starting a business is difficult for young people and even more difficult when starting a green business. Therefore, it is important that young people starting a business in this field are passionate about their sustainable development goals.

"Bekon is a business specializing in energy saving solutions, saving electricity for air conditioners. We are technicians, not good at market development, so we have to face the problem of bringing the product to consumers after having a product.

I hope that through programs like Tuoi Tre Start-up Award, more and more pioneering businesses will support start-ups so that start-ups like us can implement our ideas and have the opportunity to develop," Mr. Dat added.

Mr. Pham Phu Ngoc Trai - Chairman of PRO Vietnam Recycling Alliance, member of the Youth Start-up Award Judging Council - highly appreciated the pioneering spirit of young people - Photo: QUANG DINH

At the press conference, there was the presence of the evaluation council with representatives including Mr. Pham Phu Ngoc Trai - Chairman of PRO Vietnam Recycling Alliance, Mr. Ngo Minh Hai - Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union, Ms. Nguyen Thi Dieu Hang - Director of the Youth Startup Support Center (BSSC), reporters asked many questions about the role of green startups and support for young startups in this field.

Mr. Pham Phu Ngoc Trai believes that young people today will face new challenges when starting a business, but the pioneering role is very important.

"Recently, we often talk about the circular economic model. Vietnam is also making great progress when, in addition to committing to COP26 on emission reduction, we have also passed the revised Law on Environmental Protection with regulations on producer responsibility.

I appreciate recent programs like Tuoi Tre Start-up Award. The pioneering factor is very important. Programs like this, young start-ups pioneering green startups will spark change, creating momentum in the business community ecosystem," Mr. Trai shared.

Mr. Pham Phu Ngoc Trai also added that this year, for the first time, the Tuoi Tre Start-up Award has the participation of ACB Bank, which is very meaningful, because the role of financial institutions and banks in supporting start-up projects is very important.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dieu Hang - Director of the Youth Startup Support Center (BSSC) has also accompanied Tuoi Tre Start-up Award since the first year - Photo: QUANG DINH

Talking about the topic of green startups, Ms. Nguyen Thi Dieu Hang shared that doing business for young people is already difficult, aiming for a green economy and sustainable development is even more difficult.

Therefore, with the theme of Green Startup Inspiration , this year's competition will be a source of encouragement, as well as motivation for young people and let young people pursuing sustainable startups know that they are being recognized.

As someone who has been involved with the program since its first year, Mr. Ngo Minh Hai - Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union - told young entrepreneurs that along with programs like the Tuoi Tre Start-up Award, the Youth Union will always be there to support young people on their entrepreneurial journey.

"Only about 10% or less of startups survive and grow. Maybe 1,000 startups fail, but the important thing is that you will continue to try, learn from your mistakes as provisions to move forward," he said.

Inspiring green entrepreneurship

Continuing the success of previous seasons, the 5th Tuoi Tre Start-up Award project in 2024 with the theme Green Startup Inspiration prioritizes selecting environmentally friendly startup ideas, models, solutions, and products, creating practical values ​​for the community, thereby contributing to the rapid promotion of the circular economy, towards the Government's goal of reducing net emissions to zero by 2050.

The program is organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper, Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union, in coordination with the Business Startup Support Center (BSSC), and the Vietnam Packaging Recycling Alliance (PRO Vietnam).

Tuoi Tre Start-up Award 2024 aims to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit of young people and students, helping to nurture ideas and determination for green startups and sustainable development; Search for and honor effective startup models that bring value to society and the country; Contribute to supporting startups and individuals to access investors and startup funds.

Marking the 5-year milestone of the program, within the framework of Tuoi Tre Start-up Award 2024, there will be many activities taking place throughout such as: "Green Startup Inspiration" Forum, Golf Tournament, Talkshow and Workshop programs on the topic of building a sustainable development brand...

In particular, the "Green Startup Inspiration" Forum, after nearly a month of launching, has received nearly 150 projects and startup stories from readers. The organizing committee will select outstanding startup projects and products for the preliminary round and post them at: tuoitre.vn. The members of the evaluation board will contact and connect to understand the startups through the special Coffee Talk award. Thereby, select promising startups to honor in the program's Gala, scheduled to be held in November 2024.

In addition to being honored in the press, startup stories will have the opportunity to approach many investment funds as well as be communicated and promoted to the community. For the top 20 startups selected to enter the final round, the organizing committee will support a sum of money with the companionship of the following units: VinaCapital, ACB, Volvo, Dai-ichi Life Vietnam, An Hoa, Fastlink, Tin Nghia, Long Thanh golf course... In which, there is a special prize worth 100 million VND, from the program's advisory board, Mr. Pham Phu Ngoc Trai - Chairman of the Vietnam Packaging Recycling Alliance (PRO Vietnam).

As part of the Youth Start-up Award 2024 series of activities, the Golf Tournament will take place on October 18, 2024, at Long Thanh Golf Course, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province. The tournament is expected to attract the participation of nearly 150 golfers at Long Thanh Golf Course, along with many attractive sideline activities: displaying products of typical start-ups, auctioning special items, enjoying famous bowls of pho from Golden Star Anise of the program 'Pho Day'.

Especially, it is an opportunity for start-ups to interact with golfers who are famous businessmen. Besides the main prizes, there is also a special HIO prize of an XC60 Recharge car, worth 2,890,000,000 billion VND.

Tuoi Tre Start-up Award 2024 is accepting applications from projects from now until October 20, 2024, at the email address tuoitrestartupaward@tuoitre.com.vn, or visit the Tuoi Tre Start-up Award 2024 website to receive the registration form and submit entries.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cam-hung-khoi-nghiep-xanh-can-su-tien-phong-cua-ban-tre-2024091813085757.htm