'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 by Mr. Nguyen Vu Hieu Trung - Deputy Head of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Tan Tao University .

BIOFEED idea at the Innovation and Startup Competition in Long An province

Thuy Linh shared: “At first, we just wanted to learn 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 success.”

The clearest proof is that this idea won the First Prize in the Idea Category of the 5th "Innovative Startup" Competition in 2024 of Long An province and the Third Prize in the "Innovative Startup - Building the Future" Competition in 2024.

Although they studied Economics and had no background in animal husbandry or biology, Thuy Linh and Hoai Mong were 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 main products from flies and fly larvae (black flies and fruit flies) providing abundant, environmentally friendly protein sources, producing organic fertilizer from larval by-products, contributing to soil improvement and improving crop quality.

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

"The journey of starting 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 products reach more 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 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, equipping it with necessary skills, knowledge, thinking, and business foundation to help the product be completed and soon replicated in practice; support connection with the Department of Science and Technology; the Provincial Young Entrepreneurs Association signs a support agreement to realize the idea. In addition, the Provincial Youth Union Standing Committee will provide financial support to create interest, encourage, motivate creativity and contribute to the development of ideas in the future.

Solid support

During the period of 2018-2024, the Provincial Youth Union and the Vietnam Youth Union in collaboration with the Provincial Young Entrepreneurs Association and the Department of Science and Technology organized 5 Innovation and Startup Competitions in Long An province (formerly the Creative Startup Ideas Competition). After 5 times of organization, the competition 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 TN registered to participate in the competition with projects and models 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, the Organizing Committee of the competition provided training to foster necessary knowledge and skills for contestants such as opportunities, challenges, current startup development orientation; business development support services, market research methods; how to build a project, project presentation skills;...

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 to demonstrate their talents and aspirations to start a business. Thereby, helping young people have more conditions to expand their production and business scale, promoting their passion for establishing themselves, starting a business, and getting rich legitimately".

In 2024, the Provincial Youth Union will organize many startup training courses for youth union members, a seminar program to exchange and share startup experiences with typical young entrepreneurs; and a youth startup festival to develop the economy.

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-NQ/TW, 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; at the same time, launch emulation movements to promote the combined strength of the entire Youth Union, Association, and Team system, the active participation of entrepreneurs, young businesses, intellectuals, young scientists and children inside and outside the province. In addition, 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, Association, Team officials and young people./.

Khanh Duy

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