“NTTU Innovation & Startup Day Empowers Students’ Creative Ideas

The 8th Startup Day and Search for Creative Ideas 2026 at the High-Tech Park Campus of Nguyen Tat Thanh University is an event bringing together students, experts, and enterprises to present, critique, and develop practical startup projects, contributing to promoting innovation and connecting education with social needs in the digital era.

The event was attended by representatives of organizations and units supporting startups, including: Mr. Nguyen Van Nga, M.Sc. – Deputy Director General of Mebi Farm Joint Stock Company, Head of the Business Advisory and Investment Connection Board of the Southern National Advisory and Support Council for Startups; Mr. Tran Ngoc Tuoi, M.Sc. – Member of the Southern National Advisory and Support Council for Startups; Ms. Thai Thi Nhu Hong, M.Sc. – Director of Nhu Hong Trading and Service Company Limited; Mr. Cao Quang Huan, M.Sc. – Director of Asia Electrical – Electronics Telecommunication Engineering Company Limited; Dr. Nguyen Quoc Cuong – Director of the Dong Nai Innovation Institute; and Ms. Rubi Nguyen – CIO of Galaxycons, Lean Sigma Green Belt.

Representing the signing partner organizations were Ms. Nguyen Thanh Mai – Chairwoman of the Board of Directors cum General Director of Pure Global Joint Stock Company; Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Minh Trang – Director of Pure Global Joint Stock Company; Ms. Huynh Thi Truc Tien – Deputy Director of Lead The Change Company Limited; Ms. Vu Minh Ngoc – Coordination and Operations Lead of Lead The Change Company Limited; and Mr. Truong Hoang Duy Kha – Director of Bui Media Company Limited.

Representing Nguyen Tat Thanh University were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong – Vice President of the University; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bach Long Giang – Director of the Center for Creative and Startup Incubation; Mr. Huynh Hong Mai, M.Sc. and Dr. Hoang Thinh Nhan – Deputy Directors of the Center for Creative and Startup Incubation; Dr. Pharm. Phan Thien Vy – Vice Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy; Dr. Bui Van Thoi – Vice Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration; Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoa, M.Sc. – Vice Dean of the Faculty of Finance and Accounting, alongside faculty members, experts, panel judges, and a large number of students.

Delegates, experts, corporate representatives, and students attending the 8th Startup Day and Search for Creative Ideas 2026 at Nguyen Tat Thanh University

A platform for students to test and refine their ideas

Delivering the opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong emphasized that entrepreneurship in the current context is not merely about establishing a business, but also reflects the aspiration to generate new values, a willingness to think differently, innovate, and solve societal challenges through knowledge, technology, and creativity.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong, Nguyen Tat Thanh University is steadfastly building an innovative entrepreneurial university model, step-by-step integrating the entrepreneurial spirit into its core academic curriculum. Students engage in a 30-period Entrepreneurship module (equivalent to 2 credits), through which they experience the process of generating ideas, surveying market needs, designing business models, and developing community-oriented solutions.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong delivering the opening speech at the event

Through each semester, educational activities have fostered thousands of student ideas across various fields such as digital transformation, healthcare, education, environment, agriculture, circular economy, sustainable development, and community service solutions.

At this year’s event, competing teams gathered students from diverse academic disciplines including Restaurant Management, Pharmacy, Automotive Engineering, Applied Sciences and Technology, Mechatronics, and Finance – Accounting. This professional diversity enabled teams to approach problems from multiple angles while facilitating the formation of interdisciplinary project groups.

Each project selected its own development trajectory, ranging from healthcare products, services, education, engineering, and finance to practical solutions for daily life. However, a common highlight was the strong emphasis placed on applying technology within their business models and solutions. Technology was leveraged not only to refine products but also to support management, customer acquisition, market demand validation, and scalability.

Students from various academic disciplines presenting technology-driven products, models, and solutions at the event

Connecting enterprises, refining projects through practical critique

Following the opening ceremony, the competing teams moved to designated pitch areas to present their projects to the judging panels. In addition to presenting the core problem, target audience, solutions, and operational models, students were tasked with clarifying project feasibility, technology application, resource allocation, and growth potential.

Through presentations and Q&A sessions, teams received valuable feedback from experts, entrepreneurs, and faculty members. Recommendations focused on identifying true customer needs, refining product features, validating the market, ensuring technical standards, designing revenue models, and establishing competitive advantages.

This constructive feedback served not only as evaluation criteria for the event but also as a foundation for students to continue nurturing their projects, adjusting business models, and polishing their products in the future. It also provided learners an opportunity to hone their presentation, critical defense, teamwork, and practical feedback integration skills.

Organizing Committee representatives expressing gratitude to the Panel of Judges for providing project feedback

Dai Hai (NIIC) – Media