Launching the program Start-up with Dai Nam 2016

(DĐDN) – On April 27, the Business Forum Newspaper in collaboration with Dai Nam University organized the “Launching Ceremony of the 2016 Startup Program”. This is the opening activity for the startup incubation journey at Dai Nam University after the University was recognized as a “satellite” (receiving the format transfer and organizing the qualifying round) of the National Startup Program.

Sowing the “seeds” of new startups with Dai Nam

This is the second time Dai Nam University has organized the Startup Competition, but it is the first year the school has officially joined the startup network of the National Startup Program.

More than 200 young people attended the Launching Ceremony of the 2016 Startup Program at Dai Nam University

Speaking at the Launching Ceremony of the 2016 Startup Program at Dai Nam University, Dr. Le Dac Son - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dai Nam University expressed his enthusiastic support for startup activities for young people. Mr. Son shared: Entrepreneurs are the core force in the country's economic development. If the country has a strong team of entrepreneurs, the country will be rich and strong. To create a stronger and more numerous team, we must light the torch in supporting business incubation activities, training people with an entrepreneurial mindset right from students. Dai Nam University has and will continue to create all conditions for students to practice being entrepreneurs. Startup support activities right at school are very important because, if only basic knowledge is trained, after graduation, students can only work as employees of state agencies, for domestic and foreign enterprises. But if in just one course of more than 1,000 students graduating, they can create 20-30 businesses, they will create hundreds of jobs for others, contributing more to society.

Dr. Le Dac Son - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dai Nam University shared: he is willing to invest capital in feasible and convincing business projects.

Right at the Program, Dr. Le Dac Son announced that he is ready to invest capital in feasible business projects. In addition, the projects of Dai Nam University students that enter the Final Round of the Startup Competition will be converted into excellent scores for their graduation thesis at the school.

Journalist Pham Ngoc Tuan - Editor-in-Chief of Business Forum Newspaper believes that in addition to organizing the Startup Competition, the Startup Program and Dai Nam University will have many opportunities for cooperation.

At the Program Launch Ceremony, Journalist Pham Ngoc Tuan - Editor-in-Chief of Business Forum Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of the Startup Program expressed his confidence in the great advantages of Dai Nam University students with enthusiastic support from the Board of Directors and the School's Board of Management.

Mr. Tuan shared: Currently, the Organizing Committee of the Startup Program is carrying out two main activities: One is to maintain the national startup network with hundreds of universities, colleges, thousands of young people participating and the startup support network with the support of businesses, business associations, state and non-governmental organizations, etc. The second is to build a startup ecosystem. When participating in the program's series of activities, startups are supported by the organizing committee with knowledge, experience, legal basis, and material to penetrate the market. The organizing committee is also researching and mobilizing to build a Startup Support Fund to support young people who dare to think and dare to do. Dai Nam University can cooperate with the Startup Program in both of these areas.

Successful Businessmen Join Hands to Support Startups

To help students better understand "business" and the Startup Program, and to fuel the passion for business and determination of young people, the Startup Exchange program took place right after the Launch Ceremony.

Guests interact with startups at the program

The 6 guests participating in the exchange were representatives of the Organizing Committee of the Startup Program and successful entrepreneurs, including: Journalist Lai Hop Nhan - Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Business Forum Newspaper, General Secretary of the Startup Program; Mr. Dam Quang Thang - Vice President of the Hanoi CEO Club, Director of Agricare Vietnam Company Limited; Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh - General Director of Ha Yen Joint Stock Company; Mr. Pham Van Kiem - HKT Management Consulting Joint Stock Company; Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet - Director of Nhat Hai Technology Project Joint Stock Company (OIC) and Mr. Tran Van Trang - Head of the Faculty of Business Administration - Dai Nam University.

The questions from the students attending mainly revolved around the following issues: capital for starting a business, how to find a viable business idea, when to start a business, the qualities needed to become an entrepreneur, etc.

When asked about the qualities needed to become an entrepreneur, Mr. Dam Quang Thang - Director of Agricare Vietnam Co., Ltd. gave advice: "If you want to do business, first of all you must have enthusiasm and passion; then you must be responsible for what you do" . Mr. Thang also suggested that participating in the Startup Competition with Dai Nam and then the National Startup Competition is a way for young people to start their entrepreneurial path. As an advisor to the National Startup Program and with many years of experience teaching and sharing about startups, Mr. Thang shared: "In the training section of the Startup Program, the advisory board has built many modules, each module is a skill to help you accumulate knowledge and skills to become an entrepreneur and develop a sustainable business".

Many practical questions in the startup process were raised by young people attending the Program for the guests to interact with.

Sharing about how to mobilize capital when starting a business, Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet - Director of Nhat Hai Technology Project Joint Stock Company (OIC) advised students to clearly determine how much capital they need to start before determining where to source capital. Ms. Tuyet said: "It is not true that having a lot of capital - doing big is good when starting a business. How much capital depends on your purpose, scale and product" . Young entrepreneurs can mobilize capital from family, acquaintances, mobilize from credit institutions or receive from investment funds. According to the introduction of Journalist Lai Hop Nhan - General Secretary of the Startup Program: The Startup Program has a startup support network of successful entrepreneurs, business associations, startup support organizations... ready to invest in feasible projects. In 2016, the Program is building a Startup Incubator to make good use of socialized resources to support young people. This is also a good capital mobilization channel for young people who want to start a business.

The exchange session also had many questions and answers revolving around issues such as: how to balance the busy life of an entrepreneur, the gains and losses of an entrepreneur, the skills needed for an entrepreneur, etc. Many students also wondered whether after graduating, they should work for hire or start a business right away. Sharing about this topic, Mr. Pham Van Kiem - HKT Management Consulting Joint Stock Company told the story of his own startup process: “My first business idea was to rent and sell tandem bicycles. At that time, we were in university, nearly 20 years ago. At that time, Hanoi almost did not have tandem bicycles and we were almost the first group to bring this service and product to the people of Hanoi. That is why we initially earned a lot of profit because of the difference. But then, because this means of transport was cumbersome and hindered traffic, the Hanoi People's Committee banned it. We went bankrupt. Not giving up, during my studies, my friends and I continued to do business in pottery, fabrics... Even when I went to France to study, I still started a business making Sushi. From my own experience, I think that there is no specific age to start a business, it depends on each person's circumstances. But my advice to you is that when the opportunity comes, you should experience it." On the same issue, Journalist Pham Ngoc Tuan - Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of the Startup Program shared: Becoming an entrepreneur is not a leap. It is a process that requires accumulation. Not everyone can start a business and not everyone who starts a business is successful.

At the end of the exchange, Journalist Lai Hop Nhan once again affirmed: the guests of today's exchange and the Organizing Committee of the Startup Program are always ready to accompany students. By participating in the Startup Competition with Dai Nam in particular, the Startup Program in general, young people will receive benefits from the startup network and startup support of the program. Right at the Program, the Organizing Committee also presented a startup training course "Guide to finding business ideas" to Dai Nam University.

Article: Phan Duong Photos: Hoang Sang - Vu Tuan. Business Forum Newspaper

Source: http://enternews.vn/phat-dong-chuong-trinh-khoi-nghiep-2016-cung-dai-nam.html