PhD Nguyen Van Tan – Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of the Design Thinking Open Innovation 2023 Competition.

“Innovative ideas that are exemplary and representative at the ‘Design Thinking – Open Innovation 2023’ Competition will contribute to improving society.” This is the expectation expressed by the representative of the Design Thinking Innovation Village (Innovation and Entrepreneurship – I&E) – Techfest Vietnam (Innovative Design Thinking Village), the organizing unit of the Competition.

The Competition is implemented in accordance with the policy of the Ministry of Science and Technology on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, under the direction of the Agency for Enterprise Development and Technology Commercialization, the National Startup Support Center (NSSC), Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Diamond Innovation Forest Company, VitanEdu Education and Career Ecosystem, and with the collaboration and co-organization of various partner units.

Recently, the online Launching Ceremony of the “Design Thinking – Open Innovation 2023” Competition attracted the participation of nearly 70 scientists, experts, enterprises, lecturers, and especially startups from many provinces and cities across the country.

The Organizing Committee of the Competition comprises experts and scientists from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and other provinces and cities nationwide. In particular, Lac Hong University was honored to have PhD Nguyen Van Tan – Head of FAIE – participate as Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee – Mentoring Board. Within the framework of the Competition, PhD Nguyen Van Tan and other experts participated in a panel discussion on the theme “Commercializing Ideas after Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competitions.” During the discussion, innovation experts examined the significance of commercializing products after idea competitions and proposed numerous practical and insightful solutions, with contributions from attending guests.

Mr. Tran Quy, Mr. Nguyen Van Tan, Mr. Tran Giang Khue, and Ms. Duong Tuong Nhi at the panel discussion on “Commercializing Ideas after Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competitions”

Lac Hong University has achieved numerous accomplishments in entrepreneurship in recent years, most recently winning 01 Third Prize and 01 Consolation Prize at SV.Startup 2023. To achieve these results, the University established early strategic orientations; specifically, LHU was the earliest institution to establish an Entrepreneurship Club in Dong Nai Province. In addition, the entrepreneurship ecosystem of Lac Hong University has been fully developed (including the Entrepreneurship Club, Co-working Space, mentor system, and modern laboratories), with members actively participating in provincial, regional, and national entrepreneurship communities (Vietnam Startup Mentors Alliance – VSMA; Southern Region Startup Advisory and Support Council; Dong Nai Province Startup Ecosystem Coordination Council; Design Thinking Innovation Village of Techfest Vietnam, etc.). This has effectively supported consultation, training, and resource connection for students with startup ideas.

Moreover, the University and lecturers consistently support and accompany students from the ideation stage to product commercialization, fundraising, course exemptions, graduation priority consideration, and more. These are appropriate directions, realized through practical actions and policies to equip students with entrepreneurial knowledge, enable real business practice, and prepare them to establish their careers and become self-reliant while still at university or after graduation.

PhD Nguyen Van Tan shared that building and implementing the Startup Ecosystem is a continuous trajectory connecting lecturers and students at colleges and universities. Lecturers bear the responsibility of supporting and guiding students in implementing their ideas and turning their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.