IUH firmly starts a business – Honored to receive a certificate of merit from the Minister of Education and Training 20-04-2025

As part of the National Student Startup Day 2025 (SV_STARTUP VII), held on April 20, 2025, at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Technology Transfer at the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City was honored with a Certificate of Merit from the Minister of Education and Training. This award recognizes the Center’s outstanding achievements in supporting student entrepreneurship from 2017 to 2025 under the Prime Minister's Project 1665.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dam Sao Mai, Vice President of the University; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Ngoc Nam, Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; professional advisors; and participating teams were also honored with certificates of merit and awards for their contributions to the SV-STARTUP VII contest.

A 7-year journey to create a startup ecosystem

Reflecting on the seven-year journey filled with dedication, Mr. Thai Duy Tung, Professional Advisor of the Center and former Chairman of the Startup Club from 2019 to 2022, shared: “The Startup Club was established in 2017, initially led by Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuong (2017-2019). This period laid the foundation, sparked the innovation movement among students, and played a key role in nurturing generations of students with a strong entrepreneurial mindset.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dam Sao Mai - Vice President of the school and Mr. Thai Duy Tung - Professional Advisor of the Center and his students won the First Prize in the field of Agriculture - Forestry - Fisheries SV_STARTUP V at Hue University

A significant turning point occurred in 2022, when the Startup Club evolved into the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Technology Transfer. This transformation marked a more structured and professional approach by the university to support startups, closely linking research outcomes, intellectual property, and business collaborations.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Ngoc Nam, Head of the Office of Science Management & International Cooperation and Director of the Center, emphasized: “Startup activities at IUH are increasingly being invested in a more focused manner. Following the initial phase of supporting startup ideas under the 1665 Project, we have now moved to the incubation stage, actively collaborating with businesses in terms of capital, technology, and consulting. IUH is currently serving as an 'angel investor,' with funding resources reaching billions of VND annually for innovative student projects.”

IUH - The university is continuously present in the Top 50 excellent startup projects

IUH is proud to have consistently ranked among the Top 50 excellent startup projects nationwide at the SV_STARTUP contest over the last five years, solidifying its position as one of the leading universities in this movement:

- 2020 (SV_STARTUP III at Thuy Loi University): Experiential Coffee Business Project (Nguyen Thanh Huy, Faculty of Law, IUH)

- 2022 (SV_STARTUP IV at the University of Transport Technology): D-Health – Home health monitoring device (Ho Thanh Huy, Cao Quoc Thuan, Faculty of Electronic Technology, IUH)

- 2023 (SV_STARTUP V at Hue University):

• Ecohouse - Green Agriculture Solution: First Prize in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery (Group Leader Ho Thanh Huy, Faculty of Electronic Technology; Le Hoang Minh Chau, Faculty of Business Administration; Tran Thi Tram, Faculty of Commerce & Tourism, IUH)
• Cordyceps Mushroom Cultivation Cabinet: Consolation Prize in Industry (Nguyen Nhan Sam, Faculty of Mechanical Technology; Le Quoc Bao, Vo Vu Thuong, Department of Heat and Refrigeration Technology, IUH)

- 2024 (SV_STARTUP VI at Can Tho University): AMV – Unmanned Fishing Ground: Consolation Prize in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery (Team Leader Vu Phan Minh Hai, Faculty of Mechanical Technology; Le Thi Kieu Tien, Tran Minh Quan, Nguyen Dinh Minh Tri, Do Thao Linh, Faculty of Chemical Technology, IUH)

- 2025 (SV_STARTUP VII at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education):

• Future Materials from Durian Shells: Third Prize (Team Leader Tran Thi Hien, Vo Thi Trang, Cao That Vinh, Nguyen Thi Hoang My, Faculty of Chemical Technology; Cao Duc Vuong, Institute of Finance and Accounting, IUH)
• Green Cruise Ship with Zero CO₂ Emissions: Consolation Prize (Team Leader Bui Hoang Phuc, Pham Tran Tran, Tran Xuan Hieu, Thang Nhat Huy, Le Van Hien, Faculty of Mechanical Technology, IUH)

The Future Materials from Durian Shell project won Third Prize at SV_STARTUP VII in 2025, while the CO₂-free Green Cruise Ship project received a Consolation Prize.

The CO₂-free green cruise ship project won the Consolation Prize in SV_STARTUP VII in 2025

The consistent presence of IUH projects in the Top 50 of the SV_STARTUP competition for five consecutive years-surpassing hundreds of entries from higher education institutions nationwide-serves as compelling evidence of the university’s strong investment and effectiveness in supporting student entrepreneurship.

On the morning of April 20, 2025, these relentless efforts by IUH's faculty and students were rightfully recognized when the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Minister of Education and Training for its outstanding achievements during the 2017–2025 period.

As part of the same event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Trung Thanh, Lecturer at the Faculty of Heat and Refrigeration Technology, was also honored by the Minister for his remarkable contributions to student startup support over the past seven years.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dam Sao Mai on behalf of IUH received the Minister's Certificate of Merit at SV_STARTUP VII in 2025

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Trung Thanh received the Minister's Certificate of Merit at SV_STARTUP VII in 2025

Marking the end of a 7-year journey with Project 1665, IUH’s Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer continues to affirm its mission as a cradle for nurturing generations of talented student entrepreneurs - empowering innovative ideas and projects to soar further. Beyond that, the hands - on training process through real-world projects equips IUH students with comprehensive skill sets aligned with the demands of the rapidly evolving digital economy - especially in terms of management thinking, interdisciplinary knowledge, and practical competencies.

Some photos at the contest: