On December 13, 2025, at the final round of the Food Innovation and Development 2025 competition, the team from the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City achieved an excellent result. They won Second Prize in Category 2 Food Security and Social Impact, surpassing many strong teams from educational institutions nationwide.
 

The EcoScaleGen team from IUH proudly celebrates their achievement as Second Prize winners at the competition, shown on the far left
 

Food Innovation and Development 2025 is a national-scale academic and innovation competition oriented toward developing future food solutions aligned with sustainable development in the context of the green economy. The competition was organized by Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade in coordination with the Vietnam Association of Food Science and Technology, the National Startup Innovation Support Center, the Global Innovation and Technology Platform, and BambuUP. This collaboration created a strong network of connections among universities, scientists, enterprises, and investors.

FID 2025 attracted 144 teams from 58 institutions. These included colleges, universities, academies, and high schools nationwide. This reflects the growing influence and reputation of this academic and innovation platform.

The EcoScaleGen team includes five members: Lê Thu Trang, team leader from DHTP18A; Trần Văn Tân from DHTP18A; Nguyễn Phương Vi from DHTP18B; Huỳnh Bùi Lệ Thúy from DHTP20A; and Huỳnh Minh Thanh An from DHTP19A. All are students of the Institute of Biotechnology and Food Technology at IUH. The team made a strong impression with their project, "Nano Collagen from Snakehead Fish Scales for Green Biological Applications."
 

Members of the EcoScaleGen team
 

The project focuses on utilizing aquatic byproducts, specifically snakehead fish scales, combined with naturally sourced materials such as soap pod, lemon, and pineapple to extract collagen using a green biological approach. This method limits the use of industrial chemicals, reduces emissions, and remains environmentally friendly. The approach not only increases the value of agricultural and aquatic by-products but also aligns with clean technology trends and sustainable development in the modern food industry.

The EcoScaleGen team was incubated through multiple academic competitions at IUH, gradually refining the idea under the guidance of an interdisciplinary team of lecturers. The mentoring team included Dr. Bùi Hồng Quân and M.Sc. Lưu Huyền Trang in biotechnology and food technology, along with an M.Sc. Thái Duy Tùng in economics, who supported market feasibility assessment and commercialization orientation.

Sharing about their journey at FID 2025, a team representative stated that, starting from by-products often considered low-value, the group persistently pursued a green, biological direction and gradually demonstrated the product’s practical application potential.
The results at FID 2025 highlight the effectiveness of IUH’s training model that integrates scientific research, innovation, and economic thinking. The achievement also raises expectations for the formation of more dynamic IUH student teams that are willing to take on challenges and progressively assert their position in the national-level academic and innovation arenas.
 

Beyond scientific value, the project clearly demonstrates practical significance and social responsibility by contributing to two of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 3, Good Health and Well-Being, and Goal 12, Responsible Consumption and Production. The harmonious combination of scientific foundation, green biological orientation, and commercialization potential was a key factor in earning high recognition from the Judging Panel.