Vietnam Sunny Impact Startup (VSIS) - a social impact startup acceleration program for students from Vietnamese universities and colleges - is organized with the desire to create a better world through the startup projects of young people.
The VSIS program is the only acceleration program for impact entrepreneurship for students, aiming to identify outstanding project teams to participate in the annual SV-Startup Student Entrepreneurship Idea Competition organized by the Ministry of Education and Training. It provides in-depth knowledge and is the only program to date that offers seed funding to help student startup teams clearly develop their products and bring them to market, in addition to addressing pressing social and environmental issues in Vietnam.
The program, organized by The Happiness Foundation of SK Group, South Korea, and the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam, is implemented by the Institute for Innovation and Development Studies (IID). 2023 marks the first year VSIS has been held as part of a comprehensive three-year program between The Happiness Foundation and the Ministry of Education and Training.
Teams participated in presentations at the Demo Day Closing Ceremony held on August 3rd in Hanoi.
VSIS 2023 was launched from December 2023 to August 2024 with the goal of supporting students in developing social impact startup projects. Ten startup teams were selected from the top 50 in the student startup idea competition organized by the Ministry of Education and Training.
Participating in the VSIS 2023 program, the startup teams completed 10 online training courses, attended one bootcamp in Hanoi, each team was mentored by two startup mentors, and participated in training activities, networking events, and visits to startup businesses. These activities not only provided knowledge but also equipped young people with essential skills for the startup process.
The program included two pitching events. The first, held in May 2024, awarded a total of 115 million VND to the four best teams. Following that, the Demo Day closing ceremony was recently held at the NIC Hanoi International Innovation Center. This event provided a platform for student startup teams to showcase their learning and development achievements during their eight-month participation in the program, as well as to network and learn from experts, partners, and potential investors.
Attending the event were representatives from the Ministry of Education and Training, The Happiness Foundation, the Institute for Innovation and Development (IID), and members of the judging panel who represented investment funds, startups in related fields, experts, mentors, and competing teams.
With their unique and meaningful idea, along with a compelling presentation and Q&A session, the Crystella team from Phinekaa University won first prize with 50 million VND in seed funding for their "Science Kit" project for young people. The Crystella team's project focuses on applying technology to create innovative educational products, helping students access knowledge more easily and effectively. A representative from the Crystella team shared: “The VSIS 2023 program has helped us realize our entrepreneurial dreams, creating value and making a positive impact on education. We express our gratitude for the knowledge and support from the program, which has helped our project become more systematic and strategic.”
Three other startup teams, among the top four, also received funding of 40 million VND and 35 million VND respectively.
Outstanding teams receive seed funding from the program.
Promoting the entrepreneurial spirit among young people.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Nguyen Xuan An Viet - Deputy Director of the Department of Political Education and Student Affairs (Ministry of Education and Training), and permanent member of the Project Coordination Board, highly appreciated the activities of providing capital, support, and monitoring the use of capital by startup groups and emphasized the importance of promoting the entrepreneurial spirit and equipping students with knowledge and skills during their studies.
Mr. Choi Joo Il, Director of The Happiness Foundation Vietnam office, expressed: "We believe that these small efforts will create a powerful ripple effect, bringing positive changes not only in Vietnam but also around the world. The 9 startup teams at this event have strived throughout the competition, demonstrating remarkable progress. This is the beginning of further success."
Beyond supporting startup projects, the VSIS program also aims to create a dynamic and innovative startup community. The projects participating in the program are highly practical and have the potential to create positive impacts on society.
Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/thuc-day-tinh-than-khoi-nghiep-cua-gioi-tre-20240804204744027.htm
