An opportunity for students to develop creative ideas.
Speaking at the Final Round of the “TMU Student Startup” Competition 2026 (TMU’S STARTUP 2026) organized by the University of Commerce (October 29th), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Huu Duc – Vice Rector of the University of Commerce – emphasized that innovative entrepreneurship is an important driving force for the development of each nation in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
According to him, the National Strategy on Innovative Startups, as outlined in Government Resolution No. 86/NQ-CP dated April 5, 2026, has concretized the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, aiming to spread a wave of startups based on science, technology, and digital transformation , contributing to the rapid and sustainable development of the country.
In that ecosystem, higher education institutions play a connecting role between the State, schools, and businesses; while also fulfilling the mission of nurturing aspirations, discovering and incubating talent, and fostering entrepreneurial ideas. “At the University of Commerce, TMU’s STARTUP 2026 is a vivid example of that mission,” said Associate Professor Bui Huu Duc.
Evaluating the finalist projects, the Vice Rector of the University of Commerce commented that the students demonstrated creative thinking and a keen perspective in identifying issues with practical significance and attracting attention.
Associate Professor Bui Huu Duc expressed his hope that the support of businesses would help feasible ideas be realized, instead of remaining just projects on paper.
From idea to opportunity for practical implementation.
From a business perspective, Mr. Tran Van Minh, Vice President and General Secretary of the Hanoi Young Entrepreneurs Association, highly appreciates the innovations in university training aimed at increasing practical relevance.
Student startup projects are no longer confined to the academic sphere but are increasingly receiving attention from educational institution leaders and the business community.
According to him, the direct involvement of businesses in mentoring and guiding each project group helps students access practical operational and business experience. Through this, they have the opportunity to learn from both the success and failure stories of those who came before them, and better understand the challenges on their entrepreneurial journey.
Referring to the application of artificial intelligence ( AI ), Mr. Tran Van Minh stated that this technology can help optimize human resources, save time and costs, and improve work efficiency.
However, AI remains a supporting tool; the feasibility, commercialization potential, and revenue and profit generation of a project depend significantly on human factors, from the quality of the idea to the capacity for organization, operation, and implementation.
Based on observations from this year’s competition projects, Mr. Tran Van Minh noted the investment, research, and efforts in data analysis linked to practical applications by the students. However, he also noted that the process of transforming an idea into a real business operation requires time, experience, and thorough preparation.
Sharing at the program, Nguyen Thao Nguyen – a student from the Faculty of Economics , University of Commerce – said that her group’s project built a website integrating video lectures guiding parents on how to use educational materials. The project also applies AI to monitor parents’ progress, evaluate the effectiveness of the educational materials, and thereby support the group in adjusting and improving the product.
According to Thao Nguyen, participating in the competition gave the group the opportunity to connect with the Hanoi Young Entrepreneurs Association (HANOIBA), meet and learn from mentors with many years of experience in recruitment and business. The student expressed her desire to continue receiving guidance from experts and businesses, gradually turning her ideas into reality.
Launched on March 31, 2026, the fourth season of the competition spanned over seven months, encompassing rounds from “Startup Idea Creation” to “Meeting Investors.” Out of nearly 100 competing teams, 12 teams comprising almost 60 students made it to the final round, representing over 24,000 students at the University of Commerce.
Since 2023, the competition has made its mark with students from the university winning 1 first prize and 2 third prizes at the national finals of the “Students with Startup Ideas” competition, and 1 “Promising Innovation” award at the ASEAN-India Grassroots Innovation Forum held in Malaysia.
These results show that the competition is not only a platform for developing ideas but also opens up opportunities for students to connect with businesses, enhance their entrepreneurial skills, and gradually verify the feasibility of their projects in a real-world environment.
The “Startup with TMU Students” competition in 2026 also aims to coincide with World Science Day for Peace and Development (November 10) and Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (November 20).
