Da Nang's innovative startup ecosystem now comprises of 10 start-up clubs, of which 8 are operating in universities and junior colleges in the city. However, most of these clubs have yet to promote their role of supporting and connecting with students who have an entrepreneurial passion.

The Startup Club of the Da Nang University of Economics helps students apply knowledge and skills they learn in the real world. Photo: MAI QUE.

Established in October 2006, the Startup Club of the Da Nang University of Economics has had its operations in the city for nearly 17 years. This rare club has originated from the Future Entrepreneurs’ Club, and it now has nearly 90 members while its official fanpage has already amassed more than 52,000 followers.

The club aims to motivate students to maximize their use of the skills and work experience they gained in real-world scenarios, thereby encouraging them to apply all of the knowledge learned in the classroom into a real life situation. Till date, the club has coordinated with other relevant units to launch many startup programs for students. Included were 7 versions of Startup Runaway, 3 seasons of the ‘Creative Ideas - Enhancing appearance’ contest, along with a number of seminars and training courses  on how to start a career or start a business, plus social activities. The club will organize two startup pitch competitions for university students in May 2023.

Ms. Ho Thi Dieu Hien, the Club’s Vice President remarked that the club targets to connect Da Nang’s students with the city-based strong businesses, as well as facilitate their access to entrepreneurship courses.

Besides, the club will continue its efforts to open more startup competitions for university students.

Ms. Hien highlighted the significance of human resources in maintaining the club’s operations and promoting its development. Therefore, the focus should be on creating and maintaining an effective organizational structure, connecting with the club’s members, providing training courses for them to improve their professional skills,  strengthening connections and maintaining relationships with related individuals and organizations.

While the Startup Club of the Da Nang University of Economics is quite active and vibrant, other ones in some universities and junior colleges in the city go into hibernation. They include startup clubs in the University of Science and Technology, the University of Technical Education, and the Junior College of Commerce.

The main causes for the stagnation in these clubs is attributed to the shortage of human resources in these organizations, as well as a lack of linkages to students.  The startup club of the Junior College of Commerce is a typical example. It has only about 20 members and has had no any outstanding activities in recent years.

In a similar move, the startup club of the University of Technical Education experiences a stagnating operation due to a lack of linkages to students, rising trend in individual startups, and their connections with their lecturers so that the club cannot uphold its role of connecting with students. In previous years, the club has been quite active as it has seen the participation of outstanding students who have won prizes in start-up competitions at municipal and national levels, thereby inspiring a large number of students to join the club.

Although most of the start-up clubs in Da Nang’s schools just stay stagnant, some ones are moving forward as they have begun to arrange personnel to operate again. Recently, the Dong A University has launched a contest called ‘Dong A University ‘s students with innovative start-up ideas for 2023’ to find best start-up ideas, as well as open a window of opportunities for the Dynamic Startup Club to find more staff to reinforce its presence. After the BK Holdings Duy Tan Innovation Center was established in mid-May 2022, the staff of the Startup Club of the Duy Tan Private University has received additional entrepreneurship courses. This club will organize many exciting activities to attract students in 2023.

Lecturer Le Vu of the University of Technical Education underlined the need for core staff in the club, especially lecturers with an enthusiastic entrepreneurial and innovative spirit as they will inspire entrepreneurship among students in an attempt to promote the role of startup clubs in schools. Besides, successful  individual startups will create valuable virality for students, Mr Vu added.

He also stressed the need to teach students how to apply their knowledge and skills they gained in the real world in order to help them start a business successfully and build an effective and sustainable startup ecosystem for them as entrepreneurs are building solutions founded in technology and innovation, helping to develop their startup through practical business training and deep mentorship to launch ideas into thriving companies.

Reporting by MAI QUE – Translating by H.L