Vietnam Launches 'RND to Startup 2026' to Foster Student Innovation

Vietnam National University Hanoi (VNU) has launched the 'RND to Startup 2026' competition to identify and nurture innovative startup ideas from students and young researchers nationwide. The initiative aims to foster the creation of new technology-based enterprises by developing promising ideas, research outcomes, or prototypes. Associate Professor Dr. Pham Bao Son, Vice President of VNU, stated that the competition, held annually since 2021, has seen increasing interest, attracting up to 200 applications in recent years, reflecting a growing enthusiasm for innovation and entrepreneurship. "However, a good research outcome does not necessarily translate into a good product, and a good product may not find users or a suitable market. This is a bottleneck in bringing research outcomes to the market," Dr. Son noted. RND to Startup seeks to address this gap by connecting research ideas with startup experts, businesses, investors, and the necessary resources to form companies. Participating research teams can enter as either an "Idea" or a "Project." The "Idea" category is for products or research in the early stages, without a complete product or actual customer base. The "Project" category is for teams that have research results, experimental data, product samples, or have already begun initial business operations. The competition covers various fields including AI and digital transformation; education and training; health and healthcare; agriculture and food; environment and sustainable development; industry, engineering, and robotics; and culture, creativity, and society. The organizing committee also accepts entries from other fields if they demonstrate novelty, applicability, and positive impact. Associate Professor Dr. Truong Ngoc Kiem, Director of the High-Tech Park and Innovation Center and Head of the Organizing Committee, expressed a desire to link the competition's ideas with the real-world challenges faced by businesses and localities, enabling technological solutions to be implemented practically. Following the competition, VNU will continue to support participating projects in refining their products, building business models, and connecting with essential resources for long-term development. This initiative is part of VNU's efforts to strengthen collaboration among universities, scientists, businesses, investors, and startup support organizations. The competition is accepting applications from educational institutions across the country until September 30. Submissions, including descriptions of ideas and innovative startup proposals, should be sent to the VNU Startup Incubation Center for Innovation. In the first ten days of October, a council will select the top 25 teams from each category. These teams will then undergo training on business model development, customer identification, and minimum viable product (MVP) creation. Subsequently, 20 top teams will advance to the semi-finals in early November to further refine their products and financial plans before the grand finale in December. The judging panel will award a first prize in each category, along with second, third, consolation, and audience choice awards. Prizes will include cash rewards, mentorship, incubation programs, and investment connection opportunities. Source: VnExpress