Francophone students honoured for innovative start up projects

September 29, 2018 - 09:00

A group of students from the Foreign Trade University of Hà Nội won first prize at the ‘Start-up Francophone 2018’ competition during the regional final round held on Friday in Hà Nội.

Madame Ouidad Tebbaa, director of l’Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (Francophone Universities Association, AUF) in Asia Pacific region presents the award to the team from the Foreign Trade University –winner of the first prize. — VNS Photo Vương Bạch Liên
Viet Nam News

HÀ NỘI — A group of students from the Foreign Trade University of Hà Nội won first prize at the ‘Start-up Francophone 2018’ competition during the regional final round held on Friday in Hà Nội.

They impressed the jury with their innovative idea named ‘Freem’, which is an original platform connecting freelancers and employers.

“The community-based platform will offer more opportunities to freelancers in the marketing, media and design sectors to find more satisfying jobs in small and medium enterprises and start-ups,” said Trần Minh Châu, head of the ‘Freem’ team when she presented her team’s business plan to a jury of entrepreneurs.

The contest opened in March this year to young people from Việt Nam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.

The University of Hà Nội and l’Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (Francophone Universities Association, AUF) in the Asia-Pacific jointly launched the competition targeting young people under 35, studying or having graduated from AUF member universities in Việt Nam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.

The contest is also organised by the alumni network of the French Vietnamese Centre of Management and Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship-National Economics University. 

The competition aims to create links between the academic world and socio-economic actors in the region as well as to reward innovative business projects by French-speaking students and young graduates. It allows young participants to benefit from experts’ support.

The second prize went to the Unitech team from Cambodia with their project ‘Sala’, aiming to create a modern mobile application facilitating communication of schools and universities in Cambodia.

It was highly appreciated as a new tool of communication to resolve the difficulties faced by those schools in sharing information to students and help enterprises find qualified employees.

The first prize winner got 1,000 euros (US$1,230) whilst the second prize fetched 500 euros ($620).  

Two third-prizes teams won 250 euros ($310) each.

The winners will get the chance to do internships in French-speaking companies in the region and meet French and Vietnamese investors. — VNS

E-paper