On March 25, 2023, at UEB, the GALA Night of the Business Challenges season 6 finals was organized, featuring the competition among the top 12 outstanding teams from two branches (Branch 1: Entrepreneurship and Branch 2: Solving practical business problems). The BC warriors left a remarkable impression not only on the Jury Board and the organizing committee but also on all the audience present in the auditorium, through their intelligence and the human significance in the projects they have been implementing and are currently working on.
The GALA Night of the Finals marked the participation of numerous government agencies and the leadership of the UEB. On the side of the organizing committee, there were the presence of Nguyen Truc Le - Party Secretary, President of Board of Trustees, Le Trung Thanh - Rector; Nguyen Anh Thu - Vice Rector, and Andreas Stoffers - Country Director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Vietnam.
Additionally, we cannot overlook the strategic advisory team and mentors from both branches - the experts who provided professional support and guidance to the competing teams throughout the past 9 months. They include Tran Van Le - Director of Phuong Linh Mechanical and Trading Production Limited Company, Strategic Advisor and Diamond Sponsor of the competition; Bui Tung Lam - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Solari Investment Joint Stock Company, Strategic Advisor and member of the Finals Jury Board; Mai Lam Toi - Co-founder, Deputy General Director of Four Home Hanoi, Four Home group, mentor of Branch 1 and Gold Sponsor... And, most importantly, the presence of the 12 outstanding teams from both branches who surpassed hundreds of contestants to advance to the Finals of the BC season 6 competition.
In his speech at the Finals Night, Nguyen Truc Le - UEB, highly praised the efforts and achievements of the students on their entrepreneurial journey. He said: "The competition serves as a valuable platform for students, while also providing a beneficial networking opportunity for the business community. It is also an important mission of the university to combine teaching with practical experience, connect with businesses, and establish a support network for ideas and entrepreneurial activities for students, aiming to provide high-quality human resources to society in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution."
Mr. Andreas Stoffers - Country Director of the FNF/Vietnam, shared about
the difficulties and challenges faced by the 12 competing teams in the process of developing and refining their ideas. He also extended words of encouragement to the BC warriors, urging them to make every effort to successfully complete the final race
on the GALA Night.
The BC season 6 competition attracted 117 teams with over 600 students from nearly 70 domestic and international universities and high schools registering to participate. These impressive numbers speak volumes about the "hot" nature of the competition within the enthusiastic young student community. After going through three selection rounds spanning nearly 9 months, the top 12 outstanding teams from both branches have officially entered the final race, ready to shine at the GALA Night.
With an outstanding performance, the LEAN PLATFORM team with their project "LEAN Social - Virtual Learning and Working Space for GENZ" conquered the Jury Board, claiming the first place in Branch 1 and winning a cash prize of 50 million VND in the competition. The project was founded and developed by six students from universities in the Southern region, such as RMIT University, Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and University of Economics and Law. It aims to build and develop a unique and modern educational experience, providing motivation for learning and working for young students. With its notable features, innovative and technological advancements, the LEAN Social project by the LEAN PLATFORM team offers an effective solution to meet the needs of educational services and new educational experiences, serving as an online learning platform for Asians in the upcoming years.
The Runner-up and Second Runner-up in Branch 1 of the competition were respectively the WeShare and Solar Moment teams. The Hưng Yên Tech_Wood, Thanh An, and Five Media teams received the Potential Award of the competition. In particular, in this season's Branch 1 of Business Challenges, the Hưng Yên Tech_Wood team remarkably received the "Scaling up Entrepreneurship" award sponsored by Mr. Trần Văn Lê - CEO of Phuong Linh Electric and Trading Production Company, a Diamond Sponsor of the competition, with a sponsorship value of 30 million VND.
In addition to the Startup Branch (Branch 1), the Champion of Branch 2: Solving Practical Business Issues at the Business Challenges Season 6 competition is officially awarded to the FOE (Fire of Enthusiasm) team, receiving a cash prize of 50 million VND. The team is also granted a scholarship worth 20 million VND from the Gold Sponsor of the competition, IMAP Vietnam Education and Training Joint Stock Company.
Under the guidance of mentor Vu Trong Nghia - Director of Thanh Viet Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company, FOE presented solutions to overcome difficulties and address challenges when the company desired to establish a commercial channel for furniture accessories, as well as develop subsidiary companies within the ecosystem. With the knowledge taught at school, the guidance and support from mentors, combined with practical experience, the team synthesized and proposed a development strategy that met market demands aligned with the company's development direction. They successfully executed sales campaigns, generated revenue, and acquired new potential customers for the business. The team's persuasive and well-structured presentation earned them a "shower" of praise from the judging panel.
In Branch 2, the teams L.D and FIMO secured the Second and Third Prizes respectively in the competition. The Potential Prize of Branch 2 went to the teams Tắc Kè Hoa, SiSu, and 10 TRÊN 10. These teams brought many surprises to the judging panel by delivering outstanding presentations and providing insightful analysis and evaluations of business issues. Combining their acquired knowledge with practical experiences in companies, the teams were able to determine solutions for challenging operational issues and develop future business growth strategies.
The BC Season 6 competition officially come to an end, but at the same time, it has opened new doors for student startups and potential development. Over the course of 6 seasons, with an expanding scale and attracting the attention of students from all three regions of the country, the competition has become a Launchpad and nurturing ground for entrepreneurial ideas and creative innovations. Let's look forward to the return of BC Season 7, filled with exciting ideas, passion, and the vibrant spirit of the Vietnamese student community.