Contest honors distinguished women startups 

Speakers at the forum "Inspiring Women to start business in the digital economy". 

68 outstanding projects, including 23 by women with disabilities and 10 by female students, of a competition for women startups  launched by the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) were announced at a ceremony in Hanoi on October 13.

This activity is part of the series of forum "Inspiring Women to start business in the digital economy" and the award ceremony of Women Entrepreneurship Contest 2020 with the theme "Creative Women Start-ups - Connection to Success" organized by the Vietnam Women's Union in response to its 90th anniversary (October 20, 1930 - 2020), Vietnamese Women's Day (October 20) and Vietnam Business Day (October 13).

This year, a special award category on renewable energy had been included for the first time.

In his remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam lauded the achievements the VWU has recorded in assisting its members, including disadvantaged women, and expressed his hope that the contest will help to spread the start-up spirit nationwide.

According to VWU President Ha Thi Nga, this year’s event drew more entries than the previous two years, with contestants of different ages and coming from different sectors.

Notably, up to 12 percent of the projects hailed from ethnic minority-inhabited areas, and 3 percent by women with disabilities, she noted.

The wining projects have reflected connectivity between scientists and farmers, producers and consumers, and between producers, while ensuring green, clean and safe production with technological applications.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam presents an award to a winner of the contest.

This activity is within the framework of the project "Supporting women start-ups in the period 2017 - 2025" (Project 939) proposed by the Central VWU and approved by the Prime Minister on June 30th 2017.

During the three-year implementation of the project, up to 46,825 ideas and projects have been sent to startup contests, and 38,415 women received assistance in startup.

In the third year of organizing the competition for women entrepreneurs all over the country, the Vietnam Women's Union has truly been a bridge between women and experts, investors, sponsors to help realize women’s business plans, projects and ideas.

In the final round of the "Creative Women Start-ups - Connection to Success" Competition, the authors have directly presented their ideas and projects in front of the committee comprising of agencies and businesses to seek sponsorship and support

To help well prepare the startup women with selected projects and ideas for the final round of competition, the VWU has organized trainings on business knowledge and skills in Hanoi, Da Nang and Binh Duong in May and June 2020.

Through lively lectures, experienced experts and lecturers in the creative start-up field guided women step by step to make business plans, present a project and how to realize their plans soon.

Apart from providing knowledge and skills, the VWU helps connect the startups with businesses, sponsors, prestigious experts and investors in different fields to receive more support in knowledge, capital, equipment, science and technology, etc.

Phuong Minh