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More than 500 students, experts, entrepreneurs, startup founders, and representatives of academic and startup clubs attended the Startup Connect 2026 Conference hosted by Nguyen Tat Thanh University. The program connected 15 startup and innovation clubs across the Southern region, opening up a forum for students to exchange club operational experiences, expand networks, and step-by-step transform ideas into practical projects in the digital economy era.
More than 500 students, experts, and entrepreneurs attended the Startup Connect 2026 Conference at Nguyen Tat Thanh University
NTTU Connects 15 Southern Region Startup Clubs
The Startup Connect 2026 Conference was organized under the direction of the Board of Directors of Nguyen Tat Thanh University, the NTTU Innovation and Incubation Center, in collaboration with the NTTU Young Entrepreneurs Club – NJEC. The program aimed to create a collaborative space bridging the university, businesses, experts, startup support organizations, and the community of student clubs active in entrepreneurship, technology, academics, and innovation.
With over 500 attendees, Startup Connect 2026 demonstrated the growing appeal of entrepreneurial activities within the university environment. Remarkably, the event extended beyond the boundaries of Nguyen Tat Thanh University, evolving into an interconnected forum for numerous startup, academic, and innovation clubs from various universities in Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern region.
The program brought together representatives from 15 student clubs, organizations, and startup networks, including: KGU SSC – Student Startup Club of Kien Giang University; Business Ideas Hub – University of Finance – Marketing; SIU Startup Club – The Saigon International University; Humanities Startup & Social Innovation Club; HR Startup Club – University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City; SC Startup Club – Ton Duc Thang University; INNTECH Technology and Innovation Club; NTTU Digital Economy Club; NTTU Humanities and Innovation Club; VIM Impact Communication and Project Initiation Club; Healthtech Technology and Health Club; NJEC Young Entrepreneurs Club; Hub Network HCMC, along with many other student organizations active in the youth innovation ecosystem.
The event also welcomed Dr. Hoang Thinh Nhan – Deputy Director of the Innovation and Incubation Center; MSc. Huynh Hong Mai – Deputy Director of the Innovation and Incubation Center; Dr. Le Nguyen; Dr. Nguyen Kieu Lan Phuong; MSc. Huynh Van Hieu – lecturer at the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology; alongside corporate representatives, mentors, and young startup founders.
Dr. Hoang Thinh Nhan – Deputy Director of the Innovation and Incubation Center delivering the opening remarks
Speaking at the program, Dr. Hoang Thinh Nhan – Deputy Director of the Innovation and Incubation Center at Nguyen Tat Thanh University emphasized: “In the knowledge economy era, the most crucial asset of a startup is not just capital, but its network. Startup Connect is built with the aspiration of forging a space where clubs, students, businesses, and experts can meet, share resources, and spark new collaborative opportunities.”
According to Dr. Hoang Thinh Nhan, on the entrepreneurial path, a great idea can only go further when placed in an ecosystem supported by mentors, businesses, communities, and like-minded peers. Therefore, linking startup clubs not only expands students’ relationships but also creates fertile ground for projects to be discussed, critiqued, refined, and set up for real-world implementation.
Under the coordination of the Innovation and Incubation Center and the proactive spirit of the NTTU Young Entrepreneurs Club – NJEC, NTTU students participated not merely as learners, but also emerged as a force that connects, organizes, and spreads the entrepreneurial spirit to the inter-university student community.
Two Panels, Two Grand Lessons for Student Entrepreneurs
The highlight of Startup Connect 2026 was the two thematic panel discussions featuring club leaders, startup founders, and representatives from startup support organizations. Ranging from club operational stories to the journey of becoming a founder, the two sessions provided students with a clear vision of how out-of-classroom experiences cultivate entrepreneurial capabilities.
Student startup club leaders discussing solutions to attract members and build succession teams during Panel 1
Young startup founders inspiring students with entrepreneurial stories derived from club environments during Panel 2
The first panel discussion, themed “Common Challenges Faced by Student Startup Clubs and How to Overcome Them,” featured Ms. Lu Bich Ngoc Giau – President of Healthtech Club; Mr. Nguyen Thanh Dat – President of KGU SSC; Mr. Tran Tin Nghia – President of Business Ideas Hub; Ms. Nguyen Phương Thảo – President of SIU Startup Club; Mr. Thach Hai Duong – President of Humanities Startup & Social Innovation Club; and Ms. Nguyen Dieu Khue – President of HR Startup Club.
During the session, speakers shared numerous hands-on experiences in building, operating, and scaling student startup clubs. They noted that the primary challenge today lies not just in finding ideas or hosting events, but in sustaining member engagement, structuring a succession plan, and curating activities that offer real-world value.
The panelists highlighted that for a startup club to grow sustainably, it must transcend being a mere extracurricular movement. Instead of staging short-term events, the club needs to act as a talent incubator where students can hone teamwork, project management, corporate communication, and idea-testing skills, while learning to take ownership of their own products and initiatives.
In the Q&A segment, students raised various questions regarding methods to attract and retain members, discover high-potential talent, build pipeline teams, and preserve each club’s distinct identity amidst a growing abundance of extracurricular options.
Student Phan Nguyen Quoc Huy, class 25DTD1C, asking a question to the speakers
One of the most notable inquiries came from student Phan Nguyen Quoc Huy, class 25DTD1C – Head of External Relations at the NTTU Humanities and Innovation Club. Quoc Huy asked: “In an era where students have diverse extracurricular options, what should startup clubs do to sustain member engagement and build a competent succession team to drive the club forward sustainably?”
Addressing this point, the speakers asserted that the most vital element is carving out an environment where members can learn, experience, and witness the personal value they acquire by being part of the club. When students are empowered, involved in real-world projects, recognized for their capabilities, and provided with a transparent growth roadmap, their dedication to the club will be sustained more naturally and durably.
Additionally, the speakers emphasized the role of club culture. An entrepreneurial club needs not only exceptional activities but also a tight-knit team spirit, openness in sharing ideas, and cross-generational member connectivity. This serves as the cornerstone for the club to preserve its distinct identity while smoothly adapting to shifts in the student landscape and the broader startup ecosystem.
Continuing the narrative on club operations, Panel 2, themed “From Club Member to Startup Founder: Transforming Club Experiences into Business Ventures,” brought forth pragmatic viewpoints from young founders. The session included Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hien – Co-Founder & CEO of BlockYouth, Vice Chairman of Hub Network Ho Chi Minh City; Mr. Truong Hoang Duy Kha – President of SC Startup Club, Founder of Bui Media; Mr. Do Xuan Doan – Founder & CEO of VADO Sport, Founder of Nextecom; and Mr. Nguyen Lam Chi Hai – President of INNTECH Technology and Innovation Club.
Drawing from the real-world experiences of the speakers, Panel 2 showcased how a club environment can serve as a vital springboard for students to forge an entrepreneurial mindset. While club participation does not automatically guarantee becoming a founder, it helps students accumulate essential capabilities such as leadership, teamwork, project management, media handling, resource mobilization, and hands-on troubleshooting.
Sharing at the program, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hien stated that a club is far more than just a place for extracurricular activities; it is an arena where students learn leadership, teamwork, project management, and relationship building. These are critical skills that empower youth as they step into entrepreneurship or join innovation ventures.
“A club is not just a place for extracurricular activities. It is an environment that helps students learn how to lead, work in teams, manage projects, and cultivate relationships. These skills serve as the critical foundation for entering the entrepreneurial journey,” shared Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hien.
From the lens of a young founder, Mr. Do Xuan Doan – Founder & CEO of VADO Sport and Founder of Nextecom, expressed that building a project and pursuing business passions is a challenging endeavor. Ever since his high school years, he had been intrigued by entrepreneurship and gradually went through multiple hurdles regarding resources, experience, market entry, and persistence. Throughout that rigorous path, the club environment and the startup community provided him with the necessary connections, drive, and opportunities to stay committed to his chosen path.
“By participating in startup clubs, I did not just find an environment to connect with like-minded individuals, but also gained an opportunity to spread inspiration, rediscover my drive, and find motivation on my challenging entrepreneurial journey,” noted Mr. Do Xuan Doan.
Mr. Do Xuan Doan’s story demonstrates that entrepreneurial success does not come from a flawless start, but is shaped by resilience, a dare-to-try attitude, continuous learning, and the continuous support of the surrounding community.
Echoing this sentiment, Mr. Truong Hoang Duy Kha – President of SC Startup Club and Founder of Bui Media, shared that joining a startup club endowed him with invaluable experiences throughout his academic and personal growth. The club environment nurtured his resilience, teamwork skills, leadership capacity, and particularly connected him with numerous senior mentors and peers sharing the same zeal.
“Joining the Startup Club helped me cultivate resilience, teamwork, leadership skills, and crucially, allowed me to connect with many passionate mentors and friends. Those high-value relationships unlocked numerous learning and partnership opportunities for me, helping me materialize my ideas step by step. Thanks to those club experiences, I gained the confidence to start my business and achieved some modest milestones along my project development journey,” Mr. Truong Hoang Duy Kha shared.
Nevertheless, the panelists universally agreed that while a startup club is a highly beneficial platform, it is not the sole mandate for success. The most imperative task for students is to clearly define their own goals and growth paths to make choices that align with their capabilities, aspirations, and circumstances.
“Not every successful person was part of a startup club, but any choice must stem from self-awareness and transparent career goals. The key lies in balancing academic duties, professional development, and experiential activities to secure an edge for yourself,” the speakers shared.
Startup club leaders actively discussing operations, membership retention, and creating real student value
From Inter-University Networking to Student Innovation Ecosystems
Stemming from the two panel discussions, Startup Connect 2026 delivered an array of practical insights into the growth path of startup clubs, as well as the method of turning student experiences into commercial ventures. The advice shared by club leaders and young startup founders illuminated the vital role of learning beyond the classroom: treating it not just as an extracurricular asset, but as an arena to wrestle with real problems, master project administration, navigate human relationships, and gradually foster an entrepreneurial mindset.
On an inter-university scale, Startup Connect 2026 emphasized the increasingly evident role of student clubs in bolstering the university-wide innovation ecosystem. Evolving from basic academic roots, clubs are progressively transforming into vital catalysts linking knowledge, resources, and growth avenues for the student population. It serves as a place where students can initiate a minor concept, gather teammates, experiment with solutions, and learn to materialize their thoughts into actual value.
For Nguyen Tat Thanh University, the program stands as an initiative highlighting its educational orientation geared towards anchoring learning to experiential practice, innovation, and corporate networking. Via the Innovation and Incubation Center, the University does not merely spark inspiration but systematically forms spaces for students to refine project mindsets, entrepreneurial capabilities, and adaptability to contemporary labor market standards.
Summary of collaborative activities at Startup Connect 2026
Notably, the active involvement of the NTTU Young Entrepreneurs Club – NJEC showcased the proactive role of NTTU students in engineering community network activities. Transitioning from participants, students have step-by-step emerged as an organizing, coordinating, and linking presence that broadcasts the startup spirit across the inter-university student grid. This also testfies to an educational blueprint anchored in developing practical capacity, a proactive spirit, and the global integration capacity of Nguyen Tat Thanh University students.
With the persistent backing of the University Management, the Innovation and Incubation Center, the NTTU Young Entrepreneurs Club – NJEC, alongside a robust grid of experts, businesses, and startup support organizations, Startup Connect is poised to remain an annual hallmark, driving a vibrant, creative, and integration-ready student startup community in the digital economy age.
Startup Connect 2026, therefore, does not merely spread the entrepreneurial drive; it serves as a cornerstone for building a student community that knows how to connect, dares to experiment, and possesses the capability to transform the university journey into future developmental prowess.
Dai Hai
Photos: Media Team
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