Green Startup 2025: Honoring pioneering ideas for sustainable agriculture and economy

The 11th National Green Startup Competition - 2025, co-organized by the High Quality Vietnamese Goods Business Association (HQVB) and the BSA Business Studies and Assistance Center, has successfully concluded, highlighting groundbreaking projects that affirm the creativity and aspiration for green development among Vietnamese youth.

After nearly six months of implementation nationwide, the competition received 220 initial ideas and projects. The Organizing Committee filtered 118 projects into the Semifinals and ultimately selected the 36 best projects from 16 provinces and cities to compete in the Finals, held on October 26-27 at the Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City led with six projects, followed by Can Tho (5), Hanoi (4), and Vinh Long (3). Projects were divided into two boards: Board A for new projects with prototypes or market presence of less than one year, and Board B for businesses operating for no more than five years.

This year's projects focused on the “greening of the local economy” across four main sectors: Green agriculture - medicinal materials - food; Recycling - circular economy; Ecological - community tourism; and Green technology. Many models effectively utilized local resources and agricultural by-products.

Notably, the Green Vines project (Binh Dinh - Lam Dong) won the First Prize in Board A with its coir fiber compressed pellets for plant propagation, turning agricultural waste into an eco-friendly planting medium. The two Second Prizes in Board A went to Cocosoil -Good Soil from Green Coconut Shells (Hanoi) and Netgins -Warming Ginger, Green Livelihood (Ho Chi Minh City).

In Board B, the First Prize was awarded to Bittersweet Chocolatier -Phu Quoc Chocolate (An Giang), which impressed judges with its handcrafted chocolate line featuring indigenous flavors. Two projects shared the Second Prize: a model for developing traditional craft villages combined with community tourism (Can Tho) and Plant-based Dried Shredded Meat (Ho Chi Minh City). Three Consolation Prizes were presented to Bioq -Vegan Cosmetics from Dragon Fruit Peel, Nghe Sanh -Fermentation in Earthenware Jars, and the My Long Seedless Lime Production Process.

The total prize value for the competition exceeded 1 billion VND (approximately USD 40,000), including cash and specialized support packages for media, training, market connection, and sustainable development consulting.

The competition introduced two special categories this year. The "Green Initiative - Green Economy" category, sponsored by the HQVGB-Integration Standard program and Duy Tan Recycling Company, recognized creative models with positive social and environmental impacts, sustainability, and scalability. The First Prize in this category went to Netgins - Warming Ginger, the Second Prize to Biomas from Garlic Peels, and the Third Prize to Global Jackfruit - VietHai Jackfruit. Additionally, the Community Initiative Award was given to the Green Choice student group (Nguyen Tat Thanh University) and IoT Solar Lamppost (Ho Chi Minh City College of Industry and Trade).

Another significant highlight was the “New Agri-Horizon Awards,” implemented by Vina T&T Group in coordination with BSA, with a total value of 2.4 billion VND (approximately $96,000 USD). This award targeted businesses with products meeting international standards and export potential, including Cocosoil (Hanoi), Accnhi Food (Ho Chi Minh City), Huong Vi Nha Thien (Dong Nai), Chilinext (Da Nang), and Nong Trai 123 (Dong Thap). According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung, Chairman of Vina T&T Group, this serves as a "practical stepping stone" for young startups to test export capabilities, connect with partners, and participate in global supply chains.

Ms. Vu Kim Hanh, Chairman of the HQVGB, and Ms. Vu Kim Anh, Deputy Director of the BSA Center, both emphasized that this year's projects received intensive pre-final training, helping contestants refine their business models, enhance fundraising capacity, and access the market.

Economic Expert Pham Chi Lan, representing the Jury, highly praised the creativity and indigenous nature of the projects. She advised startups to focus on four critical points: accurate information, clear legal documentation for products, effective financial management, and establishing links with established enterprises. Ms. Lan also recommended that startups prioritize developing the domestic market before expanding internationally, as it remains a potential market with many unmet demands.

"Green startup is not just about doing business; it is about working for the life of the soil, for human health, and for the sustainable future of Vietnam," Economic Expert Pham Chi Lan told the young entrepreneurs.

The Green Startup Competition 2025 was accompanied by major corporations such as Vinamit, Trung Nguyen Legend, Vina T&T, Co May, Thien Long, Qui Phuc, and Minh Long I, underscoring the strong influence of the green startup spirit and sustainable development in the Vietnamese business community.