Start-ups get a chance to shine
The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the University of California Berkeley and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are calling on next generation entrepreneurs and start-ups to submit entries for the Innovation-Driven Entrepreneurship (IDE) 2018 competition.
The competition is made up of three business contests: Ka-Tor-Pleuk, the Global Social Venture: Southeast Asia, and the MIT Enterprise Forum Startup Thailand.
Successful applicants to the three competitions will be admitted into the IDE Accelerator Programme, which is designed to help groom business plans and entrepreneurial skills while bridging connections with investors to propel Thai start-ups into the global arena.
Associate Professor Sauwanee Thairungroj, president of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said, “In line with the government’s policy to support and drive the success of SMEs and start-ups, Thailand continues to see an increase of entrepreneurs in this sector. As a pioneer in this area, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce has introduced the Innovation-Driven Entrepreneurship initiative.
“In the past, Thai entrepreneurs were stuck in a rut of traditional thinking, lacking innovation-driven mindsets particularly in the manufacturing and supply chain industries. This situation prevented them from competing in the global marketplace effectively, unlike the developed countries, where entrepreneurs place high importance on developing innovations and technologies to build successful innovative start-up businesses. Recognising the importance of developing entrepreneurial capabilities and creating an Innovation-Driven Entrepreneurship Ecosystem – which is crucial for raising Thailand’s competitiveness in the global market by introducing a new breed of economic warriors into the Thai economic system – the IDE Centre by UTCC is pulling together integral business plan competitions at a national, regional and global level into the IDE Competition 2018 Grand Event.”
The “Ka-Tor-Pleuk” competition offers an opportunity for entrepreneurs in Thailand to learn how innovation-driven entrepreneurs use the IDE Accelerator Programme to generate business plans that help solve major social, economic and environmental issues, creating new ideas while inspiring teamwork, seek funding, and develop innovative solutions.
“Global Social Venture Competition: Southeast Asia” is the world’s first and largest social venture business plan competition. It originated at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, with whom the working team at the IDE Centre by UTCC had collaborated in organising this event Asean for more than 10 years. The competition aims to provide opportunities for entrepreneurs in the region to be able to present business plans that create a positive impact on society, providing access to funding from international investors.
“MIT Enterprise Forum Thailand”, meanwhile is a platform that bridges innovation-driven entrepreneurs from around the world — utilising the IDE directive from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The MIT Enterprise Forum Startup Competition helps enable the transformation of business ideas into world-changing companies. Winning teams will receive the opportunity to learn and gain experience from teams of experts from MIT, as well as being featured on a global stage with access to international exposure and funding.
Applications are open until October 15. Find out more by calling the IDE Centre by UTCC at (02) 697 6865-7, or visit http://idecenter.utcc.ac.th, Facebook.com/idecenter.
