Two start-up teams land top prizes in ‘Young Technopreneur’ contest

Samart chief executive officer Charoenrath Vilailuck said the contest aimed to provide opportunity for tech-start-ups, or “technopreneurs”, to develop their innovative products in support of the market.

 It also enabled them to meet and match with investors via the “Young Technopreneur Meet Investors” programme, in order to raise funds for future development and develop their new products and services for the commercial market, he said. 

 Moreover, Samart and its partners provide consultancy and training for start-ups to gain the confidence required to put their products and services on the market, he added.

 Chalermpol Tuchinda, the director of Software Park Thailand, which operates under the umbrella of the NSTDA, said more than 100 projects had participated in the competition, with 10 teams making it through to the final round and getting the opportunity to develop as new businesses.

 Pinkamol Reangdet, the CEO of Richy (2016), which developed the Beernova project that landed both the investor and media awards in the “Young Technopreneur” contest, said the project aimed to develop the application of brewers’ spent grain (BSG) as wood-substitute bio-composites in high-density fibreboard.

 The fibres taken from BSG under the project account for one-seventh of the materials used in the fibre mix to make the board, the chief executive said.

 Fibreboard production is undertaken at a temperature of 130°C with 20-50 kilograms per square metre of compressive pressure, at a rate of eight minutes per piece, he said, adding that the final product passed the required standard in terms of both physical and mechanical properties – and provided good thermal insulation. The project focuses on the development of a method of application of nano-titanium dioxide for antioxidant phenolic high-performance wood composite from brewers’ spent grain, as the photocatalyst can stimulate antioxidant activity. 

 Considering the design, use of appropriate technologies and low cost, members of the general public can produce their own fibreboard using the Beernova process, which reduce the amount of natural resources used in the production of woodchip, he explained.

 “We spent one year developing the Beernova project and participating in this programme. I hope to eventually combine the best of both worlds into my science education and eventual practice. I plan to learn valuable skills that will one day make me a better businessman. We are now providing Beernova products to Turkey and the domestic market,” Pinkamol said.

 Meanwhile, Narin Khurana, CEO of JabJai Corp, which developed the JabJai For School system that won the best presentation award in the contest, said the project involved technology for schools that created a savings account for students and linked each user to their fingerprints, whereby they could buy lunch, stationery and have their student attendance recorded – all in an easy, fast and safe way.

The JabJai For School system is also the first in Thailand to develop a mobile application for parents and students to monitor each student’s payment-handling and eating habits, and to send a notification directly to a parent’s mobile phone every day that their kids have arrived or left school, he explained. 

 “Joining the ‘Young Techopreneur Contest’ was more than just taking part in a competition. They have given us guidance and all the support that we really need, and I believe that with their help we can really reach our goal,” the chief executive said.