"Ajou University V-Startup Research Group" Holds First University-wide Startup Mentoring in South Korea

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Eun-gyeong] Ajou University (President Choi Ki-ju) held on the 17th the nation's first startup mentoring program for international students, the "Ajou University V-Startup Research Group" business plan presentation contest.

The research group was conducted through volunteer talent contribution from October last year to February this year by Suwon Ilbo (CEO Kim Gap-dong), Aqua Mine (CEO Kim Beom-yeon), and Professor Lee Tae-jin of Ajou University (College of Business) to support startup activities of Vietnamese international students.

The research group program was structured and operated with a total of 12 lectures, from orientation to the business plan presentation contest.

The business plan presentation contest held on the day had students participating in the startup mentoring program present business strategies including SWOT analysis and business promotion directions for their target products for startup.

As a result of the contest, the grand prize went to ▲Nguyen Thi Yen Ni for "Four Seasons Lunch Box Business", and the excellence awards went to ▲Bui Thi Tho Huong for "Flower Business" ▲Pham Thi Huyen for "R-Beauty Business" ▲Hoa Thi Tu Hoa for "Korea-Vietnam Post Business".

Nguyen Thi Yen Ni, the grand prize winner, said "Through this startup mentoring, I learned valuable content that could not be taught in university classrooms, and it will be of great help in actually starting a business."

Kim Beom-yeon, CEO of Aqua Mine, said "As South Korea and Vietnam mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations, relations between the two countries are becoming closer, and we planned the nation's first startup mentoring program at a university to help Vietnamese international students studying in Suwon. The Ajou University startup mentoring program shared essential basic knowledge for Vietnamese international students to start businesses from Mentor Kim Jin-ho's 29 years of work experience at Samsung Electronics and 9 years of entrepreneurial know-how," he added.

Professor Lee Tae-jin of Ajou University said "I hope the startup mentoring program for foreign international students will continue to expand in the future and many entrepreneurs will be produced."

Kim Gap-dong, CEO of Suwon Ilbo, said "Through the startup mentoring program, I hope the day when foreign international students studying in South Korea grow into global entrepreneurs comes soon. Suwon Ilbo and Aqua Mine plan to continue volunteering so this startup mentoring program can expand to universities across the country, and we hope for many applications from universities interested in this program."