Students should focus on improving their soft skills and keep up to date with the latest technology advancements to succeed in their startups, experts said during a conference held in HCM City on October 16. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Students aspiring to becomeentrepreneurs should improve their soft skills and seek mentors in theirfields, speakers said at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on October 16.
The city has 30 incubation centres and 10 businessfacilitation organisations, and a rising number of angel investors, reflectinga healthy startup ecosystem, according to Vu Anh Tuan, General Secretary of theHCM City Computer Association (HCA).
However, around 80 percent of startups in Vietnam do notsurvive more than two years, and only around 3 percent succeed. Manyentrepreneurs lack mentors, experience, soft skills and knowledge.
Phi Anh Tuan, deputy director of HCA, said that studentsshould work hard and study well in their fields and improve their soft skillsand foreign languages. Vietnamese students should aim to become global citizenswho can work in international settings, he said.
Van Thi Bich Ty, head of the media department of HCA, saidthat young entrepreneurs should set specific achievable goals and have a deepunderstanding of their markets.
Students should also keep up to date with rapidly growingtechnological advancements, and firms should work more with students and helpthem gain more real-life experiences.
Nguyen Thu Sang, media director of Azibai - a social networkfor businesses, said the company would provide students with field trips,internships and other forms of assistance to equip them with practical skills.
The conference was held by HCA, which in September andOctober worked with 10 universities and colleges, as well as the SaigonInnovation Hub, to organise conferences about innovative startups in thedigital age.
Conferences have been held to discuss startups, technologytrends, soft skills, and stories of success and failures.
They have attracted nearly 6,000 students, 50 IT firms, morethan 30 speakers from different business fields, and 10 young representativesfrom the startup community.-VNS/VNA
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