Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday called on the youth in Ben Tre Province to intensify their pursuit of entrepreneurship for self-growth, making greater contributions to the society and the country.

Speaking at the opening night of the Ben Tre Dong Khoi Start-up Festival in the Mekong Delta province, Phuc hailed its efforts and achievements in promoting start-ups.

Ben Tre was a leader in implementing the Government’s guidance and plans for start-ups, he said.

“There are many young people here who have started doing business and succeeded at a very early age. I am very touched to see that many young men and women have come up with new products welcomed by the society within a year of starting the ‘Dong Khoi Start-ups and Develop Enterprises’ programme,” he said.

Phuc said Ben Tre has experienced many socio-economic changes over the past 10 years, creating a better improvement for people to start new businesses.

However, the province still lags behind other localities, facing several development challenges, he said.

“The youth need to realise the province’s difficulties and try harder to change the situation,” he added.

The “Dong Khoi Start-ups and Develop Enterprises” programme was launched last year to promote entrepreneurship as an effective means to boost economic growth and alleviate poverty.

The first start-up competition was held this February. It received 45 start-up ideas and 22 business models proposed by people of various ages, mainly the youth.

At the opening of this year’s festival, seven ideas and 11 business models were awarded prize money of VND305 million (US$13,400) in total.

The festival has also become a place for local companies, small and medium-sized businesses, household businesses and co-operative groups to introduce their products to customers, and look for partnership and potential investors.

It also promotes key local products, especially in the agriculture sector, to encourage the “Vietnamese people use Vietnamese products” campaign.

The festival opened a day before the Ben Tre’s investment promotion conference that will be held today.

On this occasion, the province is calling for investment in 63 projects in 11 sectors, including renewable energy, eco-tourism, building infrastructure for industrial parks, high-tech agricultural and aquatic products processing, building urban areas and trade centres and solid and water waste treatment. — VNS