Ca Mau: Increasing assistance for new businesses

DNHN - Interview with Mr Trieu Thanh Tuan, Deputy Director of Ca Mau Province's Investment Promotion and Enterprise Encourage Center (iPEC), on the province's initiatives and policies to support startups.

Could you please provide me with some basic information regarding iPEC Ca, Mau? 

Mr Trieu Thanh Tuan: Ca Mau Investment Promotion and Enterprise Support Center (iPEC Ca Mau) has the purpose of advising, assisting investment, business development and start-up; and promoting, promoting, and attracting investment, commerce, and tourism to the province. Is a section inside Ca Mau province's Office of the People's Committee, reporting directly to the province's authorities. iPEC was founded by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee's Decision No. 513/QD-UBND dated March 28, 2019.

iPEC serves as a focal point to advise, suggest processes, and policies, organize, and consult on the execution of investment promotion, trade, and tourist activities in the province. The implementation of iPEC has a good influence on strengthening the investment and business climate; increasing and enhancing the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI); and creating the most advantageous circumstances for investors.

iPEC Ca Mau is now a member of the Mekong Delta Promotion Centers Club (Mekong PC Club) as well as the Mekong Delta Startup Network (MSN). After joining the aforementioned clubs, iPEC has received a great deal of assistance from club members, particularly from the VCCI Can Tho Branch, in investment promotion, commerce, tourism, and start-up activities.

Until now, iPEC has converted the previous headquarters at No. 28, Phan Ngoc Hien, Ward 2, Ca Mau City, into a co-working space to assist small and medium-sized businesses in their innovative start-ups. The coworking area will assist entrepreneurs by providing shared amenities, co-working space, showroom and sale of startup goods, startup coffee, and start-up events, as well as being the home of clubs such as Startup Club and Ca Mau International Student Club...

Can you provide any examples of great outcomes from the province's startup assistance program to date? 

Mr Trieu Thanh Tuan: The Provincial Steering Committee for Start-up Help has produced four strategies to support startups in the province since 2019. The purpose of these plans, as well as their major substance, is to progressively complete the necessary components in the province's startup-supporting ecosystem to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit of Ca Mau's youthful people. Particularly important is the first assistance for start-up projects with the potential to expand and flourish. The following are some remarkable outcomes from the startup program in previous years:

Concerning the organizing of the "Ca Mau Province Innovation Startup Ideas and Projects Contest": iPEC collaborated with VCCI Can Tho to conduct a Startup Contest in Ca Mau province in 2020 and 2021. This is a Mekong Delta area competition, and the winning projects in Ca Mau will go straight to the final stage of the Mekong Delta region competition conducted by VCCI Can Tho. As a consequence, Ca Mau province earned first place for two years in a row, with the project "Ba Khiem Dam Doi" in 2020 and "HALOFAI - Taste from Salty Soil" in 2021.

Too far, the Provincial Start-up Support Steering Committee has funded ten start-up initiatives in the province that have the potential for quick growth and development. The Council chooses these initiatives from among hundreds of others in the program. This is a critical source of start-up financing, assisting start-ups in perfecting their goods and services and providing favourable circumstances for items to be freely available to consumers. items that aid in the growth of enterprises.

In terms of event, training, and training activities, iPEC has collaborated with other units to conduct hundreds of training courses for entrepreneurs in the province, ranging from basic to specialist training on entrepreneurship. Individuals and new enterprises are the subjects. iPEC has hosted more than 50 programs and events, such as the iPEC Talk Show, themed activities, and so on, at the Coworking Space to promote small and medium-sized enterprises and innovative startups, establishing suitable circumstances for approximately ten clubs.

Overseas Student Club, Startup Club (with over 100 members), Critical Thinking Club, 69 Music Town Club, UNESCO Club for Ca Mau Antiquities Research and Collection, Book and Action Club, Ca Mau Bonsai Club, and Miracle Bag Social Activities Club... are some of the activities available at Space. The events have helped to improve understanding and communication for the province's startup activity. 

Concerning support for individuals and start-up businesses in production and business activities, iPEC has assisted 14 businesses in setting up offices and attaching company name plates at the building for small and medium-sized enterprises with creative start-ups, such as AB Fisheries Import-Export Co., Ltd., MECA Co., Ltd., Bay Hoang facility, Ba Khiem Dam Doi Cooperative, Du Thai Binh Co., Ltd., Hoai An Flower... The Startup Space displays startup products, attracting a large number of young people, students, and students to study, practice, and seek opportunities to connect with businesses in Ca Mau, thereby creating a playground for young people, stimulating the spirit of entrepreneurship, and career orientation for young people in the province. Furthermore, iPEC facilitated the organization of delegations to attend startup fairs.

Sir, what are the current challenges in assisting companies in Ca Mau?

Mr Trieu Thanh Tuan: Currently, the province is implementing 5 startup assistance initiatives, resulting in a dispersion of support resources and variability in the implementation technique.

On the other hand, the province's start-up support ecosystem is not yet complete; many important components are still missing (lack of a true startup incubator; lack of mentoring experts; lack of investment funds and support funds) start-up support; investors; state support mechanisms and policies...), and the number and quality of start-up enterprises are small and small in scale.

It is difficult for start-ups to get access to and rent land (in industrial zones) to develop factories. The policy system, particularly the financing mechanism for new businesses, is insufficient.

Another objective factor is that the Covid-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on startup production and company in Ca Mau province.

The Provincial Startup Assist Steering Committee orders the execution of policies to support start-up projects in 2022, following the procedure and criteria of Project 844/QD-TTg on "Supporting the innovative startup ecosystem" national innovation by 2025." Ca Mau has nearly no or very few initiatives that can get assistance based on the criteria of this project. This is also a significant challenge if the province has a process and policy that is acceptable for the majority of enterprises and start-up ventures in the province.

As a result, for the province's startup assistance program to have the intended impact, we must address the aforementioned limits and deficiencies shortly. Priority is given to developing funding structures that are appropriate for the features of local start-ups.

Could you explain to me how people and firms with start-up initiatives may join the startup support program and obtain provincial assistance?

Mr Trieu Thanh Tuan: iPEC has recently become a member, and the Startup Support Steering Committee has assigned a team of supporting experts to advise on the implementation of many contents in the annual start-up support plan, particularly important content such as organizing a startup contest, organizing a review board, and supporting startup projects in the province...

Organizations and people interested in participating in the province's program start-up assistance may contact iPEC directly via means such as the Website, Fanpage... Furthermore, iPEC collaborates with appropriate units to develop 14 organizations as the main point for consultation, assistance, and ideas and start-up initiatives of organizations and people in all eight districts and Ca Mau city. Furthermore, iPEC has developed a startup club with over 100 members from the province's start-ups and enterprises. 

- Thank you very much, Sir!

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