Solving the problem of expanding scale in the host country
With persistent efforts in innovative startup activities, Master Tran Tai has been officially included by the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union in the list of 12 individuals nominated for the title of "Outstanding Young Citizen of Ho Chi Minh City" in 2025.
Starting a business in the field of high-tech agriculture, Master Tran Tai soon faced limitations in production space and the ability to expand scale. In 2018, he established Vietnam Biomassage Company Vinabiomush in Ho Chi Minh City, but quickly encountered harsh realities when many partners refused to cooperate due to the small scale of the factory, which did not meet the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry.
Deciding to bring the model to his hometown to expand, he continued to face barriers in terms of unskilled personnel and a sensitive mushroom growing environment, causing product wear and tear. "Sometimes the product is constantly spoiled due to unstable environment, increased costs, causing financial and psychological pressure," Mr. Tai recalled.
The turning point came after his study trip in Japan, when he completely restructured the 1,300 m2 factory, raising the level of automation to 80%. This "standardization" not only helps products achieve international certification (HACCP), OCOP, but also creates a foundation for technology transfer to the community.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union, Tran Tai is a typical face representing the young startup community, with many contributions to the application of technology and automation in agricultural production, towards modernizing the urban agricultural sector.
Not only making his mark in personal achievements, the project he implemented was also recognized by the Youth Union for its influence and social effectiveness, when it directly supported the training and transfer of more than 200 youth models, contributing to orienting the thinking of agricultural production towards sustainability and long-term.
Persistently reviving sustainable values
Sharing the same aspiration but in a different direction, Ms. Nguyen Thi Sang, co-founder of the Tra Canh Hac Bach Van project, is facing a battle to revive the dead land. Since 2019, she began her journey to improve soil using indigenous microorganisms (IMO) and resolutely said no to chemicals.
However, the journey of "getting married" soon put the project in a difficult position when faced with harsh real numbers. In the first two years, the tea garden has been almost unfruitful. Severe disease, weeds, and high maintenance costs have caused many times when the project was at risk of having to stop. Meanwhile, the traditional tea market still prioritizes cheap products using flavorings, making it difficult for clean tea to reach consumers.
Instead of making compromises, Ms. Sang persistently stuck to the solution of self-cultivating organic fertilizers from agricultural by-products, growing intercropping plants to keep moisture and improve the soil. When the ecosystem is stable, the clear breakthrough in tea quality helps the project stay strong and build a stable customer base. The Third Prize of the recent Rural Youth Startup Contest is a worthy recognition of the efforts to bring clean agricultural products to overcome all market prejudices
These marks not only affirm the position of Vietnamese agricultural products, but also inspire a generation of young people who dare to give up their paths to do agriculture with kindness and professional thinking. Their journey will go further, taking local agricultural products out of the village bamboo accumulation to reach the big sea.
