THAILAND, 9 December 2022 – Two student teams from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Languages, Literacies and Translation (PPBLT) won First and Second Prize in a Startup Competition held in Thailand recently.

The teams, comprising of first- and second-year students from PPBLT competed in the Startup International League 2022 competition, which was organised by the Princess of Naradhiwas University (PNU) in Narathiwat, Thailand in late November this year. The team members are:

First-Year students:
1. Adam Afif Bin Munir
2. Ahmad Hazeeq Bin Roslan
3. Charlize Carmen Sinidol
4. Nurul Izzah Binti Idrus Saadi
5. Yang, Tianbao

Second-Year students:
1. Anis Syahirah Binti Khairul Parman
2. Luke Teoh Rong Guang
3. Nurul Izzah Awae
4. Shuhaib Bin Abdul Walad

The 2 teams were competing against 35 other teams representing 8 universities from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. The first-year team competed in the Lifestyle category while the second-year team in the Education Technology Category.

They were required to extend ideas and develop those ideas into a startup in the future. The Business Model Idea Contest needed the teams to develop and create an innovative business that has a strong base and would be able to grow rapidly through entrepreneurial development.

With the guidance, coaching and feedback from their respective advisors, the USM PPBLT teams managed to secure the First Prize (First-year) and Second Prize (Second-year) in their first attempt at a competition that is ‘out of the box’.

The Startup International League 2022 competition, held at PNU, has the aim to drive the policy in developing a “University of Entrepreneurship” (Entrepreneurial University). Focus is given on creating a conducive entrepreneurial environment, and at the same time producing potential trainers/teachers and students locally and abroad via the participation in competitions.

Text: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin