Final Round of “UFM Open Innovation: Coffee Upcycle Challenge 2025”: A Starting Point for a Green Entrepreneurship Generation
On the afternoon of December 5, 2025, the Final Round of the "UFM Open Innovation: Coffee Upcycle Challenge 2025" took place at Hall B101, Nguyễn Kiệm campus of the University of Finance and Marketing (UFM). The event not only marked a meaningful milestone in the series of activities celebrating UFM’s 50th anniversary, but also affirmed the spirit of sustainable innovation and strong social responsibility within the student community.
With its core theme of upcycling coffee grounds into commercially valuable products, the competition ignited a powerful mindset of circular economy and creative innovation among young people.
The event exceeded expectations, demonstrating the strong appeal of green entrepreneurship, with more than 100 students attending to cheer on and follow the competing teams. The competition was widely promoted to students both within and beyond UFM, creating an interdisciplinary playground that encouraged unique collaborations across faculties, majors, and neighboring universities.
The top five finalist teams presented highly promising green startup ideas. Their products went beyond diverse and innovative concepts, showing early-stage development with clear potential for practical application and commercialization. These included: UFM-themed gifts and decorative items incorporating the university’s 50th-anniversary identity; bio-based construction materials and plant pots made from coffee grounds; technological solutions for coffee-ground recycling; and sustainable business models with feasible production costs.
The most thrilling moment of the final round concluded with the well-deserved recognition of outstanding teams. The First Prize honored two impressive projects by UFM students: “Scented Candles from Coffee Grounds” by Đinh Thị Diễm My, Mai Huế Chi, Phạm Trọng Hiển, and Vũ Lê Thảo Uyên; and “Creative Handcraft Workshop from Coffee Grounds” by Trần Khánh Hoàng and Trương Hoàng Minh. The Second Prize was awarded to the project “Deodorizing Tablets” by the student team Nguyễn Phương Mai, Trần Tuấn Kiệt, and Trần Võ Phương Trinh (UFM), featuring a convenient, eco-friendly solution that integrates coffee grounds into daily life. The Third Prize went to the inter-university team’s project “Coffee Essential Oil”, developed by Nguyễn Lê Thùy Anh, Trần Lê Bích Thủy, Phạm Ngọc Cát Tiên, and Trần Khánh Nam (UFM and UEH), which explored a new and innovative approach to leveraging coffee for wellness and relaxation. In addition, the Organizing Committee presented a Consolation Prize to the unique project “Coffee-Ground Hair-Dyeing Comb” by students Nguyễn Thị Thảo Trinh, Hồ Thị Hà Vy, Lê Yến Nhi, and Phạm Thị Thùy Linh (HUIT), offering a bold insight into the potential of coffee grounds in natural beauty applications.
The Final Round of the "UFM Open Innovation: Coffee Upcycle Challenge 2025" concluded on an inspiring note, marking a successfully organized event in both expertise and scale. More than just an ideation competition, the program truly became a forum for students to connect, compete, and collectively spread the spirit of innovation aligned with sustainable development.
Through diverse, practical, and meaningful coffee-ground upcycling projects, the competition strongly conveyed the message: “UFM – Greener, More Creative, More Sustainable” to students within and beyond the university. Each team and each product showcased in the final round served as a vivid reflection of circular-economy thinking, environmental awareness, and the young generation’s aspiration to contribute positively to society.
The success of the final round also reaffirmed that the University of Finance and Marketing is not only a place for academic training but also a nurturing ground for young entrepreneurs pioneering green entrepreneurship in Vietnam. With the support of the university, specialized units, and industry partners, many promising ideas from the competition have the opportunity to be further refined, incubated, and developed into real business models that contribute to the future green economy.
Building on this foundation, UFM continues to affirm its role in cultivating a student community that is resilient, creative, and socially responsible—ready to become a pioneering force in creating sustainable solutions for society.
Huong Lan, Hoang Trang, Thu Hang