The five most outstanding business plans have secured their places in the Best Innovators Award 2013.

Creating a healthy melon brand won the first prize while building up a social learning network was the runner-up for the Best Innovators Award this year.

The event, taking root from the Praxispartnership Project, is jointly organized by Leipzig University from Germany in collaboration with Vietnamese – German University (VGU), HCMC Young Businessmen’s Association (YBA) and Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

Le Nguyen Cam Tu and Nguyen Minh Nhan’s plan of developing a healthy melon brand got the highest point and thus, winning the first prize as judges said the idea is innovative and could be turned into reality.

“The idea is very good and strange and the way contestants presented was also professional. Moreover, the model is already applied in some countries which have high technology. Therefore, we would not doubt about its feasibility,” said Nguyen Truong Son, ILO master trainer.

“I like the idea a lot, and I think all the board of judges like it also, said Dr Tran Vinh Du, a member of the five-member board of judges. The award winning idea got the highest score, 9, from all the 5 judges.

“As it is the award for best innovative ideas, I figure out the idea is unique and fun,” Du said, adding that he has yet encountered such an ideas when working as a judge for the contest and in his professional life as an expert in business project assessment and evaluation.

“The idea of the award-winning project, inspired by online farming games, is the most interesting project,” said Prof Dr. Utz Dornberger, a board member who coming from Leipzig University, adding that just imaging you customers can see your crops growing.

“There is a segment in the local market where you can apply the idea effectively, like high-end fruit segment, in the wake of unsafe fruit imported from China,” he added.

“It is highly feasible, and can be applied right away in reality,” said Ms. Huynh Dinh Thai Linh, the manager of Praxispartnership Project cum a member of the board.

Although Nguyen Thanh Nhan’s idea of building up a social learning network named ECO EDU received lots of positive feedback, it only won the runner-up prize. “The business plan was impressive. However, it would be hard to materialize it,” Son explained.

Three other businesses plans including developing a student shuttle service, producing probiotics for farming and establishing a high-standard home-stay model got the third prize.