Chiang Mai University launches Builds platform to boost student entrepreneurship

Chiang Mai University (CMU), in collaboration with the Stock Exchange of Thailand, has unveiled an entrepreneurial platform named “Builds”. This initiative is designed to assist students in transforming their research projects into profitable enterprises.

Pongruk Sribanditmongkol, a CMU rector, expressed the institution’s ambitions to become an entrepreneurial hub, aiming to bolster its economic contribution to 60 billion baht within the next four years.

Pongruk explained, ” The platform will allow CMU students to improve their research, using the university’s technology to turn studies into business models that could provide jobs, make money and mobilise the economy to improve growth across the northern region.”

The rector acknowledged the demand for more employment opportunities in the North for highly skilled workers. He believes this platform will provide local students with job prospects in their region, eliminating the necessity to relocate to Bangkok for career opportunities.

The Builds platform has set a goal to produce over 4,200 entrepreneurs and 240 companies by 2026. It also aims to employ 3,600 highly skilled workers and generate more than 4.5 billion baht in revenue across the North.

Tanyanuparb Anantana, a CMU vice rector, shared that the Builds platform provides five entrepreneurial programmes for students to explore.

Students are encouraged to enrol in courses on the platform and participate in the education sandbox scheme. This scheme allows them to gain study credits from businesses, which count towards their graduation.

The platform further provides opportunities for students to join a start-up incubator programme, offering a comprehensive study of business operations.

Alongside this, Builds features a start-up club where students can exchange ideas, share experiences, and recruit potential team members.

Tanyanuparb also stated that the university will provide financial support to subsidise students’ businesses. It is hoped that these programmes will inspire students to convert their ideas into business models while completing their degrees, reports Bangkok Post.