SSO continues the Early Stage All Stars project for new entrepreneurs for the 5th year, creating a new generation of SMEs to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and fully engage in online trade. It is expected to enhance the liquidity of SMEs through online marketing, technology, and innovation for at least 120 businesses.

Mr. Weerapong Malai, Director of the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP), revealed that despite facing the COVID-19 crisis this year, both Thailand and the world, OSMEP continues to develop new entrepreneurs to align with current changes and situations, aiming to create a new generation of entrepreneurs ready to contribute to the Thai economy in the future.

The New Entrepreneur Development and Promotion Project (SME - Early Stage: All Stars) began in 2016 under government policy, aiming to create new SMEs that utilize technology and innovation to develop new products and services that meet current consumer demands. Throughout its operation until 2021, it has developed the potential of over 50,000 Thai entrepreneurs, enabling them to expand their businesses sustainably through support in technology, innovation, and research and development.

For 2021, the project has adjusted its operational model and collaborated with six partner organizations, including King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Thammasat University, Prince of Songkla University, the Federation of Thai Industries, the Textile Industry Development Foundation, and the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion, under the concept of Early Stage All Stars. This aims to expand operations to new entrepreneurs and those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak since 2020, using various innovations and digital technologies to maximize benefits in production, management, and marketing.

Additionally, the focus is on developing entrepreneurs' potential to create sustainable business strength, developing practical business concepts using analytical tools to provide a clear overview of the business, allowing for problem analysis and in-depth consulting for entrepreneurs. This will help improve their business competitiveness. SMEs participating in the project can be individuals wanting to become entrepreneurs or entrepreneurs who have not yet registered their businesses, but if they are already registered, they must have established their business for no more than 3.5 years.

Mr. Weerapong further stated that entrepreneurs who apply to join the project will gain knowledge about the steps to start a business and business models in the digital age, as well as various benefits from OSMEP through in-depth capacity-building activities led by experts both online and offline. Entrepreneurs will receive support tailored to their problems or needs, such as business plan writing, guidance on business plans reviewed by financial institutions, content marketing, media promotion advice, online-to-offline (O2O) connections, teaching how to link online stores with physical stores, standard enhancement preparation for certification, artificial intelligence (AI), and integrating technology innovations into businesses or the Internet of Things (IoT).

“Market testing activities are another part of the project where OSMEP collaborates with King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok to select over 100 participants who have undergone in-depth capacity development to join the Early Stage Market Fair 2021 through online trade channels on the Facebook Page: SME Early Stage Market Fair. There will be live selling sessions for entrepreneurs to learn, test products, and understand consumer behavior to improve and enhance product value to truly meet market demands. Additionally, this increases opportunities for buyers to meet sellers directly, with OSMEP promoting through Facebook and various online sales promotion activities,” the Director of OSMEP stated.

This year features several potential and outstanding products, such as Pinn Waste-Free Tissue, which can be flushed down the toilet without clogging, biodegradable, reduces the spread of germs, minimizes odors in bathrooms, and cuts down on waste disposal costs, made from recycled paper pulp, reducing tree cutting and environmental damage. GreenerSense Co., Ltd. Bamboo Fiber Sanitary Napkins help combat bacterial growth, are highly flexible, absorb well, control odor, provide good ventilation, dry quickly, and are easily biodegradable, making them environmentally friendly.

Nutcha Global Co., Ltd. Salmon Fish Chili Paste made from salmon mixed with shallots, chili, and fried kaffir lime leaves, Yummyyum Crispy Rice with Fresh Sausage, ready-to-eat packaged sausage salad, Pakra Perfect White Organic Serum helps rejuvenate skin with wrinkles and dullness for a brighter complexion, Farmer Gac eye health vitamins prevent retinal degeneration and heart disease, boosting the body's immunity, made from 100% gac powder, and Phumjit Cafe at Sao Chingcha, a Thai dessert shop known for using high-quality ingredients, where each piece of dessert offers beauty to the eyes, aroma to the nose, and delicious taste, with the scent of candle smoke being a key element in dessert making, while also modernizing the dessert forms.

“In previous Early Stage Market Fair events, they were held at the Chaeng Watthana Government Complex to allow entrepreneurs to test the market through real experiences and receive direct feedback from customers to improve products and services. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, OSMEP has adjusted this activity to an online format, providing a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to gain real experience from online trading and discuss shortcomings with experts to ensure their products and services receive better acceptance in the online market. This allows SMEs that have gone through this project to expand and continue trading even during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr. Weerapong concluded.