Leading University Creating Innovation for Sustainable Future
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Siam University Achievement at Enactus Thailand 2026
https://www.eduzones.com/2026/09/01/siam-diffusing-jewelry/
A cross-disciplinary team of students from Siam University won First Place in the Early Stage League (Central Region) at Enactus Thailand 2026, a competition for social innovation and social enterprise organised by the Rakkaew Foundation. The competition selects teams to represent Thailand at the Enactus World Cup 2026 in São Paulo, Brazil. The win qualified the team for the national round, where it also took first place in the Early Stage League. The team consisted of five students from two faculties. Mr Sirasit Ragtong, Ms Natchafa Plernkhutum, Ms Nikhapha Smitanan and Mr Rawat Pumtong represented the Faculty of Pharmacy. Ms Weeraya Intamat represented the International College, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programme. The project was supervised by Asst. Prof. Dr Narumol Phosrithong and Dr Kwanchon Khamphan.
The project, titled “Diffusing Jewelry: An Innovative Mosquito-Repellent Aromatic Accessory for a Sustainable Community Economy,” was developed in response to public health concerns, particularly dengue fever. It also aimed to improve the image of conventional mosquito repellents. The team applied pharmaceutical knowledge to develop fashion accessories, including bracelets and key rings, infused with essential oils derived entirely from natural herbs. The products were designed to be safe and customisable, and they used a refill system to reduce plastic waste. Moreover, the project established a value chain with three communities in Phasi Charoen District, Bangkok: Lerd Suk Som Community served as the upstream partner, cultivating and supplying herbs. Sirin and Friends Community served as the midstream partner, producing and assembling the products. Phoon Bamphen Community served as the downstream partner, upcycling waste materials into product components and acting as a point of sale. The primary target markets were Gen Z consumers and wellness tourism businesses (B2B). In addition to its health benefits, the project generated employment, distributed income to older residents and other community members, and promoted a circular economy.
At the Central Region Exposition, Chulalongkorn University won the Impact League with a project on mineral supplements derived from cocoa. Siam University won the Early Stage League. The Enactus Thailand National Exposition 2026 was held on 30 August 2026 at Samyan Mitrtown, Bangkok, with 29 projects from 22 universities. Chulalongkorn University was named National Champion and will represent Thailand at the Enactus World Cup 2026. Buriram Rajabhat University and Prince of Songkla University (Trang Campus) were named national runners-up. It is noteworthy that in late August 2026, the project “Diffusing Jewelry“ also received Second Runner-Up and the Popular Vote award at the RISE+ Storyteller Awards 2026, a national Thai creative product and souvenir design competition hosted by the Thailand RISE Fund, supported by the Science, Research and Innovation Promotion Fund and operated by Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI).
Startup Thailand League to Build Student Entrepreneurial Skills
From 12 to 14 March 2026, Siam University held Startup Thailand League “Startup Lessons 2026” aimed to develop students’ entrepreneurial knowledge and skills and to help them turn innovations and business ideas into future startups. It was supported by Siam University and the National Innovation Agency (Public Organization). The programme was also linked to Green-Edu-Seeds, an international academic collaboration under the European Union’s Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programme. Green-Edu-Seeds promotes innovation and sustainability skills among students and staff in higher education institutions. A total of 96 teams of students from a range of faculties and programmes pitched innovative business ideas. Five teams were selected to represent the university at the regional level. The event gave students practical experience in entrepreneurial thinking, teamwork and presenting business ideas to experts. It supports Siam University’s aim of becoming an entrepreneurial university.
Regional Round: Startup Thailand League 2026
Two Siam University student teams advanced to the National Level Demo Day of the Startup Thailand League 2026 after competing in the regional round for the Central and Eastern regions on 20–21 April 2026. They were the TaskDee team from the International College and the Wanderworld team from the Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme, Faculty of Science. Each team received a prize of 25,000 THB from the National Innovation Agency (Public Organization) (NIA).
Startup x Innovation Thailand Expo 2026 (SITE 2026)
Following their regional success, both teams went on to exhibit at the Startup x Innovation Thailand Expo 2026 (SITE 2026), held from 25 to 27 June 2026 under the theme “Global Innovation Impact: The Year of Investment.” SITE 2026 was positioned as a platform connecting Thai innovation with investment. The programme included startup pitching sessions and a youth innovation platform through the Startup Thailand League, the competition through which the Siam University teams had qualified. In this event, Siam University also presented student-led ventures to investors, industry partners and the public on a national stage. The two exhibited businesses reflect the university’s entrepreneurship development programme, which encourages students to move beyond classroom learning and develop innovations with commercial potential and social value. The ventures came from two different academic fields, digital business and food science, illustrating the range of entrepreneurial activity across the university.
TaskDee: A Student-Powered Marketplace
TaskDee is a mobile application developed by students of the International College under the university’s entrepreneurship development programme. It operates as a student-powered marketplace designed for everyday life and work in the digital age. The platform serves two groups at once: people who need help with daily tasks, and university students who want flexible ways to earn income while studying. Its key features are as follows:
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Real-time matching: The platform acts as an intermediary, connecting people who need help with errands, chores and other everyday tasks with university students nearby.
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Flexible income for students: Students can choose tasks that fit around their studies and earn supplementary income safely in their free time.
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Trust and safety: Services are provided only by students whose identities have been verified, and transactions are handled through a secure payment system. These measures address a common concern with on-demand service platforms: the reliability of service providers.
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Contribution to sustainability: TaskDee was selected as one of Thailand’s emerging startups contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), through its creation of flexible work opportunities for young people.
Updates and the waiting list for the application are available on the TaskDee Marketplace website.
Wanderworld: GRANOVA Oat Bar Calcium Mixed Nuts
The Wanderworld team, from the Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme, Faculty of Science, presented GRANOVA Oat Bar Calcium Mixed Nuts, the product it had developed for the Startup Thailand League 2026. The product is a baked oat bar designed for health-conscious consumers. It combines oats and a variety of nuts and is enriched with a high calcium content, increasing its nutritional value. The product responds to growing consumer demand for snacks that are both healthy and convenient, offering a nutritious option that is easy to carry and consume on the go. The project demonstrates how the programme combines food science knowledge with product development and business planning,
Robotics and Animation Innovations at “One Stop Open House 2026”
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) organized “One Stop Open House 2026” from 6 to 8 March 2026 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The event brought together higher education institutions from across Thailand and gave young people comprehensive guidance on educational and career pathways. Siam University took part at Booth A20, where it presented its academic, research, and innovation strengths. Highlights included robotics and automation engineering projects with practical, real-world applications, as well as the University’s teaching approach, which focuses on developing students’ future skills. The University also staged “UNSEEN CASE,” an exhibition of creative works in animation and creative media that illustrated students’ analytical thinking processes. In addition, it featured internationally recognized projects related to community engagement and sustainable development. The event drew more than ten thousand visitors from across the country.
“UNSEEN CASE” Thesis Exhibition by Animation and Creative Media Students
From 13 to 17 January 2026, the Department of Animation and Creative Media, Faculty of Information Technology, held “UNSEEN CASE,” a student thesis exhibition in the campus Hall of Fame. The exhibition presented works by 11 students, designated CASE #1 to CASE #11. Through animation, illustration, creative design and conceptual pieces, the works raised awareness of social issues that are often overlooked but closer to everyday life than commonly assumed. The exhibition was staged as a series of confidential case files, inviting visitors to interpret each work and reach their own conclusions. Visitors could discuss the concepts directly with the student creators, enriching their learning in digital art and creative media. The exhibition was later shown to the public on the 4th floor of Seacon Bangkae shopping centre, Bangkok, from 19 to 24 May 2026.
Advancing Thai Soft Power through Traditional Thai Patterns
“Dubua × Benjalai” was an activity developed as part of the senior thesis project of Mr. Amarin Deenonglueak, a student in the Animation and Creative Media program, Faculty of Information Technology, Siam University, in collaboration with Dubua Café. The project centred on the design of a set of characters, collectively named Benjalai (literally “five patterns”), which reinterpret traditional Thai decorative patterns (lai Thai) as contemporary character designs. By combining elements of Thai cultural heritage with the creative sensibilities of a younger generation, the project aimed to make these patterns more memorable and to introduce children to the fundamental forms of Thai ornamental art. The underlying rationale was that traditional Thai art should not be confined to the past but can be reinterpreted for contemporary audiences, both in Thailand and internationally. In this sense, the project sought to contribute to the preservation of Thai patterns while also extending Thailand’s cultural soft power through design. The public component of the project took the form of a hands-on keychain-making workshop. Participants assembled their own keychains featuring the Benjalai characters, and in doing so learned about the basic components of Thai patterns through characters designed to be easy to recognise and understand. Each participant took home the finished keychain as a souvenir of the activity. The workshop was held from 1 to 3 May, 2026 at Dubua Café.
First Runner-Up, RTARF Cyber Warrior Contest 2026
Students from the Information Technology program, Faculty of Information Technology, Siam University, brought distinction to the university by winning First Runner-Up in the RTARF Cyber Warrior Contest 2026. The competition was organised by the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters (RTARF) and held on 14 July 2026. Its aim was to promote knowledge, capability, and practical skills in cybersecurity among young people and university students nationwide.Thirty-eight teams from higher education institutions across the country took part. Siam University was the only university to advance to the final round, where its team went on to secure First Runner-Up.
AI-Powered Startup Programme: Turn Research into Commercial Innovation
Siam University continued to develop its innovation ecosystem through the five-day training programme “AI-Powered Startup: From Research & Expertise to Startup Innovation,” starting 11 July 2026 at the Department of Data and Computer Science, Faculty of Science. The programme aimed to help academic staff combine their research expertise with AI and digital tools to create market-ready business models, preparing them to become technology-based entrepreneurs. The training covered four areas: entrepreneurial mindset and market discovery, business model design and validation, MVP development with AI, and go-to-market strategy, ending with a Demo Day at which participants presented to expert panels. The programme represents a significant step in Siam University’s commitment to developing highly capable staff and contributing to sustainable national development. It reflects the university’s aim of transforming knowledge into innovation and research into competitive startups, which can in turn help drive Thailand’s digital economy.
“From Lab to Market: IP Strategies” Seminar
Siam University organised the academic seminar “From Lab to Market: IP Strategies” to strengthen knowledge of intellectual property (IP) strategy and of how research and innovation can be developed from the laboratory into commercial applications on May 19, 2026. The university was honoured to welcome Associate Professor Dr. Duanghathai Pentrakoon from Chulalongkorn University and Assistant Professor Dr. Akkharawit Kanjana-opas from Prince of Songkla University who shared their knowledge, experience, and approaches to IP management. The seminar aimed to support faculty members, researchers, and staff of Siam University in developing their research so that it creates value and leads to tangible real-world use.
