I get to know Dai and Luong very coincidentally. Knowing that I would like to learn start-up stories of young people, a friend of mine emphatically suggested me to visit twin brother Dai and Luong with her very impressive, short introduction: “Hai Phong native, smart, deligent and hardworking. Start-up with dozens of very good self-made robots with super competitive prices. Their company is in Di Trach Village and always supporting new graduates”.

Having faith in the development of the Robot industry: Trio Dai-Luong-Thuc of Joint Stock Company Automation Technology Solutions 4.0. (Photo: WVR/Manh Cuong)

So I went to Di Trach Village (Hoai Duc district, Hanoi) to meet them. Their Joint Stock Company Automation Technology Solutions 4.0 is located modestly in a rent building for students. Talking with two brothers Dai and Luong, I am so glad that the domestic robotics industry has such enthusiastic brain sources.

General Vo Nguyen Giap's advice

Excitedly welcomed me from the door, Pham Van Luong introduced two key members of the company, Mr. Pham Van Dai (Co-founder) and Mr. Nguyen Van Thuc (shareholder, cum CEO). Pointing at staff members who were busy with making robots, he added: “The other members are more important than us. They are preparing the robots to be ready for the Vietnam International Manufacturing & Supporting Industry Exhibition (VIMEXPO) 2022, which will take place in November.”

Sitting next to a cup of hot tea filled with lotus flavor in the cold autumn weather, the three young people Dai, Luong and Thuc told me about the company's arduous journey since it was an idea cherished by two poor students. “The most important thing for us to be as successful as we are today is our love of science and creativity. That love has been started since we were in elementary school and has been persistently molded up to now”, Luong shared.

Going back in time, to his childhood, Dai said: "Back then, the two brothers learned and made a practical set of electrical circuits assembling, from aluminum cans, wires, and light bulbs. and collectible engines. In high school, the two brothers built some simple electronic circuits, the most typical product of which is two radios.” In high school, Dai and Luong boldly participated in the National Youth and Children's Innovation Contest for the first time and excellently won the Special Prize - WIPO Innovation Gold Medal. During the award ceremony, Dai and Luong were honored to present flowers and have a meeting with General Vo Nguyen Giap. “This is a precious and unforgettable memory in our lives,” Dai stressed.

The two brothers still remembered the General Giap's advice: "Our country has won the battles against imperialist powers, however, we are still a poor country. In order to develop the economy, we must rely on science and technology, but if we want to develop science and technology, we must rely on you, young people." General Giap’s saying was taken by both brothers as a guideline for their future careers.

Having faith in the development of the Robot industry. (Photo: WVR/Manh Cuong)

While studying at Hanoi University of Industry, the two young men continued to participate in the robocon creation contest organized by Vietnam Television. The robocon teams with the participation of Dai and Luong all entered the finals in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In addition, Dai also won the Second Prize of the Industrial Electronics Vocational Skills Competition organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Second Prize of the contest of the National Industrial Electronics Vocational Skills, won the ASEAN Industrial Electronics Vocational Skills Certificate.

Graduating from the University, the two brothers have focused on research and technological development, in parallel, completed the Master's program, then to make a start-up on robot.

Eating and sleeping, thinking of Robot

Thanks to the years of student life to thinking of robots in all of the day, participating in robocon contests, etc., the habit of using maximum creativity and exhausting themselves to create satisfactory robots still follows the two brothers until now. “At that time, staying up all night to perfect the robot, fasting to save money to buy materials to build, upgrade the robot, etc, become a normal. Although the two brothers are quite compatible, we often have heated arguments to find a solution. When we could solve it, only then we could laugh.”

Then, years of being students and the annual competitions have tempered and perfected the robot creativity of the two young men from the Hai Phong Port.

Technical product perspective, management skills are all improved thanks to years of leading robocon teams at the University. From competitions, social relationships are further open up, helping two brothers meet people who share the same passion. That's why Dai and Luong have met Thuc, whom they both call the "indispensable part" of the Company.

Before setting up the company, Dai and Luong, with some othe students, made the research on products and tried to find technology solutions to form the key products. However, at this stage, the company has not operated effectively because most of the employees were inexperienced fresh graduates. Dai and Luong could not finish all their work. Thuc helped them to untie the knot. He is very passionate person about science, creativity and an acumen businessman. Thuc has helped speed up the work progress and improve the products, especially automation and robotics products.

Having faith in the development of the Robot industry: Team of young resilient start-ups. (Photo: WVR/ Manh Cuong)

“Perhaps it was the strength of the teamwork, the collective, and a strong love of science in each of us that had the opportunity to bring into play. Obviously, it's really a piece of the puzzle we're missing," Luong shared

Committed to starting a business

After many years of research and product development, all three young men who are passionate about science have unanimously set the goal of creating Vietnamese-branded products, better serving the interests of people and businesses, contributing to part to promote the process of automation in the industry of the country. Thank to the efforts of the trio, up to now, electrical and electronic automation products for civil and industrial use that their Company sells to the market have got very positive feedback from consumers. CEO Nguyen Van Thuc shared that every start-up company encounters many difficulties. A new company, which does not have many diversified products and does not have enough potential to promote widely, the access to customers has been limited, convincing customers to trust and choose their products is quite difficult.

However, youth is inherently full of enthusiasm, and the most valuable capital of Joint Stock Company Automation Technology Solutions 4.0, in addition to seasoned experience, is youth and enthusiasm. “Thanks to my time as a lecturer at Hanoi University of Industry, I came up with the idea of selecting qualified students to be the nucleus to participate in building the company. The company creates a foundation to support more young people who are passionate about technology, and now it is the young people who are making the company's strength," Dai shared.

Always remembering the advice of General Vo Nguyen Giap in some year: “In order to develop the economy, we must rely on technology. If you want to develop technology, you have to rely on the young generation", currently the trio of Dai - Luong - Thuc are focusing on the company's strategic product, which is a self-propelled robot in the factory. This is an unmanned device controlled through a server system to replace humans carrying out the work of transporting goods and materials in production areas, warehouses, etc. Especially, it is a completely Made in Vietnam product.

Although our conversation could not last longer because of the busyness of whole Company before the VIMEXPO 2022 event, it was enough for me to feel and imagine the prospects on the path that the three "musketeers" are going on. I hope that new successes will come to Dai-Luong-Thuc, young intellectuals full of enthusiasm, creative passion and patriotic spirit.