Phnom Penh, April 6: 8 young teams of innovators and entrepreneurs looking to address Cambodia’s social issues boost the local business landscape and be an inspiration to young Khmer everywhere came closer to achieving their dreams when they emerged winners of Cellcard and Impact Hub’s future-shaping accelerator program – Cellcard Lab.

The initiative, which empowers young Khmer to realize their social business ideas and contribute towards the nation, celebrated its Cycle 2 completion recently by naming projects​​ DerPrey, C-Fit, MY HOME, Mekong Farm, Krop Knea, La Chhouk Recycled and Creative Fashion, RDS and Green Life . The teams behind the ideas won cash prizes and telco benefits to support their continued progress towards launching their products to market.

Cellcard Lab’s first prize of $5,000 and a year’s worth of telco benefits went to La Chhouk Recycled and Creative Fashion. The young enterprise, formed by a group of students from the Royal University of Fine Arts, aims to raise awareness on recycling via fashion shows that showcase creative and affordable products made from recycled items.

“We are grateful to Cellcard and Impact Hub for giving us the opportunity to bring our designs and ideas to the public, and giving them an idea of how our outfits are created,” said Sovannareach Ith, the brains behind La Chhouk. “This is also a good way to raise awareness about the environment and get more Cambodians to recycle.”

The second prize of $3,000 and a year’s worth of Cellcard benefits went to eco-tourism company Der Prey. The young adults behind the brand help young Cambodians to disconnect temporarily from their life in the city and discover the educating, entertaining and healing qualities of nature.

The third prize of $2,000 and a year’s worth of telco benefits was awarded to MY HOME, another young collective that aims to inculcate the habit of saving in children and teenagers via custom-made saving boxes and financial literacy workshops and training sessions.

Cellcard Lab is an intensive six-week business model validation program for aspiring entrepreneurs aged 18-30 looking to turn their social business ideas into viable opportunities and bring them to market. The Lab announces three winners every business quarter.

The Lab also provides all finalists with expert coaching, workshops and bespoke business support courtesy of renowned mentors. These comprise trainer and Cellcard ChangeMaker Program lead Chhunny Noem, Friends International’s technical coordinator Maelle Barbancon and Impact Hum Phnom Penh co-founder Laura Smitheman.

The three focus on assisting finalists scale up their business model, provide teambuilding and creative advice, and help entrepreneurs better implement, develop and execute ideas. As a bonus, the eight final teams have access to Impact Hub’s co-working space and network.

Cellcard CCO Laszlo Barta, in congratulating the winners, said the young but capable startups showcased creativity, originality and most of all, a steely determination to bring their ideas to fruition and create an impact.

“The overall standard of entries received was top-notch, which is extremely promising for the first edition of Cellcard Lab and shows just how much talent we have waiting to be provided an opportunity,” he said. “Based on this, and the enthusiasm shown by all our participants in trying to make a difference, we are confident that today’s youth will play an integral role in shaping and elevating the Kingdom’s future business and entrepreneurial environement.”

For more information on Cellcard Lab, visit here!