On 7 May 2025, NXPO, in collaboration with Thaksin University, organized the UHC Networking Forum at Thaksin University, Songkhla Campus. The event aimed to raise awareness and deepen understanding of the roles of University Holding Company (UHC) initiative in strengthening Thailand’s innovation ecosystem and supporting Thai innovation businesses. It also served as a platform for experience-sharing, success stories, challenge identification, and solution-oriented discussions to enhance UHC operations nationwide.
The forum was officially opened by NXPO President Dr. Surachai Sathitkunarat with a welcome address from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nathapong Chitniratna, President of Thaksin University. In his remarks, Dr. Nathapong emphasized the role of universities in fostering a learning society through continuous knowledge exchange and experience-sharing, essential to advancing the UHC mechanism. Dr. Surachai highlighted NXPO’s ongoing efforts in promoting UHCs under the Prime Minister’s Office Regulation B.E. 2566 (2023), which aims to unlock regulatory constraints and enable universities to actively participate in innovation-driven businesses. To date, 12 Thai universities have established UHCs, collectively investing in over 100 innovation enterprises and becoming a key mechanism in bridging academia and industry to accelerate research commercialization. He also underscored the need for UHCs to actively engage with private sector partners and investors while building capabilities to support enterprises as they expand to international markets.
The program featured a presentation by Ms. Manunya Chunhavuthiyanon, Division Director of Innovation Ecosystem for Enhancing Capability of Enterprises at NXPO, providing updates on UHC development. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring academic and industry experts: Asst. Prof. Dr. Rutchanee Gullayanon, Executive Vice President for Research and Innovations at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Samak Kaewsuksaeng, Vice President for Research and Innovation at Thaksin University; Dr. Benjawan Moongraksathum, Technology Evaluation Director at InnoSpace (Thailand); and Mr. Apiwat Thongprasert, Managing Director at VISUP. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Anont Tanaset, NXPO Policy Specialist.
In the afternoon, a Workshop on “Next Steps for UHC in Thailand” was held to exchange progress updates, address challenges, and gather recommendations for enhancing the role and operations of UHCs. The session was jointly led by Dr. Karantarat Nakwa, Assistant to the President at NXPO, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Samak Kaewsuksaeng. The event concluded with a sharing session titled “Why VCs Are Looking at Universities: Investing in the Next Wave of Innovation” presented by Origgin Ventures and TSU-Enterprise, followed by site visits and a spin-off business showcase.
The forum reaffirmed the importance of strengthening Thailand’s UHC network—not only as a bridge between universities and businesses but also as a key driver in promoting investment, fostering innovation, and supporting the sustainable growth of the country’s innovation-driven enterprises (IDEs).
