SmartSalt+: Low-Sodium Innovation Wins National Title at TED Youth Startup 2026 

SmartSalt+, an innovative product developed by Paul Patsapong Chomchey, a graduate of the MBA Chula Executive Program (Batch 37) at the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Chulalongkorn University, and currently a doctoral student in the Doctor of Philosophy Program in Technology and Innovation Management for Entrepreneurship (CUTIP), has won the national championship at the TED Youth Startup – IGNITE Forum 2026. The program is organized by the Technology and Innovation-Based Enterprise Development Fund (TED Fund) under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation. 

The national final round was recently held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, where 10 startup teams representing four regions across Thailand competed. SmartSalt+, which had previously won first place in the Central region, claimed the “IGNITE Champion 2026” title and was recognized as an innovation that strongly aligns with modern health trends. 

SmartSalt+ is a low-sodium salt innovation that uses Nano-Chitosan Technology to reduce sodium content by 30–40% while maintaining 100% saltiness. It aims to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs) caused by excessive sodium intake and reduce national healthcare costs. The product represents a deep-tech innovation that clearly connects health impact with economic value. The team was mentored and supported by a TED Fellow, Chamchuri Innovative Products Co., Ltd. 

Previously, SmartSalt+ received a Gold Medal and Special Award at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2025 in the United States. 

Paul Patsapong Chomchey and Thawatchai Tipoud from INNOSOLVTECH International were awarded the National Champion Award this year for their outstanding healthy salt innovation, offering a new alternative for sodium reduction. 

This success was strongly supported by the TED Fund, which plays a key role as an early-stage funding provider, enabling the team to transform their research into a commercially viable product. 

Patsapong shared that the idea behind this innovation began with everyday observations and a desire to create practical benefits. Participating in the competition, along with mentorship and feedback from experts, helped shift his perspective—from focusing solely on production to prioritizing market value and user needs—contributing significantly to the innovation’s success. 

SmartSalt+ represents a meaningful innovation that delivers value to a wide population and has strong commercial potential with support from the TED Fund. It stands as a source of pride for Thai innovators and manufacturers in creating globally competitive health products. 

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