Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the opening of the national festival for innovative startups TECHFEST and Week for Ho Chi Minh City Innovation, Startup and Entrepreneurship WHISE 2021 via videoconference in Hanoi on December 14.
PM Pham Minh Chinh (middle) at the event. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA)𝕴 – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the opening of the national festival forinnovative startups TECHFEST and Week for Ho Chi Minh City Innovation, Startupand Entrepreneurship WHISE 2021 via videoconference inHanoi on December 14.
The opening ceremony was held both online and offline in 63 cities andprovinces, and over 20 countries worldwide. The TECHFEST-WHISE 2021 was co-organised by the Ministry of Science andTechnology (MoST), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ho Chi Minh City People’sCommittee and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, featuring over 20activities. In his speech, PM Chinh hailed achievements in innovation this year,which helped bring Vietnam to the 44th place out of 132 countries and economies interms of global innovation, and the first position among 34 middle-income countries.
Hestressed that all sectors, localities, businesses and people must make efforts for innovation and creativity for the sake of national interests.
🔥 In theimmediate future, innovation efforts should focus on the fight against COVID-19, economicrecovery and development, as well as emerging issues such as climate change,exhaustion of natural resources, aging population, non-traditional securityissues, green growth, digital transformation, and those in health care,education, agriculture and poverty reduction.
He askedministries and agencies to continue fine-tuning mechanisms and attractingresources for innovation and startups, particularly financial resources from investors, professionalinvestment funds, international organisations and the community. Ministerof Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat, for his part, said over 1.3 billionUSD was poured into Vietnamese start-ups this year, a record figure despite thepandemic. Over 140 universities and colleges nationwide also launched start-upactivities, drawing the attention of major groups as financial investors. Atthe event, PM Chinh also witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements between the MoSTand several major corporations and groups./.
An event connecting Vietnamese and German start-ups for sustainable development took place, both online and offline, within the framework of the AsiaBerlin Summit 2021 from October 4-10.
The National Startup Support Centre of Vietnam (NSSC) and other organisations in the country on November 11 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Crafts of the Czech Republic (AMSP ČR) with the aim to develop the two countries’ start-up ecosystem and entrepreneurship.
A festival calling for investment capital for top five start-ups competing in the AI Accelerator Challenge (AAC) 2021 was held in Hanoi on November 23.
A seminar on introducing products of innovative start-ups to supermarkets and distribution channels took place in Hanoi on November 18. It was a bid to create a spillover effect contributing to further improving the efficiency of local production and business.
VietNEST (Vietnamese Nurturing Education for Science & Traditions) is a mobile app and digital platform for Vietnamese language learning among overseas children.
The networks bring together universities, research institutes and domestic and foreign businesses. Members will work closely in training, research, and technology transfer by sharing curricula, improving faculty capacity, providing access to laboratories and research facilities, and jointly implementing science and technology projects.
The Better Choice Awards (BCA) 2025 is a key highlight in the lead-up to Vietnam Innovation Day that falls on October 1, an annual event expected to attract hundreds of innovative enterprises, research institutions, investment funds, and startups from both Vietnam and abroad.
The new line serves as a critical backup route, strategically complementing existing submarine cables and enhancing the resilience, proactivity, and security of Vietnam’s telecommunications infrastructure.
Vietnam is actively yet cautiously preparing for the construction of its first nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan (now the south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa). The resumption of the programme after years of suspension carries considerable significance for the nation’s development in a new era as it strives to gradually reduce and ultimately phase out coal-fired power to realise the Government’s commitment to Net Zero by 2050.
The government leader reaffirmed Vietnam’s goal of achieving self-reliance in the design, manufacturing, and test of necessary semiconductor chips by no later than 2027.
With the launching of its two-tier local administration model, the city is incorporating technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain to enhance service delivery for citizens and businesses, aligning with the Politburo’s Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation.
Vietnam has issued many key policies to support semiconductor development, notably the Politburo’s Resolution 57 on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. Other initiatives include the Semiconductor Industry Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050, and the Human Resources Development Programme for the Semiconductor Industry.
Vietnam is no longer just an emerging blockchain market, it is stepping into a leadership role, with global investors, developers, and experts recognising its growing potential to become a leading hub for digital assets in the region.
Taking place on August 1–2, the event features more than 20,000 attendees and over 200 speakers from Vietnam, the h Korea, Singapore, the UAE, Hong Kong (China) and the US.
Dung directed the Ministry of Science and Technology to revise the national startup scheme, ensuring it clearly defines the scope and content, grounded on strong political and legal foundations, international best practices, and well-reasoned arguments for submission to the Government.
The two-day academic forum, themed “Resilience, Sustainability & Digital Transformation in a Changing World: Perspectives from Southeast Asia”, aims to share interdisciplinary research insights, focusing on adaptive capacity, sustainable development, and digital transformation amid evolving global and regional landscapes.
With such a rapid economic growth, Vietnam must diversify energy sources and nuclear power is a rational choice to ensure the national energy security, said Associate Professor Kei Koga from the Nanyang Technological University (Singapore).
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung emphasised that Vietnam has a clear strategy and ambition in this field, and is rapidly emerging as a central hub and key link in the regional and global semiconductor value chains.
According to Cushman & Wakefield’s latest Asia-Pacific Data Centre Investment Landscape report, Vietnam now ranks second in the region for data centre investment returns, with a yield on cost (YoC) of 17.5–18.8%, just behind Singapore’s 21–23%.
Vietnam is taking drastic yet cautious steps in building a culture of nuclear safety and security, with the aim of having its first nuclear power plant operational by the end of 2030 and using this specific energy source effectively and sustainably.
Vietnam’s 5G strategy has been clearly outlined in national digital technology and infrastructure policies. A wide range of solutions is being vigorously implemented to achieve the target of an average internet speed of 100 Mbps by 2025 and full nationwide 5G coverage by 2030.
The visit aimed to assess the new two-tier local government model, preparations for upcoming Party congresses at levels, and implementation of the Politburo’s Conclusion on school construction in border areas.
Under the theme “Breakthrough Era with the Development of Industrial Internet”, the event gathered over 400 delegates, including senior officials, leading Internet experts, and technology engineers from Vietnam and abroad.
PM Pham Minh Chinh (middle) at the event. (Photo: VNA) 
