Within the framework of the Ho Chi Minh City Week of Innovation, Science, Technology, and Entrepreneurship 2025 (WISE HCMC+ 2025), a seminar titled “When Technology Converges – Investment and Cooperation Opportunities in Vietnam’s Era of Emergence” took place in the afternoon of November 26.
The event was co-organized by the Saigon Innovation Hub (SIHUB), the Vietnam Institute of Digital Economy Development (VIDE), New World Group Asset Management Investment And Consulting JSC, HVA Investment JSC, the HCMC Startup and Business Support Club, BizLeaders Vietnam, and J.E. Austin Associates.
In her opening remarks, Acting Director of SIHUB Dang Thi Luan highlighted that HCMC boasts a startup and innovation ecosystem that has garnered positive assessments from numerous international organizations. The city is currently home to approximately 50 percent of the country’s startups and accounts for 40 percent of its investment volume.
This ecosystem is reportedly valued at US$7.4 billion, attracting a total venture capital investment reaching $260 million. Acting Director Dang Thi Luan added that the city has implemented numerous robust policies to support creative startup projects.
Representatives from international and domestic financial funds as well as organizations concurred that in the context of a booming digital economy, the transition from traditional finance to digital assets is creating both opportunities and challenges for organizations, businesses, and investors. This trend, they noted, also opens up prospects for the formation of new international financial centers, with Vietnam being a prime candidate.
Delegates dedicated significant time to dissecting the intersection of technology, policy, and investment. Their goal was to clarify new opportunities arising as technology converges and the market shifts, helping startups clearly understand the evolving criteria and priorities of investors.
They also suggested effective cooperation models between the State, enterprises, and institutes/universities to drive the development of the startup ecosystem in HCMC specifically and Vietnam in general.
Dr Tran Quy, Director of VIDE, emphasized that policy is the crucial factor in orienting and attracting investment into technology, particularly innovation, to propel the digital economy. He recommended that HCMC needs to perfect its innovation efficiency evaluation framework and apply it widely, based on four indicator groups: process, activity, investment, and results.
From a market perspective, CEO Le Hoa Nha of HVA Investment JSC cum Vice Chairman of FundGo observed that the technology and innovation market is shifting rapidly. This volatility, he noted, is leading to continuous changes in the “appetites” of investors. While this opens new doors, it also demands that startups adapt much faster.
Mr. Le Hoa Nha argued that developing “Made by Vietnam” infrastructure for the digital asset market would increase safety and transparency. Simultaneously, it would open opportunities for Vietnamese startups to participate deeply in the global value chain amidst the backdrop of a powerful digital transformation.
Acting Director Dang Thi Luan affirmed that the practical solutions and recommendations offered by experts and delegates at the seminar would serve as a premise to promote the development of the startup ecosystem, connecting global resources in finance, technology, and human capital.
