Seminar supporting start-ups held at National Innovation Center

Seminar supporting start-ups held at National Innovation Center

The seminar is part of “The Project for Vitalizing the Vietnam National Innovation Center", funded by the Government of Japan through UNDP.

Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam Ito Naoki speaks at the seminar at the National Innovation Centre on Monday. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

The National Innovation Center (NIC), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Japan, hosted a seminar aimed at connecting start-ups with investors on Monday.

The seminar, titled “Supporting Innovative Start-ups: Ready for New Challenges and Opportunities,” is part of “The Project for Vitalising the Vietnam National Innovation Center.” Funded by the Government of Japan through UNDP, the project seeks to link stakeholders in Vietnam’s start-up ecosystem and establish a start-up incubation complex at the NIC.

Key highlights of the seminar included a panel discussion on “Fostering the Innovative Startup Ecosystem – Opportunities and Challenges”; networking sessions with startups, research institutes, investment funds, and tech corporations; and a co-design session for rapid prototyping models.

In his welcoming remarks, Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam Ito Naoki said: “Successful innovation requires active participation from all key stakeholders, including universities, research institutes, innovators, startups, corporations, investors, government agencies, and support organisations.

"This project will promote social impact investment to address various societal challenges and drive sustainable development in Việt Nam, with the involvement of all stakeholders.”

NIC director Vũ Quốc Huy said: “As a bridge connecting stakeholders in the start-up ecosystem, NIC is committed to continuing its support and creating the best conditions for the innovative startup community in Việt Nam.

"In the future, NIC will become a central platform where policymakers, businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs join forces to build a comprehensive, competitive innovation ecosystem at both regional and global levels.”

After the seminar, startups and investors continued their networking and investment sessions in the evening.

The seminar is part of the Vietnam Innovation and Investment Forum 2025, which is taking place on Tuesday, also at the NIC.

The forum will serve as a hub connecting the investor community, tech enterprises, and start-up support organisations both domestically and internationally.

It will also provide a platform for discussions on tech investment trends and an analysis of the opportunities and challenges of Việt Nam's private capital market. 

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