National Innovation Centre to break ground soon

Deputy Minister Tran Duy Dong speaking at the press conference to announce the NIC and VIIE

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has just announced holding the Vietnam International Innovation Expo (VIIE) in Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park on January 9, 2021. “This is the first international innovation expo that gathers all shareholders of the Vietnam innovation ecosystem,” Tran Duy Dong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment said.

There will be 150 shops to show off their products, technology, and solutions at VIIE 2021, which is expected to lure in around 10,000 visitors during the two-day event.

Notably, the expo will see the participation of numerous large technology companies like Viettel, Vingroup, MoMo, CMC, and local businesses like Sunshine, Hanaka, and foreign-invested firms Samsung, Hyosung, Intel, Dell, Hitachi, BIDV and Siemens.

Startups, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research and development centres, institutes, and universities will also join this event.

“With the participation of dozens of venture funds and big corporations, the event will be a good platform for connectivity and networking with startups and SMEs,” Deputy Minister Tran Duy Dong said.

Various cutting-edge technologies related to smart factory (such as robots and turbines), smart city, digital technology (5G, fintech, and e-payment), environmental and agricultural technologies, and some other innovative solutions will be showed off at the expo.

“VIIE is not only the place to introduce and honour achievements of innovation but also contributes to developing a new playground for innovation activities of all participators like people, businesses, disadvantaged community, international organisations, and technology corporations,” added Dong.

The expo is expected to be held annually to enable Vietnam to be a regional destination of innovation in the new era, as well as confirm the pioneering role of the MPI to mobilise resources and connect stakeholders to promote economic growth based on science-technology and innovation, according to the MPI deputy minister.

NIC – foundation for renewing growth model

In addition to the expo, another important event to be held on the same day is the ground-breaking ceremony of the NIC.

“This is the result of the MPI and the NIC's work to build the physical infrastructure to connect innovation stakeholders, and an important milestone for the NIC,” Dong said that NIC will be a convergence point for local and foreign businesses and organisations, institutes, labs, working place of talents, experts, and scientists.

The NIC is established in Decision No.1269/QD-TTg dated October 2, 2019. “Establishing the NIC is a significant step of the government to realisethe Politburo's Resolution No.52-NQ/TW on guidelines and policies for the nation's proactive involvement in Industry 4.0,” said Dong.

In order to seize Industry 4.0 opportunities, the MPI has been actively promoting and carrying out the three tasksof creating Vietnam Innovation Network to gather overseas talents, establishing the NIC, and building a national strategy on Industry 4.0.

Of these, Vietnam Innovation Network has already gathered more than 1,000 members across 14 countries, opening representative offices in five countries and going to set some up in Canada, Singapore, South Korea, and the UK.