Techfest Hanoi 2023: Opportunities for innovative tech solutions

The event drew the participation of many cities and provinces, including Hanoi, Vinh Phuc, Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Hoa Binh, and Phu Tho.

Themed Hanoi connects the capital region – Creativity and Development, the event featured seminars, an exhibition, and many other activities.

The aim was to promote the development of the startup and innovation ecosystem in the capital, supporting the development of the sci-tech market in the region.

Addressing the event, Le Xuan Dinh, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, said that developing science, technology, and innovation is a top national policy, playing a strategic breakthrough role in the new period.

It is a driving force to promote growth and create breakthroughs in productivity, quality, and efficiency, as well as a decisive factor in improving the country's competitiveness.

"Building a national innovation startup ecosystem must be linked to and stem from local and regional ecosystems. It should focus on tapping into local resources to create long-term sustainability," Dinh emphasised.

Le Xuan Dinh, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology giving his speech at Techfest Hanoi 2023

However, he admitted that ecological and environmental sustainability indicators are currently at a low level, showing that institutional improvements are still needed to create stronger conditions for socioeconomic development that is linked to the goals of green growth, development-driven science, technology, and innovation.

"To enable the ecosystem to develop sustainably, the main priority is to build institutions and development policies to promote strengths and overcome weaknesses. Efforts are needed to set targets and promote Hanoi's role in sci-tech development," he noted.

At the event, Le Hong Son, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee said that the city is the country's leading locality in terms of implementing Party, state, and government guidelines and policies on science, technology, and innovation.

According to data from Startup Blink, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are ranked in the top 1,000 startup cities globally. In particular, innovative activities have created a strong driving force and formed a new wave of development.

In Hanoi, there are currently about 1,000 innovation startups out of a total of 3,800 nationally, accounting for 26.32 per cent.

The capital now has 32 business incubators in multiple industries and fields (accounting for 38.1 per cent of the country’s total). Many workshops, forums, discussions, investment initiatives, and training courses that focus on startups are regularly organised.

Since 2016, innovation and startup businesses in the city have raised $1 billion.

"These numbers have continuously increased, demonstrating the community's active participation in ecosystem development," Son emphasised.

Held for the first time in 2015, Techfest is an annual event hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology in collaboration with other organisations and units.

TECHFEST VIETNAM 2022 promotes startup ecosystem A seminar series on technology was held in Binh Duong over the weekend, looking at events related to national innovation.

Vietnam hosts TECHFEST in Australia for first time Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) and Australia’s Monash University organised the first International TECHFEST in Melbourne on September 20, aiming to attract international resources to aid the development of Vietnam’s innovative startup ecosystem.

Monash University helps Vietnamese startups unlock their potential On September 20, TECHFEST 2023 – Vietnam's largest annual event for innovative startups – was held at Monash University, Australia. Susan Elliott AM, interim president and vice-chancellor of Monash University, sat down for an interview with VIR's Thanh Van about its role in promoting and supporting creativity and innovation, especially for Vietnamese startups.