The 'Make in Vietnam' Awards are set to expand

The prestigious 'Make in Vietnam Digital Technology Products Awards' are presented annually by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) to Vietnamese organisations and businesses with outstanding digital technology products researched, designed, created, and manufactured in Vietnam to solve Vietnamese challenges and compete internationally.

The new 'digital technology product category' will only apply to micro or small enterprises, or innovative startups established under Vietnamese laws.

While still open to domestic enterprises with majority Vietnamese shareholding, the category now also includes foreign-established enterprises with at least 51 per cent Vietnamese ownership.

Each category will have gold, silver, and bronze awards and a top 10 list. The jury will consist of reputable experts, scientists, and journalists in the digital technology field.

Award-winning products will receive support from the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) for investment promotion, trade promotion, and commercialisation consulting for domestic and foreign markets. They will be introduced to ministries, sectors, and localities for trial implementation and pilot programmes, and considered for inclusion in the list of prioritised IT products and services for investment, leasing, and procurement in state agencies.

The registration and submission period for the award is from August 22 to October 22. The award ceremony will be held during the national forum on Vietnamese digital technology enterprise development in December.

Speaking at the press conference on August 22 to launch the '2024 Make in Vietnam Digital Technology Products Awards', Bui Hoang Phuong, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications emphasised that the award is significant in supporting trade promotion and investment, boosting domestic consumption, and promoting exports for new products, services, and solutions.

Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong

"I call on the Vietnamese digital technology business community to actively participate in this award so that the MIC can identify and honour the most outstanding and deserving Vietnamese-made products of 2024," Phuong said.

Hoang Quang Phong, vice chairman of the VCCI, reported that over the past four years, the award has identified 234 Vietnamese-made digital technology products.

"We can proudly tell the world that Vietnam's intellectual, scientific, and digital technology products are ready to take the stage and face challenges in the competitive environment of the digital economy. The business community and our citizens can now enjoy the scientific achievements of Vietnamese digital technology companies," Phong said.

According to Nguyen Thanh Tuyen, deputy director of the MIC's Department of Information and Communication Technology Industry, the 2024 awards will feature new elements and will comprise eight categories. Five of these are for products serving digital transformation and economic development in various sectors, including construction, agriculture, the environment; transportation, logistics, education, health, and finance.

This year marks the fifth year of the 'Make in Vietnam Digital Technology Products Awards', which honour exceptional digital technology products that embody Vietnamese intellectual pride. The awards aim to create new economic growth drivers, enhance national competitiveness, increase labour productivity, and deliver more practical and comprehensive results.

Vietnam unlocking digital potential Vietnam was the fastest-growing digital economy in ASEAN in 2023, with potential to become the second-largest by 2030. The country remains on track to recover from the trade downturn, though growth remains uneven.

Vietnam’s Top 10 digital technology companies named for 2023 Vietnam’s Top 10 digital technology companies in 2023 were announced at a ceremony in Hanoi on September 22.

Vietnam to host development of digital technology enterprises forum The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) will organise the national forum on development of Vietnamese digital technology enterprises in the northern province of Quang Ninh on December 11.