• 19 Dec 2021
• 2021

“The imprint of TECHFEST - WHISE - SURF 2021" and High-Level Dialogue Forum with "Developing an Open Innovative Startup Ecosystem" theme

On the afternoon of December 14^th, 2021, The imprint of TECHFEST - WHISE - SURF 2021 took place via in-person modality at University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) broadcast bridge and connected to the Hanoi broadcast point. This was an event in the activity series - National Innovative Entrepreneurship day (TECHFEST) and Week of Ho Chi Minh City Innovation, Startup and Entrepreneurship (WHISE) held from September 2021 to December 2021 by Ministry of Science and Technology in hosted collaboration with Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and strategic companionship with Vingroup, Department of Science and Technology, National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (NATEC), Vietnam Committee for Overseas, Office of National Program 844, National Startup Support Center, UEH College of Technology and Design affiliated to University of Economics HCMC, Danang People’s Committee, Startup Vietnam Foundation, Viet Lotus, with the participation of hundreds of organizations/units in the national and international startup ecosystem. 

In Hanoi, the event received the participation of Mr. Pham Minh Chinh - Politburo Commissioner, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Heads of Central Ministries, Committees, and Departments. In HCMC, the event recognized the participation of Mr. Duong Anh Duc, Vice Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee; Heads of City’s Departments, Committees, and Sectors. Simultaneously, broadcast points around the country welcomed the attendance of organizations, groups, individuals, and reliable networks supporting domestic and international innovative startups. In terms of University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), there was Prof. Su Dinh Thanh - President, Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Khac Quoc Bao - Vice Head of UEH College of Technology and Design.

The program connected to the broadcast points at University of Economics HCMC and Hanoi

Stating at the opening speech, Mr. Huynh Thanh Dat - Minister of Science and Technology informed: “National TECHFEST has been held annually to be an occasion that finalizes, evaluates, and reports to Government Heads on innovative startup activities occurring during the year and listens to instructive orders orientating development for the following years. Changing to safely adapt, being flexible, and controling effectively Covid-19 pandemic become essential life conditions in the new normal statement. In that context, science, technology, and innovation provide new solutions and effective tools for preventing the pandemic; concurrently, applying strongly to the living in order to construct and develop a “new normal” environment. Initiatives, solutions, and innovative startup projects have obligatorily revealed their pioneering roles in solving ecosocial issues on the foundation of promoting Vietnamese autonomy, creativity, and innovation represented by the young generation.”

Mr. Huynh Thanh Dat - Minister of Science and Technology stating

At HCMC broadcast bridge, Mr. Duong Anh Duc, Vice Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee delivered a welcome speech: “In 2021, HCMC People’s Committee honorably joined with Ministry of Science and Technology to host National Innovative Entrepreneurship Day event - TECHFEST 2021 together with Week of Ho Chi Minh City Innovation, Startup, and Entrepreneurship - WHISE 2021 (abbreviated as TECHFEST - WHISE 2021) with the main theme as Embracing innovation - Reshaping the future. This shows the desires of HCMC in contributing to the common development of the Vietnamese innovative startup ecosystem. We expect this program The imprint of TECHFEST - WHISE 2021 does not only bring a message on the role of the government in building and keeping the fire of the community to innovate in hostile times but also promote more strongly orienting, leading, connecting, cooperating, and sharing roles in innovative activities of Vietnam.”

Mr. Duong Anh Duc, Vice Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee delivering the welcome speech at the event

Overcoming the obstacles of COVID-19 pandemic, HCMC innovative startup ecosystem has positive results during 2021. This 2021 Week of HCMC Innovation, Startup, and Entrepreneurship - WHISE organized more than 20 events via offline-online combining modality divided into 3 groups as follows: Finalizing incubation competitions and programs, accelerating innovative startup at incubators; Activities supporting to connect to innovative startup ecosystem; A series of activities of HCMC Communist Youth Union in terms of innovative youth. On the morning of December 14^th, 2021, 02 outstanding events which honored individuals, groups, organizations contributing positively to the ecosystem took place respectively: Innovation Award (ISTAR 2021) and “Finding and connecting innovative solutions coping with the COVID-19 pandemic at Ho Chi Minh City in 2021” (HIS - COVID 2021) Program. Particularly, Top 10 Awarded HIS-COVID 2021 have been complete products and implemented effectively as pilots in many locales, which supports pandemic prevention in HCMC.

Innovation Award (ISTAR 2021) and “Finding and connecting innovative solutions coping with the COVID-19 pandemic at Ho Chi Minh City in 2021” Program

Within the framework of the program “The imprint of TECHFEST and WHISE 2021”, there was also a High-level Dialogue Forum with the theme of “Developing an Open Innovative Startup Ecosystem”. The Forum aimed at mind suggestion, new initiative suggestion, featuring openness, cooperation, and linking in the national innovative startup ecosystem, promoting startup formation with high-tech content from institute and college block, and suggesting policy perfecting the national innovative startup ecosystem.

Under the moderation of Mr. Vu Viet Ngan - General Director of VietLotus - Former President of National Financial Supervisory Commission, Former Head of Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, participating discussion members in the forum included: Mr. Tran Van Tung - Deputy Minister of Science and Technology; Mr. Ngo Huong Nam - Vice Chairman of Vietnam Committee for Overseas; Mr. Pham Bao Son - Vice President of Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thang - President of Vina Fintech Club - President of Vietnam Digital Investor Club; Mr. Nadav Eshcar - Israel Ambassador in Vietnam; Mr. Le Song Lai - Deputy General Director of State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC); Mr. Hoang Duc Thao - President of Vietnam Association of Science and Technology Enterprises, Chairman and General Director of Vietnam Science and Technology Joint Stock Company.

High-level Dialogue Forum

Following the Dialogue Forum, representatives of the National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization, Ministry of Science and Technology (NATEC) signed cooperation agreements with representatives of large corporations: Vingroup, APEC, Vicoland and so on.This was an activity aiming to build a national innovative startup network by connecting and attracting the participation of national and international groups and enterprises. Therefore, innovative enterprises would have opportunities to collaborate and attend the ecosystem of groups and large companies as well as receive support and consultancy in terms of product commercializing experience, available customer files, investment funds and so on.

National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization signing cooperation agreements with representatives of large corporations

Remarking on the finale of the event, Mr. Pham Minh Chinh - Politburo Commissioner - Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam emphasized the role of innovation: “Realistic difficulties and challenges need to be solved by innovation. These are also objective proposals of development, every stage requires creativity to assert and rise. Innovation has to stick firmly to the policy set out in the 13^th  Party, contributing to taking care of citizens’ happiness, protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and proving the intelligence and creativity of the Vietnamese.” - Prime Minister informed.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh remarking to conclude the event

The imprint of TECHFEST - WHISE 2021 with the theme of “Embracing innovation - Reshaping the future” was an opportunity for us to together look back on our steps and journeys that the whole community joined hands to build during the past few years. This also  marks the result recording of developing the ecosystem in the 2016-2021 period, the period shaping the future, cultivating the first steps of the national innovative startup ecosystem, as well as affirming the pathway leading to a more sustainable future. This would help startups, investors, startup-supporting personal organizations, Youth Union’s members, and excellent youth around the country have a chance to directly talk to Heads of the Government, State Ministries governing innovative startup-related functions.

Opening Ritual of TECHFEST - WHISE 2021

Sharing about the role of universities in developing the open innovation ecosystem, Prof. Su Dinh Thanh - President of UEH asserted: “Playing the role of a crucial element in the national innovative ecosystem, UEH with the beginning of UEH College of Technology and Design (CTD) is extremely pleasant and responsible for being a collaborative unit holding TECHFEST - WHISE 2021 activities. UEH - CTD has been training, researching new technology-applying fields (Blockchain, Human-Computer Interaction - HCI, Data Science, Smart City,...) contributing importantly to evolving technology startups, groups, and corporates and connecting the cooperation of units within the ecosystem to carry out this mission.”

The TECHFEST - WHISE 2021 event series both brings a message on the role of the government in building and keeping the fire of the innovation community in hostile times and promots more strongly orienting, leading, connecting, cooperating, and sharing roles in innovative activities of Vietnam.

News, Photos: Department of Marketing and Communication