The path to prosperity begins with innovation and digital transformation

Innovation starts with every citizen and business

A seemingly small idea can change the way an agency operates. With just an electronic form or digitizing a group of documents, many units have saved hours of work each week. Citizen-led initiatives such as promoting local products via social networks or reporting traffic violations via phone applications have contributed to improving behavior, enhancing management efficiency and spreading the spirit of innovation in the community.

These achievements were created by effectively organizing patriotic emulation movements and encouraging individual initiatives.

Many models and bright spots of innovation have spread, arousing the spirit of daring to think, daring to do, daring to change. This spirit is clearly demonstrated through the revival story of Rang Dong Light Bulb and Vacuum Flask Joint Stock Company.

Once facing the risk of bankruptcy, Rang Dong chose a difficult path: mastering technology, innovating and comprehensively transforming digitally. The company started by converting glass production technology from traditional oil furnaces to modern electric furnaces. Rang Dong designed its own electric glass furnace to completely replace the traditional oil furnace, saving 2/3 of investment costs, increasing heat efficiency from 25% to 90%, and reducing material costs by 30% thanks to flexible changes in ingredients. They did not buy technology, but developed it themselves, cooperating with institutes and schools to optimize each stage using AI and data.

Con đường phát triển thịnh vượng bắt đầu từ đổi mới sáng tạo và chuyển đổi số- Ảnh 1. — Rang Dong has chosen to master technology, innovate and comprehensively digitalize.

On that basis, Rang Dong continues to decode the entire imported LED lighting chain, building a central operating system to connect asynchronous devices, turning machines that "cannot talk to each other" into a smart ecosystem. Rang Dong has integrated IoT, AI and ERP into the chain developed by Vietnamese people, increasing productivity by more than 30%, and products achieving stable global quality.

Not stopping at the factory, Rang Dong entered smart agriculture with specialized LED lights for dragon fruit. From studying plant physiology to designing optimal light spectrum, they help farmers save 85% of electricity, improve productivity and fruit quality. Smart 5W lights integrated with AI, sensors, central control - are scientific solutions, not just devices.

From revenue of 10 billion in 1990 to more than 8,000 billion in 2024, from bankruptcy to market leadership and exporting to 40 countries, Rang Dong has proven that science , technology and innovation are not only pillars of development, but also the "survival imperative" of Vietnamese enterprises.

In the field of urban agriculture, Hachi is a typical example of the power of science and technology in life. This startup researched a nutrient solution to replace soil to grow vegetables with water, combined with sensors, connecting nutrients - water - remote control software, creating a smart vegetable growing device suitable for households.

Innovating its business model, Hachi "sells technology, not vegetables", rents out systems, and provides seeds and nutrition to tens of thousands of households. Comprehensive digital transformation helps the system operate efficiently, is easy to expand, and becomes smarter as more users join.

Hachi's story shows that technology, when combined with innovative business models, can create sustainable value and massive scalability.

Building a prosperous Vietnam by 2045

International studies show that innovation is the key for developing countries to escape the middle-income trap. This is a strategy to shorten the development gap, optimize resources and create real value from available conditions.

Vietnam aims to become a developed, high-income country by 2045. Therefore, building a nationwide innovation ecosystem is a must. Businesses need to innovate in line with the market; people must be encouraged to innovate in practice; the State must create an environment, institutions and motivation for innovation to be unhindered but unleashed.

In his speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit, General Secretary To Lam emphasized: "Promoting the development of science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation is a top important breakthrough, the main driving force for the rapid development of modern productive forces, perfecting production relations, and innovating national governance methods. In which, data is a new resource, the "air and light" of the new era, and new means of production. Digital transformation is a tool to innovate production and business methods, and innovate productive forces. Innovation is the "magic wand" to achieve sustainable prosperity."

Innovation is not only for scientists, every citizen, in any position, can contribute with small improvements in work, increase productivity, and improve the quality of life. Digital transformation creates an environment for those ideas to be realized faster, because the digital environment is non-physical, non-distance and non-contact. Therefore, if we want innovation to become a mass movement, digital transformation must be implemented comprehensively, digitizing the entire real world.

Con đường phát triển thịnh vượng bắt đầu từ đổi mới sáng tạo và chuyển đổi số- Ảnh 2. — Young people visit and experience technology products at the National Innovation Day 2025.

In his speech at the launching ceremony of the Global Innovation Index (GII) Report of the World Intellectual Property Organization, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized: Innovation is an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority for countries in the process of rapid and sustainable development, leaving no one behind. Vietnam encourages innovation for the goal of peace, cooperation, and development in the world as well as in the region. This viewpoint is very clear: in the process of innovation, people must be at the center, and people must truly enjoy the fruits of innovation.

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung also affirmed: "If we want to create and innovate for the whole population, we must have a comprehensive digital transformation, digitize the entire real world, and bring all activities to the digital environment. The digital environment is the ideal environment for all ideas to be realized the fastest, because it is non-physical, non-distance and non-contact. Vietnamese innovation must be placed in the context of national digital transformation." The Minister also emphasized that if each person tries 1% better every day, after one year, we will be 37 times better, that is the power of emulation to innovate in every small thing, starting from each individual and spreading to organizations and communities.

Vietnam has two special advantages: good STEM thinking and flexible practical application capacity. This is the foundation for Vietnam to go fast with technology, go far with innovation and go together with nationwide digital transformation.

The Politburo has assigned the Ministry of Science and Technology to develop a National Start-up Project to foster a spirit of innovation among the entire population, making innovation a way of life and a culture of society, encouraging exploration and tolerating failure. When every small thing contains the spirit of innovation, the great future will be near.

Innovation is not far away but starts with every citizen, every business, every agency.

When the digital environment is perfected and the spirit of innovation is promoted throughout society, Vietnam will have more internal strength to make a breakthrough. The path to prosperity therefore begins with small changes today, contributing to building a strong and self-reliant future for the country.

Center for Science and Technology Communication

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/con-duong-phat-trien-thinh-vuong-bat-dau-tu-doi-moi-sang-tao-va-chuyen-doi-so-197251203222037513.htm