For the first time, TECHFEST Vietnam 2025 will feature participation from international teams.
The event brought together the 10 best teams selected from hundreds of applications from both domestic and international sources. The competition was co-organized by the National Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (NSSC), the National Agency for Technology and Entrepreneurship (NATEC), Startup World Cup Vietnam, Impact Square, and the Institute for Sustainable Development Management Research - MSD United Way Vietnam.
With the theme “Green Growth and Digital Transformation: Innovation for a Sustainable Vietnam,” the TECHFEST Vietnam 2025 competition is oriented towards promoting startup models linked to social and environmental responsibility, highlighting high-tech, environmentally friendly solutions that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is also one of the key activities aimed at encouraging Vietnam's innovation ecosystem towards green growth, the digital economy , and long-term development.
A special highlight of this year's Finals is its location in the Ho Hoan Kiem pedestrian area, where residents, tourists, and the startup community can directly experience new technology products and business models. The open space strongly promotes the spirit of innovation and creativity, while also fostering connections between startups and the public. For the first time, TECHFEST Vietnam 2025 welcomes the participation of international teams aiming to solve development challenges facing Vietnam. This presence contributes to improving professional standards, promoting knowledge and technology connectivity, and fostering multilateral cooperation.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Le Toan Thang, Director of the National Center for Startup and Innovation Support, Department of Startups and Technology Enterprises ( Ministry of Science and Technology ), emphasized that the TECHFEST 2025 competition is an important activity implementing the spirit of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW (December 22, 2024) on breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation, and Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW (May 4, 2025) on the development of the private economy. According to him, this year's competition is not only a platform for selecting potential projects but also a long-term support program, comprising multiple rounds from October to December, helping startups refine their products, business models, and access ESG standards.
The co-organizing units, including Startup World Cup Vietnam, Impact Square, and MSD United Way Vietnam, all highly appreciate the rapid progress of the Vietnamese startup community in terms of innovative thinking, adaptability, and sustainable development strategies.
From an international perspective, Silvie Park, CEO of Startup World Cup Vietnam and representative of Pegasus Technology Investment Fund, noted that Vietnam's startup ecosystem is entering a strong growth phase, demonstrated by the confidence, proactive spirit, and problem-solving capabilities of the participating teams. According to her, many projects have reached a level of competitiveness comparable to startups in the region in terms of technology, operating models, and sustainable development. She stated that Startup World Cup will continue to support outstanding Vietnamese projects in accessing international investment networks.
Innovation to serve humanity.
In terms of innovation for the community, Ms. Nguyen Phuong Linh, Director of MSD United Way Vietnam, highly appreciated TECHFEST 2025's integration of criteria for assessing social impact, environmental impact, and sustainability. According to her, Vietnam is strongly shifting from a mindset of "startups for growth" to "startups for responsible development." The diversity of participants, from scientists and young entrepreneurs to groups of female leaders, shows that Vietnam's innovation ecosystem is expanding, becoming more equitable, and possessing greater internal strength.
Following the presentation and Q&A sessions, the Judging Panel conducted an independent evaluation based on criteria such as innovation level, implementation feasibility, operational model quality, scalability, and impact value. Based on this, the titles and awards of TECHFEST 2025 were officially announced.
The Organizing Committee awarded the Grand Prize, consisting of $20,000 in cash and a ticket to represent Vietnam at the Startup World Cup 2026 in San Francisco (USA), to Growlab, a pioneering biotechnology company focusing on researching and developing high-quality plant varieties through tissue culture techniques. This company is particularly outstanding with its coconut and tropical fruit varieties, aiming to provide sustainable agricultural solutions and increase the value of Vietnamese agricultural products.
The runner-up prize, worth $7,000, went to Volterra, a team developing next-generation energy storage technology aimed at supporting the clean energy transition in Vietnam.
The Grand Prize, worth $5,000 in cash, was awarded to IDO E-commerce Services Co., Ltd. (Biglead) - a startup providing e-commerce solutions based on data analytics and automation for small and medium-sized enterprises.
In addition, the Organizing Committee awarded two supplementary prizes, each worth $15,000: The Investment Fund's Choice Award went to Dayladau, a project developing organic agricultural products linked to a transparent and sustainable supply chain.
The Outstanding Impact Award was given to PLANTNER, a project that applies technology to promote urban tree planting models and raise public awareness about the environment.
Following the final round, participating teams will continue to receive support from the TECHFEST ecosystem to commercialize their products, expand their markets, raise capital, and increase their social impact. TECHFEST 2025 affirms the new mindset of Vietnam's startup ecosystem: innovation is not just for growth, but to serve people, the community, and the journey towards building a green, digital, and sustainable Vietnam in the future.
Source: https://baophapluat.vn/da-tim-ra-quan-quan-tai-nang-techfest-2025.html
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