To make Ho Chi Minh City a center of innovation

Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang affirmed that developing science and technology is a must, not only for the city but also for the whole country.

On the afternoon of December 9, at the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Creative Entrepreneurship, under the chairmanship of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the Department of Science and Technology coordinated with the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies to organize the program "City leaders meet the science - technology and creative startup community" with the theme "Ho Chi Minh City aims to become a Digital Economic Center and an International-class Center for Innovation and Startup".

Proposal to establish a Venture Capital Fund

In his opening remarks, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang hoped that experts and businesses would help the city answer two questions. What should be done to make Ho Chi Minh City the center of innovation and creativity of the whole country, and even have a leading role? To do that, how should we start, what should be the priority, where are the resources and who will be the one to do it?

The Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee also presented three thematic groups for experts and businesses to comment on and offer suggestions, including: building an international innovation and startup center; breakthroughs in implementing Resolution 57-NQ/TW; and developing low-income economies in the city.

Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang and Ho Chi Minh City Party Deputy Secretary Dang Minh Thong attended a meeting with the science and technology community and the innovation and startup community.

In response, Professor Tran Hong Thai, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, emphasized: To build Ho Chi Minh City into an international standard research and technology transfer center, it is necessary to form key laboratories, excellent research centers, regional innovation networks and strategic research ordering mechanisms, thereby creating technological momentum not only for Ho Chi Minh City but also for the entire Southern region.

Meanwhile, Mr. Don Lam, General Director of VinaCapital Group, suggested financial solutions for innovation. He proposed establishing the Ho Chi Minh City Venture Capital Fund under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, which would act as seed capital to attract more private and international resources. To attract investment funds, the city needs to increase dialogue, call for the participation of international funds and have specific policies such as tax exemptions and strong reform of administrative procedures to create a more favorable environment for investment in technology.

Where to start?

Mr. Mai Thanh Phong, Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - VNU, said that when considering Ho Chi Minh City as a center of innovation, the concept of "center" must be understood as an ecosystem, not just a physical place. Therefore, there needs to be a policy to promote "players" in this ecosystem, including schools, institutes and state agencies... to build core nuclei.

To do this, Ho Chi Minh City needs a clear strategic plan. If it wants to become a leader, the city must have a superior mechanism, of which Resolution 98/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly is an important foundation. The key question is how and where to start? According to him, the first thing is to choose the right people to do it, need people to play the role of "chief architect", coordinating each task in the innovation ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Mr. Le Hong Minh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of VNG Corporation, expressed his personal opinion that he "does not believe in the chief architect model", because innovation is a decentralized process, how can everyone participate? According to him, Ho Chi Minh City must accept "opening space" for many participants and especially accepting failure. "The KPI of innovation is not only success but also daring to accept failure to continue investing and moving forward" - Mr. Minh said.

Concluding the dialogue, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang affirmed that developing science and technology is a must, not only for the city but also for the whole country. This is a very difficult task, because Ho Chi Minh City also has to solve many more urgent and urgent tasks, especially the four tasks assigned by the Central Government, including: flooding, traffic jams, pollution, and drug-free city. However, if science and technology are developed well, it will come back to support and help the city solve the problems it is currently facing.

He suggested that Ho Chi Minh City leaders should pay special attention to the field of science and technology. Institutional issues are not just about incentives and priorities, but also about reforming administrative procedures to create favorable conditions for innovation.

Regarding the proposal to establish a Venture Capital Fund, the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee acknowledged that in order to attract foreign venture capital funds to Ho Chi Minh City to invest in the fields of science, technology and innovation, there must be preferential tax policies. However, tax exemptions and reductions are under the authority of the Central agency. He said that within its authority, the city will allocate a budget to support taxes for businesses participating in the Venture Capital Fund to create excitement to "do greater things".

Low emission zones need to be piloted.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, General Director of Green and Smart Mobility Joint Stock Company (GSM), said that in 2025, the city's green transportation will experience very strong growth, demonstrating that people are actively embracing the transition.

According to Mr. Thanh, it is necessary to build a clear roadmap for converting from gasoline vehicles to electric vehicles. Regulate the roadmap for both newly created and existing vehicles, applicable to buses, taxis, motorbikes and delivery vehicles. Develop preferential loan packages for electric buses, electric taxis and electric motorbikes, for both businesses and people... In addition, Mr. Thanh suggested that the city pilot a low emission zone (LEZ). Apply by area or by time frame, linked to public transport capacity and actual infrastructure, to avoid disruption to people. It is possible to pilot more at industrial parks/schools (shuttle buses). Along with that, develop charging station infrastructure - battery swapping...

Source: https://nld.com.vn/de-tp-hcm-thanh-trung-tam-doi-moi-sang-tao-196251209224835749.htm