Ms. Nguyen Phuong Linh - Director of MSD United Way Vietnam.
Open social innovation solves problems from real life.
On the morning of December 12th, within the framework of the National Innovation Festival TECHFEST 2025, the National Agency for Startups and Technology Enterprises (NATEC), in collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Development Management Research (MSD) - the leader of the Open Social Innovation Community - organized the TECHFEST Open Social Innovation Workshop with the theme "Promoting Nationwide Innovation and Entrepreneurship."
Sharing the story of a 70-year-old woman in Ba Ria - Vung Tau (now part of Ho Chi Minh City) who visited an eye clinic simply to "know if her eyes were okay so she could continue doing household chores" and because "she's too old to travel far to the city," Ms. Nguyen Phuong Linh - Director of MSD United Way Vietnam and head of the open social innovation community in Vietnam - argued that this is a living data source that no report or research lab can replace. "It is this kind of living data that helps startups adjust their models, change processes, and develop technologies suitable for the needs of elderly people in remote areas where hospitals may not have access. This small change can benefit thousands of people," Ms. Linh explained.
According to Ms. Linh, innovation is not a separate product of startups, businesses, or universities, but rather a product of an entire ecosystem. Innovation can only thrive within an ecosystem where actors interdependently support and complement each other to create shared value in an open environment. For an ecosystem to develop sustainably, it needs data and a community. To achieve sustainable ecosystem development in the face of socio-economic challenges and the digital transformation environment, we must not only measure the product but also the social value created by that ecosystem.
"Innovation is not about how many inventions are created, but about how many lives are changed," Ms. Linh emphasized.
Solutions for the sustainable development of an open innovation ecosystem in society.
The Director of the Department of Startups and Technology Enterprises, along with other delegates, attended the launch ceremony of the SOAR "Fly Up" initiative.
However, in reality, one of the biggest challenges currently facing Vietnam's innovation ecosystem is the lack of empirical data from the community, and the lack of connectivity and cross-sectoral collaboration.
To address this issue, the Director of MSD United Way Vietnam launched the SOAR Living Lab - Social Open Innovation for All Resilience initiative, "Flying Up". Accordingly, the social open innovation model requires four pillars.
"Firstly, it's about connecting the innovation ecosystem in an open way, where key stakeholders such as businesses, startups, investors, universities, social organizations, and government agencies all have space to participate, helping to connect fragmented resources. For Vietnam, this is crucial because resources are currently dispersed by industry, region, and area. Support models are fragmented and overlapping. Open connectivity is the key to creating a flow of knowledge, a flow of challenges and solutions, and ultimately, a flow of social impact," Ms. Linh explained.
Secondly, it's about inclusive innovation. When citizens have the right to participate, voice their opinions, and create data, the ecosystem will become smarter, more inclusive, and more sustainable.
The third pillar is data and community data. Community data helps us understand real needs, design appropriate solutions, and measure real impact. Community data is the digitized voice of the people and the foundation of responsible innovation.
The final pillar is future human resources. People are at the center of all innovation. The new generation must have an open mindset, digital capabilities, digital ethics, and social responsibility.
Promoting sustainable, innovative business models that co-build with the community creates a win-win-win situation for businesses, investors, and the community. Innovation is not just about advanced technology; it's about our ability to open up new spaces where people can participate, be heard, and contribute solutions. When an elderly person in a rural area, a disabled woman, or a student in a remote area can contribute data and feedback, the ecosystem becomes not only smarter but also fairer and more humane, addressing the root causes of problems and moving towards sustainable development.
Within the framework of the Conference, the launch ceremony of the SOAR Living Lab - Social Open Innovation for All Resilience "Fly Up" initiative for assessing and measuring social impact took place. The SOAR initiative is a platform to promote a responsible collaborative ecosystem based on four pillars: (1) Promoting sustainable business models and solutions; (2) Co-creating with the community; (3) Promoting open innovation - a win-win-win model; (4) Assessing and measuring social impact. |
Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/doi-moi-sang-tao-khong-khoi-nguon-tu-cong-nghe-ma-tu-cuoc-song/20251212115305950
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