Vietnam-Singapore Innovation Startup Cooperation

The startup ecosystem in Vietnamese universities promises to have a breakthrough when witnessing the launch of UniVentures - regional innovation. This is an activity connecting the Singapore-Vietnam innovation ecosystem, helping startups access a network of advisors, market opportunities and investors in the region.

The program aims to incubate promising startups founded by students, alumni and researchers. (Photo: NIC)

The activity is launched by Block7, a programme initiated by the National University of Singapore, in collaboration with Temasek Foundation and supported by the National Innovation Centre (NIC), the Tony Blair Institute for Global Transformation, Golden Gate Ventures, Singapore Global Network, Google Cloud, IBM and Reactor School.

Inspired by the “University to Unicorn” vision, the program aims to incubate promising startups founded by students, alumni and researchers.

Accordingly, the program initially aimed to support 1,000 leading university founders in Vietnam, but in just the first enrollment period, UniVentures attracted nearly 1,500 applications from across the country - a testament to the strong entrepreneurial spirit and belief in Vietnam's innovation potential.

Cooperate in implementing the “GGV UniVentures Prize” – a prize fund worth 250,000 USD, supporting up to 10 best startups from the program.

“We don’t just want to organize a program, we want to change the trajectory of 1,500 young Vietnamese founders. This is also our way of putting our trust in Vietnamese founders and turning their aspirations into opportunities. By connecting them with Singapore’s innovation ecosystem, we are not only building startups, we are building future-ready human resources and sustainable bridges between the two countries,” said Mr. Edward Lim, Country Director in Vietnam of Block 1, National University of Singapore.

The program is part of Block71's expansion strategy in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, aiming to build connected innovation ecosystems in the region, including a series of masterclasses, investment training, presentation training, and mentorship from founders and venture capital funds across ASEAN, culminating with a Demo Day event to introduce the best teams.

On this occasion, Golden Gate Ventures has cooperated with UniVentures to launch the “GGV UniVentures Prize” – a prize fund worth 250,000 USD, supporting up to 10 best startups from the program, creating a springboard to expand scale and access further investment capital.

“After 15 years of working with Southeast Asia’s most iconic startups, we understand that the next unicorn doesn’t just come from capital, but from community, mentorship and trust. That’s why we’re dedicating the human, social and financial resources we’ve accumulated to this program, along with a $250,000 prize as a catalyst – to foster the next wave of Vietnamese founders and strengthen the startup connection between Singapore and Vietnam,” said Vinnie Lauria, Founder and Managing Partner of Golden Gate Ventures.

On this occasion, Mr. Vu Quoc Huy, Director of the National Innovation Center (NIC), said: “NIC has accompanied UniVentures since the early days, with the vision of building a national incubation program to maximize the potential of startup and innovation ideas from Vietnamese universities. More than a startup program, this is a transformational platform - connecting the public and private sectors to promote innovation, helping the young generation reach out to the global market.”

UniVentures is a flagship initiative that demonstrates the comprehensive strategic partnership between Singapore and Vietnam, upgraded in March 2025, in which innovation, technology and startups are important pillars in this cooperative relationship. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2023 between the National University of Singapore and the National Innovation Centre (NIC) is a prime example, aiming to create cross-border connectivity opportunities for entrepreneurs and startups from both countries.

HA ANH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hop-tac-khoi-nghiep-doi-moi-sang-tao-viet-nam-singapore-post920901.html