Ho Chi Minh City is stepping up efforts to attract international 'unicorns' to participate in developing its digital ecosystem.

On the afternoon of December 11th, within the framework of the multilateral cooperation program between Ho Chi Minh City and the state of New South Wales (Australia), the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City officially launched a strategic cooperation program aimed at developing high-quality human resources.

Ho Chi Minh City is stepping up efforts to attract international "unicorns" to participate in developing its digital ecosystem.

This move reaffirms the city's determination to become a trusted destination for global technology corporations, rather than remaining confined to a domestic scale.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized: “The cooperation with Canva will create a strong digital innovation environment, contributing to the development of high-quality human resources and promoting comprehensive digital transformation, helping Ho Chi Minh City enhance its competitiveness on the global technology map, opening up many opportunities for sustainable international cooperation and investment.”

Mr. Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City, delivered a speech at the ceremony.

Ms. Sarah Hooper, Consul-General of Australia in Ho Chi Minh City, stated: “Australia’s strengths in technology, the digital economy , and research and development form the foundation of our international partnership. Supporting science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation is one of the six pillars of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia. The collaboration between Canva, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, SIHUB, and Investment New South Wales is the most vivid evidence of our shared vision becoming a reality. Australia is proud to be a steadfast partner in Vietnam’s innovation and digital transformation journey.”

Ms. Elle Liu, Country Director of Canva Vietnam, shared: “Canva sincerely thanks the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the Department of Science and Technology, and SIHUB for creating the conditions for us to share our collaborative direction in developing digital human resources in the design field. As a global creative platform with nearly 300 million users and over 30 billion designs created, Canva chose Ho Chi Minh City because of its dynamic innovation ecosystem and the important connecting role of the Department of Science and Technology and SIHUB.”

Ms. Sarah Hooper, Consul General of Australia in Ho Chi Minh City, delivered a speech at the ceremony.

Ms. Elle Liu further shared: “In the coming time, Canva will implement a project to train and promote creative capacity for three key communities: education , SMEs and startups, and a group of designers and content creators. Activities include training in digital design skills, organizing creative playgrounds and competitions, and building a community geared towards integration into the international market. Canva is committed to a long-term partnership with Ho Chi Minh City in its journey to develop high-quality creative human resources.”

In this context, the State of New South Wales plays a key role as a partner of Ho Chi Minh City in sharing experiences in the digital economy and research and development. Mr. Anoulak Chanthivong, Minister for Trade and Investment of New South Wales, affirmed: “These initiatives reflect the solid and strong development in the relationship between New South Wales and Vietnam. Today, we want to highlight our partnership with a focus on technology, while cooperation between the two sides also extends to many other areas such as education, advanced manufacturing, health sciences, clean energy, and agriculture. These areas mark key points where close coordination will bring tangible benefits to both economies.”

Representatives from SIHUB and tech unicorn Canva performed the signing ceremony for a strategic partnership.

Instead of focusing solely on commerce, this collaboration program delves into addressing Ho Chi Minh City's "root" problem: improving the quality of its digital workforce.

According to the agreement, the Australian technology partner (Canva platform) will collaborate with the Department of Science and Technology and SIHUB to implement training activities in design skills and digital thinking. The main beneficiaries of the program include three groups: the education community (teachers, students); small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups; and local design and content creation teams.

These activities aim to equip businesses and young professionals in Ho Chi Minh City with the necessary tools and mindset to quickly integrate into the international market. Mr. Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City, expects that the collaboration of international organizations and businesses will contribute to perfecting the innovation ecosystem, accelerating the digital transformation process, and creating sustainable socio-economic values ​​for the community.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/khoa-hoc-cong-nghe/tp-ho-chi-minh-day-manh-thu-hut-ky-lan-quoc-te-tham-gia-phat-trien-he-sinh-thai-so-20251211164714029.htm