What will the Innovation Center at Ho Chi Minh City National University have?

The Innovation Center at Ho Chi Minh City National University is considered an important 'pole' in the innovation ecosystem in Ho Chi Minh City.

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc visits the Ho Chi Minh City National University urban area - Photo: LE CUC

On October 28, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and Ho Chi Minh City National University had a working session, focusing on listening to comments on the proposal for the Innovation Center at Ho Chi Minh City National University.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc - Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee - expected the Innovation Center at Ho Chi Minh City National University to become a pioneer in the city's network of innovation hubs.

Specifically, the center will play the role of a core research and knowledge connection center, and must also lead, connect and create spillover effects to other innovation poles such as the High-Tech Park, High-Tech Agricultural Park, or startup spaces in the area.

Innovation poles must be closely connected to form a common ecosystem of Ho Chi Minh City, operating in a unified and mutually supportive manner.

The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee also said that in the near future, Ho Chi Minh City will establish an innovation fund, with the participation of many domestic and foreign investors.

This fund aims to mobilize and circulate financial resources to serve research, start-up and technology commercialization activities, creating an investment ecosystem for city-wide innovation.

In particular, the fund not only supports the Innovation Center at Ho Chi Minh City National University, but also other Innovation Centers in the area, promoting the creative startup movement of the whole Ho Chi Minh City.

A testing ground for new technologies and policies

Dr. Lam Quang Vinh - Head of Science and Technology Department, Ho Chi Minh City National University - presented the proposal to establish an Innovation Hub (HCMC Innovation Hub) following a three-party linkage model: State - School - Enterprise.

The goal is to create a "nucleus" to coordinate the innovation, startup and digital transformation ecosystem of Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast region, while building a policy "sandbox" for research, commercialization of core technology and venture capital.

Dr. Lam Quang Vinh - Head of Science and Technology Department, Ho Chi Minh City National University - presented the proposal to establish an Innovation Center - Photo: LE CUC

The center is expected to be located in the area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City National University, taking advantage of the Advanced Research Center building with more than 45,000m² of floor space and 3.5 hectares of landscape infrastructure, with a total construction capital of over 800 billion VND.

The space will be divided into functional zones, including administration - data coordination; research - testing - prototype development; incubation - startup; training - international cooperation; exhibition and open technology park.

This structure is expected to become the "brain" connecting laboratories, research institutes, technology enterprises and investment funds, forming an innovative value chain right in the region.

In terms of resources, Ho Chi Minh City National University currently has more than 6,500 officials and employees, about 2,000 PhDs and 50% of students in the STEM field, capable of taking on the role of a regional knowledge center.

Priority spearheads include artificial intelligence, data science, microchips - semiconductors, new materials, energy technology, biotechnology - biomedicine and high-tech agriculture.

In parallel, the school proposed to form a core technology venture capital fund to support start-up projects originating from research results and commercialized products.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai - Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City National University - spoke at the event - Photo: LE CUC

Regarding operation, the center model is expected to have three levels, including the senior leadership council level (representatives of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Ho Chi Minh City National University, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Finance , leading enterprises); the executive level (representatives of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Ho Chi Minh City National University, enterprises, investment funds, research institutes); and the working group level (working groups on topics such as AI, big data, semiconductors, advanced materials, biotechnology, circular agriculture, etc.).

This design aims to create a connection between research - application - investment, while opening a mechanism for sharing intellectual property benefits between parties.

Dr. Lam Quang Vinh hopes that when it comes into operation, the center will create a shared workspace or incubator, and at the same time become an institutional foundation for Ho Chi Minh City to develop core technology, promote spin-off businesses and attract international investment capital.

Mr. Lam Dinh Thang - Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City - spoke at the event - Photo: LE CUC

There will be funds for Innovation Centers.

Mr. Lam Dinh Thang - Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City - said that the project to become an international-class innovation center by 2030 will be designed according to a "multipolar" model, including many innovation "hubs".

The Innovation Center at Ho Chi Minh City National University will be a "hub" that plays a core role in the university sector, alongside the "hubs" of the business and state sectors.

According to Mr. Thang, this orientation aims to connect infrastructure, human resources and businesses at the city - regional level, avoiding concentrating efforts on a single point, while creating a regular coordination network between the State - schools - businesses.

Regarding the "hub" at Ho Chi Minh City National University, this is not only a research and incubation space, but also a technology and policy piloting place (sandbox).

In particular, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and Ho Chi Minh City National University will jointly study a "co-investment" mechanism and submit it to the Prime Minister to take advantage of resources between the two sides in the coming time.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/trung-tam-doi-moi-sang-tao-tai-dai-hoc-quoc-gia-tp-hcm-se-co-gi-20251028140030115.htm