From ice cream vendor to PhD with 700 patents, earning hundreds of millions of dollars

Dr. Nguyen Thanh My, who owns hundreds of exclusive patents, bringing in hundreds of millions of USD in revenue, was a guest speaker at the 2025 opening ceremony of Ho Chi Minh City National University.

From a street ice cream vendor to a bus conductor...

Beginning her talk, Dr. Thanh My humorously said, "Today, the teachers and students will be my victims, as they will have to listen to old stories. I hope everyone will forgive me."

Mr. My recounted that his company holds monthly discussions about success, happiness, and fulfillment. Before formulating these insights, he consulted many young people and employees, receiving interesting responses.

Looking back, Mr. My said he had done all kinds of jobs: from selling ice cream and working as a bus conductor to selling goods at flea markets and playing football for hire. At just 7 years old, he was already earning a living to help his mother raise five siblings amidst the fierce war.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh My during his time as a hired football player. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

His motivation for going to school was "to please my mother, to avoid being drafted into the army of the old regime, and to make life less difficult later on." When he passed his high school exams, his mother's joy was his first happiness.

To earn money for his studies, he continued to work various jobs, from being a bus conductor and selling rice, fish, and shrimp to playing football for hire. These experiences helped him gain a deeper understanding of life, his hometown, and his love for his country.

Visiting a scientist in the US with hundreds of inventions.

After graduating with a degree in Organic Chemistry from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology in 1978, Mr. My initially worked as a hired football player for a plastics factory.

"It's normal to study one field and then work in a different profession. Think of it as an experience. I studied Chemistry but ended up working in the fields and doing odd jobs, and I'm still happy," he said.

A turning point in his life came on the morning of September 2, 1979, when he was "drifting" on a sugarcane boat and swept out into the vast ocean. After 12 days adrift, he was rescued and brought to Montreal, Canada.

In a foreign country, he worked many jobs to make a living, such as washing dishes, assisting in the kitchen, and then working as a waiter. “My fate changed with a question from a Vietnamese girl: ‘What is your dream in life?’ At that time, while cutting beef, I answered that my dream was to return to my homeland, build a factory, and create jobs for the people. The whole kitchen fell silent; some even said I was exaggerating,” Mr. My recounted.

To get married, he had to get into a local university. In 1984, he applied to Concordia University and graduated with a bachelor's degree just two years later. In six years, he completed his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh My shared this at the 2025 opening ceremony of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thien Thong

In 1990, he successfully defended his doctoral thesis in energy and materials science at the INRS Institute (Canada). Afterward, he worked at the IBM Almaden Research Center (USA) and held a technical management position at Kodak Polychrome Graphics (USA).

He is the author of approximately 700 inventions, many of which are patents that have brought him tens of millions of dollars. In particular, his patented digital offset printing technology in 2000 helped his company achieve nearly $300 million in revenue within 20 years.

Return to contribute to your homeland.

Regarding his philosophy of learning, he stated: "Learning is the transformation of knowledge through various levels: knowing - understanding - applying - analyzing - evaluating - creating. Current students only reach the 'knowing' and 'understanding' stages, but they must progress further to application and creation. Let's start with the smallest things, like creating an app to sell vegetables for my mother, for example."

After years of success abroad, his wife once asked him, "Do you still remember your dream from back then?" That question prompted him to decide to return to his homeland.

In 2004, he returned to Tra Vinh and founded Mylan Group, the province's first high-tech company. Since then, he has founded and co-founded 13 high-tech businesses, six of which are currently operating locally.

He also established the Nguyen Thanh My Foundation, which has funded over 62.5 billion VND for scholarships, infrastructure development, and community healthcare. In addition, he teaches at Tra Vinh University and served as the Director of the Co-op program for 10 years, developing numerous products for application in agriculture and aquaculture.

The formula and path to success

Dr. Nguyen Thanh My shared his formula for success with a large audience of students. According to him, "success = 15 health + 15 right mindset + 25 effort + 25 knowledge + 10 perseverance + 5 opportunities + 5 luck + 5 circumstances."

Students of Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City at the opening ceremony. Photo: Thien Thong

Holistic success encompasses health, career, finances, personal development, time management, social relationships, and social contribution. According to him, life has four stages: 18-20 years old is laying the foundation; 21-40 years old is striving for success; 41-60 years old is achieving balance; and after 60 years old is fulfillment.

Each stage of life has its own focus, and the most important thing is living true to one's own values. The hallmark of a fulfilling life is contribution. At her current age, Dr. Nguyen Thanh My says she "has found fulfillment and has no regrets."

He is a prime example of the spirit of "dare to think - dare to act - dare to return - dare to contribute," connecting global knowledge with the aspiration for Vietnam's development.

Guest speakers are a distinctive feature of the Ho Chi Minh City National University's Opening Ceremony. Each year, the university invites a leader, scientist, or entrepreneur to inspire students. This year's Opening Ceremony is themed "Aspiration for Innovation and Creativity for a Strong Vietnam."

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai, Vice Director of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thien Thong

Professor Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai, Vice Director of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, hopes that over 100,000 high-quality human resources from the university will nurture the aspiration for innovation and creativity for a more progressive, prosperous, and positively influential future. She conveyed three messages: Dare to think differently - Dare to fail - Dare to try again.

She encouraged students to dare to dream, to learn continuously from teachers, friends, experts, and society; to view failure as a valuable lesson for growth, and to be ready to get up and try again as a better version of themselves.

For faculty, lecturers, and scientists, she urged them to dare to innovate in management, teaching, research, and community service. With a more open mechanism and legal framework, teachers need to take the lead in guiding students to progress further.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tu-ban-kem-dao-den-tien-si-co-700-sang-che-thu-hang-tram-trieu-usd-2456231.html