Vietnam has a $150 million technology investment fund.

TPO - VinVentures Technology Investment Fund has total assets of $150 million, funded by billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong and Vingroup . The fund focuses on investing in highly innovative technology startups with the aim of promoting and developing the startup ecosystem, contributing to the creation of digital technology businesses in Vietnam and the region.

TPO - VinVentures Technology Investment Fund has total assets of $150 million, funded by billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong and Vingroup. The fund focuses on investing in highly innovative technology startups with the aim of promoting and developing the startup ecosystem, contributing to the creation of digital technology businesses in Vietnam and the region.

Of the Fund's total assets of $150 million, $100 million is a portfolio inherited from Vingroup, and $50 million is expected to be disbursed over the next 3-5 years.

VinVentures' investment focus is on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Semiconductors, Cloud Computing, and high-tech products.

In addition, the Fund also opens opportunities for startups in other fields if they have growth potential and the ability to provide quality products and services, not necessarily limited to startups related to Vingroup.

The Fund's immediate investment focus is the Vietnamese market, targeting startups with local founding teams in the early stages (seed stage and Series A stage – stages 2 and 3/5 of startup funding rounds).

In the future, the Fund will expand its reach to start-ups in the region, especially in markets with similar development characteristics to Vietnam, such as Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

The VinVentures Foundation aims to become a launching pad for several Vietnamese startups. Pictured are the Top 10 startups from the "National Innovation Startup Talent Search Competition 2023".

Regarding the investment process, the Fund and the invested entity will follow these steps: Meeting, exchanging information, researching the product and target market of the start-up, conducting investment due diligence, signing a negotiation agreement, and then signing the investment contract. The time from when the start-up submits its application to receiving the disbursement can take from 2-3 months, and up to 6 months for large-scale deals.

VinVentures' investment criteria include startups with sustainable growth potential, good growth rates, commercially viable products and services with high practical application, and a reputable and experienced founding team. Transactions will be conducted on professional investment principles, where VinVentures will acquire shares and become a shareholder in the company with specific profit expectations.

Ms. Le Han Tue Lam (CEO of VinVentures Fund - Vingroup Group) shared that VinVentures will provide start-ups with the ability to connect with companies within the Vingroup ecosystem in both roles: as an environment for evaluating and testing the quality of technology products and services for start-ups before launching to the market and to potential customers.

The fund is also ready to advise and support startups in connecting with major partners in the market and act as a "launching pad" for promising startups in the future.

According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GESER 2023) by startup Genome, Vietnam's startup ecosystem currently ranks third in Southeast Asia, with an estimated economic impact of up to $5.22 billion.

The number of startups in Vietnam has also increased sharply, from around 1,600 during the COVID-19 pandemic to over 3,800 currently, with AI startups accounting for nearly 10% of the total.

Nguyen Hoai

Source: https://tienphong.vn/viet-nam-co-quy-dau-tu-cong-nghe-150-trieu-usd-post1686233.tpo