On the evening of December 13th, at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square (Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian area, Hanoi ), TechFest Vietnam 2025, themed "Creative Entrepreneurship for All - A New Driving Force for Growth," officially opened.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology in collaboration with the People's Committee of Hanoi City.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and delivered a keynote speech at the event.
Also attending were: Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the Central Steering Committee on Science and Technology Development, Innovation and Digital Transformation.
Members of the Central Committee of the Party: Huynh Thanh Dat, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department; Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Science and Technology, along with representatives of leaders from central departments, ministries, and agencies, Hanoi city, businesses, investors, and the innovation community of the capital and the whole country.
Delivering a keynote address at the event, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh acknowledged, highly appreciated, and commended the ministries, sectors, and localities, especially the Ministry of Science and Technology, Hanoi, the TechFest organizing committee, and the experts, scientists, business community, and domestic and foreign organizations for their great efforts and contributions to the development of the startup and innovation ecosystem and the promotion of national digital transformation, making a significant contribution to the overall achievements of the country.
The Prime Minister emphasized that over the years, the Party and the State have always paid attention to and issued many guidelines, mechanisms, and policies to promote entrepreneurship, innovation, and national digital transformation.
The Politburo has issued strategic resolutions in many areas, including Resolutions No. 57, 59, 66, 68, 70, 71, 72… which identify science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as key breakthroughs; require the acceleration of deep, substantive, and effective international integration; shift from a “management mindset” to a “development-oriented” mindset; reduce pre-approval and increase post-approval; identify the private sector as an important driving force of the national economy; develop green energy; and develop human resources…
The government has issued action programs to implement the Politburo's strategic resolutions with the goal of building a startup and innovation nation based on advanced technology, transparent institutions, smooth infrastructure, smart governance and human resources; developing an independent, self-reliant economy that is deeply, genuinely, and effectively integrated into the international community.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits booths at the exhibition. (Photo: Tuan Anh/VNA)
As a result, Vietnam's GII ranking increased from 71st out of 132 countries (in 2010) to 44th out of 133 countries (in 2025). The digital infrastructure is developing strongly (3G/4G coverage for nearly 95% of the population and 5G deployment is underway). The United Nations ranked Vietnam's e-Government Index in 2024 15 places higher than in 2022, placing it 71st out of 193 countries worldwide.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also assessed that although encouraging initial results have been achieved, due to a slower starting point, Vietnam's startup and innovation ecosystem still lags behind the region and the world, and is not yet commensurate with the potential, intelligence, and capabilities of the Vietnamese people.
With the common goal of improving national productivity, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness, transforming Vietnam into a nation of startups and innovation, and enabling Vietnam to continue producing technology "unicorns" to catch up, keep pace with, and potentially surpass others in the global technological flow, thereby contributing to the successful achievement of the two centenary goals, the Prime Minister requested ministries, sectors, and localities, with the Ministry of Science and Technology playing a core role, to proactively improve institutions and policies, remove barriers to new business models and technologies; accept risks and challenges in the process of testing and deploying new models, and establish a synchronized, open, and transparent risk management and monitoring mechanism.
In addition, focus resources on investing in technology infrastructure, innovation centers, and shared digital infrastructure; and operate synchronously platforms that support businesses such as accounting, taxation, human resource management, and finance.
The Prime Minister outlined several tasks requiring breakthroughs. These include: accelerating digital transformation so that 100% of administrative procedures serving citizens and businesses are carried out digitally, regardless of administrative boundaries, aiming for a paperless administration; developing virtual assistants in agencies and units; building a credit guarantee mechanism and specific lending for innovative startup projects based on technology and intellectual property; developing national, local, state-owned, private, university, and public-private partnership venture capital funds; and operating an efficient stock exchange for innovative startups.
The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Science and Technology to urgently finalize and submit the National Strategy on Innovation and Entrepreneurship by December 2025.
Hanoi, the capital city, continues to strongly support and create favorable conditions to promote the development of startups and innovation, so that the "heart of the country" becomes a center for nurturing new ideas, solutions, and inventions, and a foundation for businesses to develop and expand into the region and the world.
Research institutes, universities, other science and technology organizations, and businesses are promoting entrepreneurship training from high school to postgraduate levels; building in-depth training systems in STEM, innovation, and technology management; and developing open laboratories, creative spaces, and centers to support the commercialization of research results.
At the same time, strengthen cooperation among "the State - Universities - Scientists - Investors" to strongly promote research and technology transfer, and bring research into practice as soon as possible.
For businesses and investors, it is necessary to leverage their role as centers of innovation; proactively invest in new technologies and models, and participate in incubating and accelerating startups; form a leading business ecosystem, especially in strategic technology sectors; expand cooperation with domestic and foreign investment funds; and actively participate in developing the national venture capital market in stages.
People, especially the younger generation, should strongly promote the entrepreneurial spirit, daring to think, daring to act, daring to accept risks and failures as valuable lessons; forming a culture of innovation throughout society; proactively equipping themselves with knowledge and skills in technology and digital transformation.
The Prime Minister suggested that next year's TechFest should continue to innovate strongly, elevate itself to a regional and international level, and deeply connect the domestic and international ecosystems.
TechFest should become a platform for attracting international resources, investment funds, experts, and technology corporations; promoting negotiations and signing investment agreements with technologically advanced countries; building and effectively operating startup centers; and creating conditions for Vietnamese startups to participate, test, and expand in the global market.
With the motto "The State creates, businesses are pioneers, public and private sectors work together, the country develops, and the people are happy," the Prime Minister hopes and believes that TechFest 2025, in the spirit of "valuing intellect, making the most of time, and making timely decisions," will be a great success.
The national startup and innovation ecosystem will take significant strides. Vietnam will become an attractive destination for technology talent and the innovative startup community from countries in the region and around the world.
Hanoi Party Secretary Nguyen Duy Ngoc and leaders of the Ministry of Public Security presented commemorative medals to the teams that won first, second, and third prizes in the Data for Life competition. (Photo: Tuan Anh/VNA)
At the event, Hanoi Party Secretary Nguyen Duy Ngoc presented commemorative plaques honoring the achievements of three outstanding teams in the 3rd season of the Data for Life competition in 2025.
Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Long, Deputy Minister of Public Security and Head of the Steering Committee of the competition, also presented vouchers to the teams to participate in the Innovation Center. The Data for Life Season 3 competition in 2025, with a total prize value of over 900 million VND, is a recognition of the outstanding ideas, creative efforts, and commitment to the community shown by the participating teams, while also opening up opportunities for these projects to continue to be supported, developed, and disseminated within the innovation ecosystem.
Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung presented Certificates of Merit to 10 outstanding localities for their development of the innovative startup ecosystem in 2025.
These are localities that have proactively created an environment for innovation; implemented initiatives suitable to practical conditions; built infrastructure and support services; and spread the spirit of innovation to the community, especially the younger generation.
In addition, it creates a clear socio-economic impact, contributing to enhancing the competitiveness of the locality and the nation.
Specifically, the 10 localities are: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hung Yen, Quang Ninh, Can Tho, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Khanh Hoa, and Hue.
With the largest scale ever, TechFest Vietnam 2025, held from December 12th to 14th, 2025, is expected to attract over 60,000 attendees in person and online; featuring more than 20 corporations, 50 investment funds, over 100 support organizations and incubators, and delegates from 6 international regions including Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, North America, and Europe.
A key new feature of TechFest Vietnam 2025 is the shift in model from a "hall event" to an "open-space event," allowing citizens, startups, investors, and academic institutions to interact directly within the Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian area.
The seminars and workshops take place in open, interactive areas; technology experiences are enhanced through hands-on interaction points. Participants are broadened to include business owners, students, senior citizens, and small and medium-sized enterprises; creating a multi-dimensional convergence point connecting market-technology-policy-investment.
The Phu Dong symbol has been digitized and become a recurring image, representing the strong aspiration of the Vietnamese startup generation to rise in the digital age.
Within the framework of TechFest Vietnam 2025, the National Policy Forum on International Cooperation in Investment for Innovative Startups also took place, with the participation of over 100 international experts discussing new trends in venture capital, technology commercialization, human resource development, and public-private partnership models; along with a series of more than 20 international workshops and professional seminars on AI, data, fintech, green technology, sports-technology, circular economy, and open innovation.
Alongside this is an exhibition space where the public can directly experience AI, IoT, robotics, new materials, and pioneering technological solutions.
(VNA/Vietnam+)
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/viet-nam-se-tro-thanh-diem-den-hap-dan-cho-cong-dong-khoi-nghiep-sang-tao-post1082940.vnp
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