On the evening of December 12th, within the framework of the National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Festival TECHFEST Vietnam 2025, the Final Round of the National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent Search Competition took place at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square ( Hanoi ).
The event brought together the 10 best teams selected from hundreds of applications from both domestic and international sources. The competition was co-organized by the National Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (NSSC), the National Agency for Technology and Entrepreneurship (NATEC), and partners including Startup World Cup Vietnam, Impact Square, and the Institute for Sustainable Development Management Research - MSD United Way Vietnam.
With the theme "Green Growth and Digital Transformation: Innovation for a Sustainable Vietnam," the competition is built on the orientation of promoting innovative startup models linked to social and environmental responsibility and a long-term vision, while highlighting projects that apply high technology, are environmentally friendly, and are closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - the foundation for Vietnam's digital economy and green future.
A highlight of this year's Finals is that they are held in the pedestrian area around Ho Hoan Kiem Lake. This provides an opportunity for residents, tourists, and the creative startup community to directly experience new products, models, and technological solutions.
This also marks the first time that the TECHFEST Vietnam 2025 competition welcomes international teams to participate in solving practical problems in Vietnam.
This not only enhances the integration and professional quality of the competition but also creates a foundation for multilateral cooperation, connecting global knowledge and technology to address the country's development challenges.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Le Toan Thang - Director of the National Center for Startup Support, Department of Startups and Technology Enterprises ( Ministry of Science and Technology ) emphasized that the TECHFEST 2025 competition is an important activity implementing the spirit of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW (issued on December 22, 2024) on breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation and Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW (issued on May 4, 2025) on the development of the private economy.
According to him, this year's competition is not only a place to select potential projects but also a process to support capacity building through multiple rounds of competition lasting from October to December 2025, helping startups refine their products, business models, and approach ESG standards.
From the co-organizing units, representatives from Startup World Cup Vietnam, MSD United Way Vietnam, and Impact Square all acknowledged the strong progress of the Vietnamese startup community.
Following the presentation and Q&A sessions, the Judging Panel conducted an independent evaluation based on criteria such as innovation level, implementation feasibility, operational model quality, expansion potential, and the impact value of each project. Based on this, the main awards of the TECHFEST 2025 competition were announced, reflecting the efforts and growth of the participating teams throughout the competition.
Accordingly, Growlab - a Vietnamese biotechnology startup - has excellently won the first prize in the National Innovation Startup Talent Search Competition 2025.
Growlab is a Vietnamese biotechnology startup that is transforming the coconut industry through Multipuno™, a patent-pending technique capable of producing uniform, high-yielding coconut seedlings on a large scale. Billions of coconut trees worldwide are aging and low-yielding, leaving the coconut industry facing a severe shortage of quality seedlings.
Growlab is the first company capable of large-scale coconut tissue culture, providing a timely and scalable solution. Multipuno™ seedlings can help farmers increase their income up to 20 times, create green jobs, and ensure a stable supply for processors and exporters. This opens opportunities for millions of farming households, contributing to the revitalization of the coconut industry and promoting sustainable, climate-adaptive growth for Vietnam and other tropical agricultural regions.
Growlab's grand prize includes a $20,000 award and a ticket to represent Vietnam at the Startup World Cup 2026 in San Francisco (USA) – a gathering of the world's most promising startups, offering opportunities for fundraising, international networking, and access to the global innovation ecosystem.
The runner-up prize, worth $7,000, went to the Volterra team. Volterra is a service platform aimed at developing and operating electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The third prize, worth $5,000 in cash, went to the IDO team.
In addition to the main awards, the Organizing Committee also announced two supplementary awards, each worth $15,000 USD , which were awarded to the Dayladau team, reflecting the investors' confidence in the project's growth potential.
Dayladau It's a platform for booking homestays and apartments by the hour, designed for young people seeking privacy in their own city.
The Outstanding Impact Award was given to the Planter team in recognition of their project's practical contributions to sustainable development goals. Plantner is a startup that transforms local agricultural waste into organic fertilizer, helping to increase crop yields while improving soil and restoring acidity.
Given that Vietnam ranks third in the world for soil pollution due to the overuse of chemical fertilizers, this solution could contribute to healthy soil care and lay the foundation for sustainable agriculture.
Following the final round, participating teams will continue to receive support from the Techfest ecosystem to commercialize their products, expand their markets, raise capital, and enhance their social impact. TECHFEST 2025 marks a new mindset: innovation must be for people, for the community, and for a green, digital, and sustainable Vietnam.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/vinh-danh-quan-quan-cuoc-thi-tim-kiem-tai-nang-khoi-nghiep-doi-moi-sang-tao-quoc-gia-post1082801.vnp
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