Nearly 900 million USD injected in Vietnamese startups in 2018
Vietnamese startups were invested in to the tune of 900 million USD in 2018, tripling the previous year’s investment, according to a report recently released by Topica Founder Institute (TFI), a startup accelerator programme in Vietnam and Thailand.
The five most profitable fields for startups are financial tech (Fintech), electronic commerce (E-commerce), technology services related to tourism (TravelTech), logistics and education tech (Edtech) (Illustrative image. Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese startups wereinvested in to the tune of 900 million USD in 2018, tripling the previousyear’s investment, according to a report recently released by Topica FounderInstitute (TFI), a startup accelerator programme in Vietnam and Thailand.
VNG Corporation became Vietnam’s first everunicorn tech startup and was valued atone billion USD by the World StartupReport in 2014, a figure expected to rise in 2018.
Meanwhile, Yeah1 became the first media companyin Vietnam to be listed in the stock market with valuation of 500 million USD.
Its ambition is to become the first unicornstartup in the communications industry in Southeast Asia in the next threeyears.
Director of TFI Mai Duy Quang described 2018 asa successful year for Vietnamese startups.
The five most profitable fields for startupswere financial tech (Fintech), electronic commerce (E-commerce), technologyservices related to tourism (TravelTech), logistics and education tech (Edtech),he said.
Fintech topped the list with eight deals worth117 million USD, followed by E-commerce with five deals worth 104 million USDand TravelTech with eight deals worth 64 million USD.
Logistics and Edtech respectively attracted threeand four deals worth a combined 50 million USD.
Domestic funds, including Vingroup Ventures,Viet Capital Ventures and Viet Partners, also made big investment in startups,Quang said.
In early 2019, TFI and Singapore-based InsigniaVenture Partners signed an investment cooperation agreement, under whichInsignia will invest at least 50,000 USD in each graduated startup from TFI.
This is the first collaboration of its kind inVietnam, according to TFI.
“Vietnam is an energetic and potential startupmarket. If proper investment is available, great Vietnamese startups canemerge. Insignia Ventures Partners is showing great interest and desire tocontribute for this development,” said Yinglan Tan, founder of InsigniaVentures Partners.-VNA
Singapore-based venture capital firm Cocoon Capital has launched a new 20 million USD fund targeting seed-stage startups in emerging economies such as Vietnam, Myanmar, the Philippines and Indonesia.
The logistics sector has been the bottleneck for Vietnam’s economic development, but offers plentiful opportunities for local startup companies with the application of technologies.
Google is researching the procedures for opening a representative office in Vietnam to ensure that its compliance with local regulations is in line with its international commitments, Senior Vice President Ken Walker has said.
Vietnam is among the most dynamic startup hubs in the world and well-educated, young entrepreneurs are expected to improve the country’s position on the global startup map.
PwC Vietnam forecasts a vibrant M&A market in Vietnam’s healthcare sector in 2025, driven by rising demand for high-quality medical services and a growing middle class. Pharmaceutical companies, private hospitals, and specialised medical facilities, particularly in ophthalmology and oncology, are predicted to be key targets for M&A.
The central province of Quang Nam is set to become a hub for the medicinal plant industry, with Ngoc Linh ginseng designated as the core crop, under the Prime Minister's decision issued earlier this year.
The North-South Expressway project is scheduled for completion by 2030, aiming to establish the groundwork for Vietnam’s modern railway industry and stimulate regional economic development, positioning the country for a significant economic leap in the era of national rise.
The probe, initiated on June 11 following a petition by the US Coalition for Fair Trade in Hardwood Plywood, targets products classified under HS Code 4412 and 9403 imported from China, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways was born as a perfect piece in Sun Group’s strategic vision to build a premium ecosystem of tourism, entertainment, real estate, and aviation. With a pioneering ambition, Sun PhuQuoc Airways is not just an airline, but a symbol of connection – bringing the world to Phu Quoc and taking Phu Quoc to the world.
A key change in the draft decree is a provision requiring bank transfers for gold transactions valued at 20 million VND (765 USD) and above, to enhance transparency and verify customer identities.
In the first four months of 2025, trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia surpassed 3 billion USD, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
On June 19 alone, a total of 2,005 trucks completed customs clearance at Lang Son’s border gates — the highest single-day figure ever recorded in the province. Of these, 634 carried exports and 1,371 imports.
The OECD Economic Surveys: Vietnam 2025 report focuses on analysing the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals, the impact of international integration on attracting foreign investment and trade, and the country’s prospects for developing a low-carbon economy.
Antoine Colin, Senior Vice President for Global Supply Chain Digital Transformation & Resilience at HP Inc., affirmed HP’s strategic commitment to building a supply chain and ecosystem in Vietnam and the region.
Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Trade Promotion Agency Bui Quang Hung emphasised that logistics has evolved from a technical function into a core capability for Vietnamese exporters to maintain their competitive advantage in the US market.
A trade official has suggested companies work closely with shipping lines, airlines, and freight forwarders to monitor routes, transit times, and potential surcharges while exploring broader cargo insurance to cover risks like war and terrorism.
In addition to institutional reform, the agency is also rolling out key solution groups to combat counterfeit goods, imitations, and intellectual property infringements in the digital environment.
The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK and TT Meridian, a local importer of Vietnamese fresh produce, aims to build a national lychee brand and encourage broader recognition of Vietnamese fruits in a competitive, high-end market.
The industry's performance has been powered by bold investments in modern production lines, enabling Vietnamese firms to produce complicated products which were exclusive to advanced economies.
Outcomes of ABAC III will shape ABAC’s final policy recommendations to be submitted to the ABAC-APEC leaders’ dialogue, scheduled to take place in the Republic of Korea this November.
This is the second year the magazine has released the ranking, which is based on total revenue and key financial indicators of enterprises from seven countries in the region: Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
The five most profitable fields for startups are financial tech (Fintech), electronic commerce (E-commerce), technology services related to tourism (TravelTech), logistics and education tech (Edtech) (Illustrative image. Source: VNA)
