The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the National Innovation Centre and US tech giant Meta Group announced the Vietnam Innovation Challenge (VIC) 2024 in Hanoi on March 18, aiming to seek innovative solutions from domestic and international organisations and individuals to develop Vietnam’s semiconductor industry.
The press conference announces the Vietnam Innovation Challenge (VIC) 2024 on March 18. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the NationalInnovation Centre and US tech giant Meta Group announced theVietnam Innovation Challenge (VIC) 2024 in Hanoi on March 18, aiming to seek innovativesolutions from domestic and international organisations and individuals todevelop Vietnam’s semiconductor industry.
Speaking at the press conference to announce the event, Deputy Minister of Planningand Investment Tran Duy Dong said Vietnam has risen as a potential factor inthe semiconductor industry with its strategic location, developing digitalinfrastructure and a wealth of young and creative workforce.
Vietnam’s semiconductor industry is expected to grow more than 6% during in the 2022-2027 period, Dong quoted forecasts from the Southeast Asia Semiconductor Association(SEMI SEA).
According to Director of Public Policy forSoutheast and South Asia at Meta Group Rafael Frankel, VIC 2024 will create aplayground that helps promote initiatives and capitalise on all opportunitiesto improve Vietnam’s integration into the global technology sector.
Themed “Innovation to Accelerate the SemiconductorIndustry and AI to Go Global”, the event aims to honour solutions that improve thequality of the semiconductor value chain’s design, packaging and testingphases, with priority given to AI applications, and those applying AItechnology to support business building and development and improveproductivity.
VIC 2024 is designed to promote collaborative thinking, attract resources, andestablish a multilateral cooperation platform to create a launching pad forVietnamese businesses to enhance value and elevate their position within theglobal value chain.
By seeking out and honoring solutions, the programme will contribute to theoverarching goal of raising awareness about the importance and value of thesemiconductor and AI industries. It will recommend and connect Vietnameseenterprises with solutions that upgrade and improve business operations, enhanceefficiency, and develop new products and services to increase theircompetitive edge in the global market.
The event, which runs until October this year, will provide a total prize poolof 300,000 USD for chosen innovative solutions. The winners will also be givena privilege support package, including technical support to survey foreignmarkets, co-working space and laboratories, along with opportunities to expand markets andpromote their brands./.
The Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VinIF) has said that in 2024, it continues to sponsor science and technology programmes and projects to promote the application and contribute to changing the research environment in Vietnam, creating a launching pad for Vietnamese science and technology to reach the international level.
About 75% of surveyed businesses said that they were not fully aware of the role of open innovation which resulted in unclear motivation in the implementation.
Ho Chi Minh City's Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) and Siemens Electronic Design Automation (Siemens EDA), a segment of Siemens Digital Industries Software, on February 27 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in personnel training in the semiconductor chip industry in Vietnam.
The course aims to promote knowledge exchange between scientific and educational schools from different countries, while deepening participants’ expertise in modern technology and technical education. It comprises two main specialisations of electronics-automation and nuclear technology.
ANTARA and VNA can design global-scale cooperation programmes or joint media campaigns, demonstrating the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as the cooperation between the two national news agencies.
As Vietnam’s digital transformation accelerates, both the frequency and severity of cyberattacks are growing. The National Cybersecurity Association (NCA) reported that in 2024 alone, there were some 659,000 separate cybersecurity incidents, impacting around 46.15% of government agencies and businesses.
A key highlight will be the technology cluster pavilion, showcasing top enterprises selected for their innovation, market potential, and practical applications. These firms will display flagship products and solutions, supported by government policies to strengthen the tech sector.
Since 2022, more than 500 Vietnamese startups have engaged in Google’s Startup Academy, Google for Startups Accelerator, and Google Startup Masterclass. Nearly 100 of these firms received support to develop and improve their products, benefiting more than 300,000 customers and creating over 300 new jobs through successful fundraising and team expansion amidst Vietnam’s competitive economy.
Over the past three decades, Binh Duong has cemented its status as one of Vietnam’s most dynamic industrial hubs, building a robust foundation in manufacturing, exports, and investment. The province now has 30 operational industrial parks spanning over 13,000 hectares, with an occupancy rate exceeding 90%.
The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam places the highest priority on the development of science, technology, and innovation, viewing them as critical drivers for the country’s advancement in the new development era.
The PM revealed Vietnam’s plan to develop nuclear power in the near future, and called on the Swedish side to assist Vietnam in developing and refining legal and policy frameworks for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; training and developing human resources; ensuring nuclear safety; and conducting training and drills to improve incident management capabilities.
More than an art showcase, the second “Technology with heart” contest seeks to inspire innovation and spotlight the humanistic values that technology can bring into daily life, expected to contribute to a sustainable digital future.
The average speed of the national mobile broadband network remained stable, with download speeds reaching 76.86 Mbps and upload speeds reaching 26.98 Mbps.
Under the MoU, AMD will support several key initiatives spearheaded by HCM City’s authorities, including piloting policies, co-hosting innovation events, and evaluating the investment environment within the Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
The centre is a joint initiative between Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, with PTIT and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) serving as co-leads, and global telecommunications giant Nokia as founding industry partner.
The new centre, staffed by a team of scientists, researchers, and AI specialists working in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, forms part of Qualcomm’s global AI research group.
As a flagship initiative of the community project “Digital Literacy for All”, the programme forms part of a national scheme to equip 20 million young people with digital business skills.
The organisers hope the competition will help shape a generation of exceptional engineers who will make significant contributions to Vietnam’s scientific and technological progress in this era of transformation.
In the digital age and amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution, IP plays an increasingly critical role, not only in safeguarding inventions but also in reducing copyright infringement and curbing piracy.
Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu laid stress on the significance of the Hanoi Convention, particularly to the Asia – Pacific, to handling legal gaps in international cooperation against rapidly increasing global cybercrime.
The week features a rich lineup of activities, including a plenary conference on blockchain and AI development, thematic seminars on future technology trends and investment visions, applications of blockchain and AI in business, the Super Vietnam PitchFest, as well as forums for blockchain and AI.
The press conference announces the Vietnam Innovation Challenge (VIC) 2024 on March 18. (Photo: VNA) 
