Hanoi (VNA) - ▨Huy Nguyen, a Vietnamese engineer who previously worked at Google, made the bold decision to leave his position at the world’s leading tech corporation to return to his homeland and contribute to Vietnam’s digital transformation in the cultural sector.

He is the founder and CEO of Phygital Labs, Vietnam’s first phygital technology company, known for its innovative solutions that integrate technology into the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage.

In 2024, Phygital Labs achieved significant breakthroughs in applying augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain technology to museums and historical sites, offering users immersive and interactive experiences. Huy Nguyen shared that his ambition goes beyond digitising culture for heritage preservation. He also aims to propel Vietnamese technology onto the global stage, showcasing the country’s creative capabilities in the era of Industry 4.0. After more than a decade in Silicon Valley, Huy realised that no matter where he was, he always felt a deep connection to his homeland. At Google, he contributed to large-scale projects that brought significant value, such as deploying wireless networks in developed countries. In 2016, after extensive global experience across Africa, South America, and India, he returned to the US to lead the Google Fiber Operations System project, which provided 1 Gbps fiber-optic internet to over a million users.

That was when he asked himself: Can I bring my knowledge and expertise back to Vietnam to create new value?

Recognising Vietnam’s rapid technological transformation, young workforce, and growing global influence, he decided to return. He acknowledged that the decision wasn’t easy, but it was driven by a deep desire to apply his accumulated knowledge and experience to build something meaningful in Vietnam. Beyond establishing a successful business, his ambition is to contribute to sustainable development and create long-term value for the community. Though the journey is challenging, he believes it is also incredibly meaningful.

According to Huy, the biggest challenge is ensuring that technology enhances rather than diminishes cultural values. “If we can skillfully integrate technology with culture, I believe we can create projects that not only preserve but also revive cultural heritage, allowing future generations to access, share, and take pride in it,” he said. Vietnam’s tech startup environment has unique advantages and challenges, Huy noted. One major advantage is Vietnam’s strong digital transformation, with rapidly growing demand for technology and innovation. Vietnamese people are increasingly open to and eager to adopt new tech solutions, particularly in fields such as fintech, blockchain, Web3, and phygital technology. “This presents a significant opportunity for startups to experiment, turn ideas into products, and successfully commercialise them,” Huy said. However, a key challenge remains the shortage of high-quality talent and the lack of synchronisation within the startup ecosystem. “While Vietnam has many talented individuals, its resources and R&D infrastructure are still limited compared to Silicon Valley.” To address this, Huy emphasised the need for Vietnam to build a stronger ecosystem to support young talent. This includes improving education quality, expanding hands-on training programmes, and, most importantly, creating opportunities for young people to engage in highly applicable projects./.