The spirit of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship spreads widely

Innovative start-up activities in Da Nang are growing stronger and stronger, attracting many domestic and foreign projects and businesses, as well as the international investment community. This contributes to the goal of Da Nang becoming an ecological, smart city and a regional start-up hub in Asia by 2045.

14 memorandums of understanding were signed at SURF 2024 to promote the development of the innovative startup ecosystem in Da Nang city. Photo: THIEN AN

Attractive city for innovative startups

In December 2024, Da Nang city was honored for the fourth consecutive time by the Vietnam Software and Information Technology Services Association (VINASA) in the category of "Attractive City for Innovative Startups" within the framework of the Vietnam Smart City Award 2024.

Deputy Director of the Danang Center for Supporting Innovative Startups (under the Department of Science and Technology) Vo Duc Anh said that the honor reflected Danang's continuous efforts in building and developing an innovative startup ecosystem, creating a solid foundation for the city's future socio-economic development.

Every year, the city organizes the Da Nang Innovation and Startup Festival (SURF), a meeting place for the startup community to meet and connect with domestic and foreign investors and partners. Notably, 2024 is the first year the city organizes the Da Nang Angel and Venture Forum (DAVAS). The event attracts 40 domestic and foreign experts and speakers from the US, Korea, Singapore, etc. There are 30 projects participating in calling for capital and connecting 1:1 with investors and investment funds; of which, 19 projects are from Da Nang; 10 memorandums of understanding were signed at the event.

“Through DAVAS 2024, innovative projects and startups have the opportunity to approach domestic and foreign investors, venture capital funds and angels. At the same time, it helps projects evaluate whether their capacity, solutions and products meet the needs of investment funds or not and creates an environment for projects to improve their ability to present and call for capital. This is very important for projects in the development stage or needing resources to expand,” Mr. Anh added.

Expanding entrepreneurial opportunities for youth and women

According to the Danang Center for Supporting Innovative Startups, in December 2024, the first "Innovative Startup" Festival was held in Hoa Vang district, attracting more than 500 union members, youth, and students to participate.

The festival featured many activities, notably the exhibition space for 15 start-up and innovation products, and highly awarded scientific research projects by city students. Secretary of the City Youth Union Le Cong Hung said that the “Startup and Innovation” Festival has been organized by the City Youth Union in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology since 2020 to promote the start-up and innovation movement among union members and young people.

In the coming time, the City Youth Union will continue to organize career training courses, create conditions for loans, and help young people start sustainable businesses. At the same time, connect with businesses to support young people in the process of building and developing startup projects from ideas to actual implementation.

Vice President of the City Women's Union Nguyen Thi Huyen shared that activities to support women in starting businesses under the project "Supporting women in starting businesses in the period 2017-2025" (called Project 939) have been actively implemented by the Women's Union at all levels.

In 2024, the City Association successfully organized a series of connecting events, creating conditions for women to introduce and promote products to customers such as the festival "Da Nang Women - Digital transformation, creative startups, green actions" in 2024 with a series of practical activities: "Women's startup ideas" contest; "Livestream sales" contest with OCOP products, typical rural industrial products, products of natural origin, environmentally friendly; the program "Connecting and exchanging female entrepreneurs - female traders - female startups of Da Nang city and Hue city, Quang Nam province.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen, in order to create conditions for women to access capital to start a business, in 2024, the association at all levels will coordinate with the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies - Da Nang Branch to provide loans to 7,586 households from the employment capital source with a total amount of more than 508 billion VND. After nearly 7 years of implementing Project 939, the City Association has directed the association at all levels to support more than 1,000 business and startup ideas; 1,143 women have been supported to start a business and start a business.

On December 22, 2024, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation. Mr. Vo Duc Anh said that to effectively implement this resolution, the city needs to strengthen the connection between parties in the startup ecosystem. Typically, events such as SURF, DAVAS or startup training programs should be organized regularly to connect parties in the ecosystem, while attracting international investment funds.

In addition, building a Da Nang innovation space; promoting training and improving skills for entrepreneurs, especially building and implementing innovative startup programs at educational institutions, regular training and education programs at home and abroad on state management in innovation activities. Universities in Da Nang need to organize many startup competitions, creating opportunities for students to access startup projects. From there, develop creative, research and startup skills in a real environment.

Along with that, the city promotes and enhances multilateral diplomacy in the fields of science, technology and innovation. In particular, it connects and joins innovation networks in the world's leading innovation centers such as: Singapore, Korea, Australia, China, the United States, the United Arab Emirates (UAE)...

THIEN AN

Source: http://baodanang.vn/kinhte/202502/tinh-than-doi-moi-sang-tao-khoi-nghiep-lan-toa-sau-rong-4000782/