Marking Vietnam’s National Innovation Day (October 1), Ho Chi Minh City inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on September 30 with Plug and Play Singapore Pte. Ltd. and the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) to launch the Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence (AI COE) in the southern city.
The AI COE will operate under a triple-helix partnership model connecting the government, academia, and industry. The center aims to accelerate research, startup incubation, and business scaling while deploying commercial AI applications across the city.
The initiative is built around three operational pillars. The Capability Center focuses on formulating strategic roadmaps, core competencies, and specialized AI training programs for students, academic staff, civil servants, and corporate executives while linking global networks of investors, universities, and research institutes.
The Startup Acceleration Program executes cohort-based acceleration initiatives tailored to Ho Chi Minh City’s high-priority sectors, offering selected startups specialized training, mentorship, and direct connections to regional and global venture networks.
Finally, the Venture Client and Solution Testing pillar identifies operational challenges within government agencies, enterprises, and industry associations, allowing sourced startups and AI technologies to undergo real-world pilot testing to evaluate commercial scalability and market viability.
Founded in Silicon Valley in 2006, Plug and Play is a global innovation platform operating across more than 60 locations worldwide. With a network of over 100,000 startups and 550 corporate partners, Plug and Play was an early investor in global technology leaders including PayPal, Dropbox, and LendingClub.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Truong Minh Huy Vu, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, emphasized that the city measures innovation success through practical outcomes - such as viable technology products, commercialized startups, and venture capital raised - rather than the quantity of centers established.
The binding operational agreement is slated for finalization within 30 days to enable an official international launch at the Plug and Play Silicon Valley November Summit, scheduled for November 3-5 in Sunnyvale, California, the US.
The global platform is expected to position Ho Chi Minh City’s innovation ecosystem before international venture funds and technology partners.
Google translate