The fourth Vietnam Innovation Summit (VIS 2025), co-hosted by InnoLab Asia, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, and the Doanh Nhan Sai Gon magazine, will take place in Ho Chi Minh City on November 6 - 7.
With the theme “Building Bridges to Innovation and Growth”, the Summit aims to strengthen Vietnam’s position as a regional innovation hub, in line with its ambition to break into the Top 30 in the Global Innovation Index (GII) within the next decade.
The gathering will foster collaboration between governments, corporations, and startups, highlighting key sectors such as AI, fintech, smart manufacturing, green finance, and sustainable development.
Speaking at the Summit’s official launch, Mr. Ted Osius, President and CEO of the US ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and former US Ambassador to Vietnam, emphasized that Vietnam boasts the fastest-growing market in ASEAN and has a key role in global manufacturing supply chains. He noted that Long Thanh International Airport, near Ho Chi Minh City, will enhance Vietnam’s logistics capabilities, while a tech-savvy population positions the country as one of the region’s fastest growing e-commerce markets. Ho Chi Minh City is also set to emerge as a regional finance and fintech hub.
To capitalize on ASEAN’s digital economy, which is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030, Vietnam must continue cutting red tape, accelerating reforms, and attracting foreign investment. Energy infrastructure must be expanded to meet growing demand, while innovation must be driven by a world-class education system. Vietnam is actively engaging in frontier technologies, from AI and biotech to quantum computing.
At VIS 2025, the USABC plans to link global corporations with Vietnamese startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to support Vietnam’s goal of becoming a Top 20 economy globally by 2045.
Mr. Peter Mok, Executive Director of the Qianhai Shenzhen Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub (EHub), said Vietnam is well-positioned to rise on the global technology map. Most notably, progressive government policies focus on deep technology, while investment grows steadily and diversifies into future forward sectors like AI, semiconductors, and smart manufacturing. This strategic alignment of talent, policy, and capital is transforming Vietnam into a compelling destination for the next stage of global supply chain evolution.
Under Mr. Mok’s advice, to enhance competitiveness in transformative technologies such as AI, cloud computing, and smart manufacturing, Vietnam should focus on three priorities.
First, talent development through ongoing investment in specialized education and upskilling in AI, data science, and advanced manufacturing.
Second, fostering international partnerships, especially with major markets like China, to access mature ecosystems, technology, and capital for faster innovation.
Third, building robust innovation infrastructure that supports research and development (R&D) and public-private partnerships (PPPs) to move from adoption to creation.
“We look forward to engaging with corporations at VIS 2025 to explore how we can provide solutions that accelerate innovation and technology development in both Vietnam and China,” Mr. Mok added. “We aim to help Asian tech companies establish a strong presence in strategic hubs like Qianhai and Hong Kong (China), and to expand collaboration with partners such as Innolab Asia to strengthen the regional innovation ecosystem.”
According to organizers, VIS 2025 will feature four interactive zones - Inno Stage, Beyond Stage, Connect Stage, and Collab Stage - providing Vietnamese enterprises with a platform to access global resources, forge new partnerships, and scale internationally.
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