VIISA launches second portfolio of startupsDuc Tam Representatives of the startups which are admitted to the second batch of the Vietnam Innovative Startup Accelerator (VIISA) pose for a group photo - PHOTO: VIISA HCMC – The Vietnam Innovative Startup Accelerator (VIISA) has continued its investment into Vietnam with12 startups admitted to the second batch of its accelerator program since Thursday. The program’s director, Adrian Tan, told the Daily that in addition to Vietnamese startups, there are two from South Korea, one from Indonesia, and one from Ukraine. Vietnamese enterprises have a chance to draw on the expertise of their foreign counterparts, and develop working relationships with them, he added. VIISA invests US$15,000 in cash and US$15,000 worth of training, technical resources, office accommodation and access to more than 100 world-class mentors and investors. Promising teams will also get up to … [Read more...] about VIISA launches second portfolio of startups
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Youth Union supports startups
At a forum in Hanoi on Sunday, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung stressed the need to create stable jobs for young people. He said breakthroughs in vocational training will be made next year: “Vocational training is important to creating breakthroughs in human resource development. The General Department of Vocation Training is collecting opinions on developing a project to improve vocational training, increase the number of vocational trainees, and generate more high-paying jobs.”The Youth Union’s Fund for Young Talent has provided capital, technical assistance, breeds and seedlings to help young people start a business. Over the past years, the Fund for Young Talent of the Vinh Phuc Provincial Youth Union has helped more than 100 startups, 40 cooperatives and more than 600 young farm owners creating thousands of jobs. Hoang Anh is with the Vinh Phuc Provincial Fund for Young Talent: “We have set up a Startup Fund and … [Read more...] about Youth Union supports startups
Eleven startups chosen for MIST program
Eleven startups chosen for MIST program Tu Hoang HANOI – The Mekong Business Initiative (MBI) and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) have announced that 11 innovative tourism startups in Vietnam have been picked for the Mekong Innovative Startup Tourism (MIST) Startup Accelerator program. More than 250 travel tech and traditional tourism startups applied to the MIST program. The Travel Startups Incubator, based in the U.S., screened applications based on their potential for investment and the quality of their business plans. MBI experts performed additional due diligence, considering sustainability and other socio-economic criteria. Finally, selections were verified in partnership with the Danang City Incubator (DNES). The qualifying startups will advance to a MIST Startup Accelerator boot camp from May 5 to 7, 2017 in Cambodia alongside nine innovative tourism startups from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Market experts including deputy director of TMG Cong Nguyen, … [Read more...] about Eleven startups chosen for MIST program
Forum connects Vietnamese startups in US and Vietnam
However, to reap more fruits, these enterprises need closer connectivity and coordination, Nghi suggested.The SCOV wants to build a network of Vietnamese startups in the US and Vietnam, he said, adding that a similar forum will be held in Ho Chi Minh City in January 2018 to foster links among start-ups both in and outside Vietnam.Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan said that the forum was a valuable chance for enterprises from the city and the US to exchange business cooperation and investment opportunities.Ho Chi Minh City wants to learn from experiences of start-up enterprises in the US in order to have appropriate measures to speed up the start-up movement in the city, he said.Nhan told participants that the municipal authorities have just announced a project to turn Ho Chi Minh City into a smart city.Therefore, there are more investment opportunities in the city for foreign businesses, including those invested by Vietnamese people in the US.At the … [Read more...] about Forum connects Vietnamese startups in US and Vietnam
HCMC speeding up support for startups
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, the city has established the Saigon Innovation Hub, the Information Technology Park under the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City and the SHTP Innovation Hub under the Saigon Hi-Tech Park and promoted links with 24 business incubators to support startups.In addition, the SpeedUp 2017 program has provided financial support tools from the budget for startup projects through business incubators. Since the beginning of the year, this program has received 112 startup projects. Of these, 14 projects were selected, accounting for 12.5 percent of the total number. This figure is quite high compared to the current selection rate of many investment funds, such as VIISA and VSVA. The maximum financial aid for each project is VND2 billion.Ho Chi Minh City has also offered solutions for human resource development of startups. For example, the Saigon Innovation Hub has cooperated with the Vietnam-Finland Innovation … [Read more...] about HCMC speeding up support for startups