Ho Chi Minh City has announced its bold ambition to become Vietnam’s first policy lab for innovation — a place where new ideas are tested, regulations are piloted, and the government co-creates with startups.
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HCMC sets its vision as a national “policy lab” for innovation
For the first time, Ho Chi Minh City sets its sights on becoming a “policy lab” for innovation – where new ideas are tested, regulations are piloted, and the government actively co-creates with startups and enterprises. That bold direction was the highlight of the Vietnam Innovation Summit 2025 (VIS 2025) opening ceremony, held on November 6 at Riverside Palace.
More than 3,000 delegates and 150 speakers from over 30 countries gathered, signaling Vietnam’s growing role as an innovation hub in Asia-Pacific.
Key announcements: government investment, sandbox expansion, and policy reform
At the opening, Mr. Lâm Đình Thắng, Director of HCMC Department of Science and Technology, announced the city’s plan to pioneer a Local Investment Fund under Decree 26/2025/NĐ-CP, allowing the government to directly invest in startups and tech projects. HCMC will also expand sandbox mechanisms for fintech, AI, green energy, and smart logistics, testing policies before scaling nationwide.
“Innovation must flow beyond labs, into every enterprise, every community, every citizen,” Mr. Thắng emphasized. “When each person dares to rethink and rebuild, we create an unstoppable current for growth.”
From question to conviction: Can Vietnam be the innovation bridge of ASEAN?
Recalling the Summit’s journey, Huỳnh Công Thắng, CEO of InnoLab Asia, said:
“When VIS started in 2022, we asked a simple question: Can Vietnam become ASEAN’s innovation connector? Four years later, over 15,000 attendees, 500 startups, and 50+ partnerships have answered: YES.”
The theme of VIS 2025 “Building Bridges to Innovation and Growth” reflects a deeper mission: linking startups with corporations, universities with industries, and Vietnam with the global innovation network.
Business as the driver of innovation
From the business community’s lens, Mr. Tran Hoang, Editor-in-Chief of Doanh Nhân Sài Gòn Magazine, remarked:
“Entrepreneurs are the real innovators of daily life. Every company is an innovation lab, where ideas turn into products, and creativity becomes competitiveness.”
Key innovation pillars from InnoStage at VIS 2025
On the main stage: InnoStage, three core forums are emphasized:
Science, Technology & Digital Transformation
- R&D commercialization
- Intellectual property (IP)
- National digital upgrade
- AI adoption strategies
Finance for Innovation
- Mobilizing private capital
- Green finance and carbon markets
- Digital asset infrastructure
- Venture capital readiness
Smart Infrastructure & Global Market Access
- Building innovation-ready industrial hubs
- Integrating supply chains
- Enabling seamless global market entry
Meanwhile, the 1:1 Business Matching program connected Vietnamese companies with investors and partners from Japan, Korea, the UAE, and beyond, focusing on AI, Blockchain, ESG, EdTech, HealthTech, and AgriTech.
A milestone for Vietnam’s innovation ecosystem
With strong participation from the HCMC Department of Science and Technology, Doanh Nhân Sài Gòn Magazine, NIC, Startup Fukuoka City, and SIHUB, alongside partners like MSB, EFT Solutions, Invest & Trade Western Australia, IPOS, ARUP, and Nami Foundation, VIS 2025 proved itself more than an event. It’s a movement.
Conclusion: HCMC is positioning itself as Vietnam’s first policy lab
At VIS 2025, Ho Chi Minh City demonstrated a clear direction:
- Enable innovation with policy reform
- Invest in startups and technologies
- Co-create solutions with the private sector
As HCMC becomes a policy lab, it transforms from a fast-growing tech city into a platform for national innovation — shaping Vietnam’s competitive future in ASEAN and beyond.
