Vietnam Innovation and Private Capital Summit 2025 to drive innovation and investment

THE HANOI TIMES — The Vietnam Innovation and Private Capital Summit 2025 (VIPC Summit 2025), scheduled for April 22 at the National Convention Center in Hanoi, aims to build policy bridges between the government and the private sector while driving investment in Vietnam's strategic technology sectors.

This year's theme, "Fostering Innovation and Unlocking Private Capital to Propel Vietnam into a New Era of Growth," highlights the country's ambition to become innovation and investment hub.

The summit will feature sessions on policy direction, scaling startups, fundraising strategies, and pathways to IPOs and M&A. Investors and founders will also engage in networking activities designed for long-term partnerships.

The event is expected to attract over 1,000 delegates, including more than 200 investors from leading firms such as CDH Investments, Partech Ventures, Temasek, Do Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures, VinaCapital, and Mekong Capital.

Vu Quoc Huy, Director of the National Innovation Center (NIC) under the Ministry of Finance, emphasized the importance of public-private coordination in unlocking Vietnam's potential. "This summit is a critical platform to connect government and private stakeholders, both local and international, identify investment opportunities, and accelerate Vietnam's innovation ecosystem."

Huy added that the Vietnamese government has been actively reforming legislation to attract investment in artificial intelligence and clean energy, among other key sectors. The 2024 Innovation and Technology Investment Report, to be released during the forum, will show a growing trend of capital flowing into areas aligned with Vietnam's development goals.

“Vietnam’s appeal lies in its young and skilled workforce and policy incentives for tech-focused foreign-invested enterprises. While geopolitical shifts may cause short-term FDI fluctuations, our long-term fundamentals remain strong,” the director said.

Vinnie Lauria, Board Member of the Vietnam Private Capital Agency (VPCA) and founding partner of Golden Gate Ventures, echoed this optimism. "Vietnam deserves long-term investment. That's why we've committed one-third of our Southeast Asia portfolio to the country."

Vietnam could emerge as a major beneficiary of the changing dynamics of global trade. “If this momentum continues, we may see up to 1,000 new startups here,” he predicted. Golden Gate Ventures plans to allocate one-third of its new US$100 million commitment to Vietnam.

VPCA has over 40 member funds working together to improve policy advocacy, ecosystem development, and cross-border collaboration.

“Our goal is to position Vietnam as a regional leader in private capital investment,” Lauria said. “We aim to mobilize US$35 billion for innovation by 2035, driven by deep data, elevated standards, and close cooperation between government, founders, and investors.”

According to Lauria, the expected timeline for this capital mobilization is between 10 and 12 years.

"We [who will attend the upcoming summit] aren't just investing in promising startups. We're laying the groundwork for the next wave of transformation in Vietnam," he emphasized.