Vietnam Innovation Challenge 2026 kicks off to support next-generation tech startups

THE HANOI TIMES — The Qualcomm Vietnam Innovation Challenge 2026 (QVIC 2026) has kicked off at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT) to inspire young innovators and students to explore challenging technology fields.

It also marks the sixth year of Qualcomm’s flagship initiative to discover and nurture promising startups in AI, 5G, IoT, robotics, automotive technology and smart cities.

Applications for QVIC 2026 are open from October to December 2025 in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang. The top three projects will be announced in August 2026.

Selected startups will receive technical, financial and business mentoring, along with patent registration guidance, product development training, incubation support and international exposure.

The total prize and support package is valued at US$410,000, including funding, mentorship and access to Qualcomm’s global expert network.

Pham Hong Quat, General Director of the National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship under the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that this year’s challenge introduces an integrated training program that combines innovation, fundraising, market development and intellectual property management.

“Hosting the QVIC launch at a technology university means strengthening the link between education, research and entrepreneurship. If we do well with these courses, Vietnam will surely see potential unicorns in the near future,” he said.

As part of QVIC 2026, the L2Pro (Learn to Protect) online learning platform also debuted in Vietnam. The platform offers free courses on patent registration, investment pitching and business operations.

Originally developed as a non-profit initiative, L2Pro has already achieved success in the US, India, Taiwan (China) and Africa before arriving in Vietnam.

Dang Hoai Bac, Director of PTIT, said that the return of QVIC and the launch of L2Pro will inspire young innovators and students to take bold steps in advanced technologies.

“We expect that a Vietnamese tech unicorn will emerge from PTIT in 10 years,” he said at the launch ceremony on October 15. Bac added that every groundbreaking idea needs legal protection.

“Learn to Protect is a practical tool that helps students create technology and defend it,” the PTIT director said.

Launched in 2020, QVIC has become one of Vietnam’s most influential programs supporting the tech startup ecosystem.

Over the past five years, participating startups have filed more than 200 patent, copyright, trademark and industrial design applications, reflecting the program’s strong impact on fostering innovation and intellectual property awareness.