Forbes Vietnam Innovation Forum: Sailing the digital sea

Under this blueprint, tourism is designated as a high-priority sector to enhance the use of digital technology to improve management capabilities, service quality, and the visitor experience.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung has signed a decision approving a plan to develop large domestic strategic technology enterprises in the 2026–2030 period, aimed at advancing digital infrastructure, digital human resources, digital data, strategic technologies and cybersecurity.

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) has been actively cooperating with Vietnam, which is regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s most promising offshore wind markets, Cuba’s e-newspaper Prensa Latina reported.

To date, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in coordination with the Ministry of Science and Technology, has issued 18 standards and regulations related to charging stations, charging equipment and batteries.

In Vietnam, digital transformation in the finance and banking sector is accelerating cashless payments, expanding access to financial services, improving market transparency and supporting economic growth and macroeconomic management.

Experts said close coordination among State management agencies, research institutes, universities, and businesses will improve training quality and serve the dual goals of quality education and practical research application.

The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), Saigon Asset Management (SAM), and Plug and Play Tech Centre co-hosted the “From Vietnam to Silicon Valley” forum, exploring AI innovation, venture capital, and pathways to integrate Vietnam’s startup ecosystem with Silicon Valley and global markets.

Experts have warned that fake news, misinformation and harmful online content are increasingly shaping public perceptions, particularly among young people, and stressed the need for stronger legal safeguards, technology tools and wider dissemination of credible information to tackle the problem effectively.

Participants highlighted the importance of building a proactive, synchronised and sustainable national cybersecurity ecosystem through closer cooperation among regulators, technology firms, research institutions and cybersecurity experts.

With 17,154 nominating partners from 117 countries and territories across all five continents, the scale of the prize has grown by around 16% compared with the 2025 season and more than 14-fold compared with its inaugural year in 2021.

Hue’s “red carpet” approach should extend beyond financial incentives to include the creation of a high-quality living environment, with strong healthcare systems, international-standard education and green urban spaces.

One of the most visible achievements has been the rapid expansion of online public services. Ho Chi Minh City currently provides 1,636 fully online administrative procedures, accounting for more than 80% of the city’s total administrative services.

Vietnam’s participation in SAHA 2026 International Defence & Aerospace Exhibition in Istanbul reflects the country’s consistent policy of enhancing international defence integration and promoting defence industry cooperation towards self-reliance, self-strengthening, modernisation and dual-use development.

The education ministry demanded a complete review of existing curricula, covering goals, learning outcomes, structure, content, teaching and assessment methods, and how emerging technologies like AI, semiconductors, automation, data science, and cybersecurity are embedded.

SK Innovation and SK Telecom signed MoUs with Nghe An province and the National Innovation Centre of Vietnam to advance AI ecosystem development and support the country’s long-term growth strategy.

The list will serve as a legal and scientific basis to design policies and incentives to support entities and enterprises engaged in strategic tech development.

Vietnam considers the expanded Information Technology Agreement an important mechanism for promoting trade liberalisation in IT products, reducing costs and improving access to technology, while supporting global innovation.

Under the Vietnam Research Excellence Fellowship (VREF) for the 2026–2030 period, PhD students are identified as a core research force directly contributing to breakthroughs in sci-tech and innovation. Investing in top-tier doctoral candidates is more than workforce development, but a high-stakes strategic bet to forge a cohort of world-class scientists and technologists who can power Vietnam’s long-term economic ambitions.

While boosting efficiency in the banking sector, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) also changes the nature of cyber risks and poses great challenges to cybersecurity in Vietnam.

As part of its deployment plan, Starlink will build four gateway stations in Phu Tho, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City to ensure stable connectivity while complying with Vietnam’s cybersecurity requirements.