The transition to renewable energy has become a key global strategy in addressing the climate crisis and advancing toward carbon neutrality. In Vietnam, alongside national policy efforts, many tech-driven startups have quickly embraced this global shift, developing breakthrough solutions that align with the country’s sustainable development objectives. Among these innovators, CENERGY and RARE COOLING stand out with cutting-edge technologies in energy storage, thermal batteries, and passive cooling, affirming the role of startups as vital contributors to Vietnam’s green transformation. Both startups have made their mark at the TECHFEST Vietnam National Innovative Technopreneur Contest, showcasing the power of entrepreneurship in accelerating the energy transition.
The Challenge of Energy and the Urgent Need for Innovative Solutions
As Vietnam’s economy continues to grow rapidly, energy demand has soared, placing increasing pressure on traditional energy sources and exacerbating environmental impacts. This context calls for new energy technologies that are not only efficient but also environmentally friendly—solutions that align with Vietnam’s international commitments to reduce carbon emissions, particularly as pledged at various COP climate conferences.
Ranked among the Top 3 at TECHFEST Vietnam 2023, CENERGY has developed large-scale energy storage systems to address one of the critical challenges in renewable energy adoption: efficiently storing surplus energy. CENERGY’s technology helps stabilize the national grid, increase the utilization rate of renewable energy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Building on its success at TECHFEST, the company has expanded pilot operations and established partnerships with key domestic players in the renewable energy sector.
RARE COOLING, named among the Top 10 at the 2023 TECHFEST National Innovative Technopreneur Contest, offers a passive cooling solution using radiative paint that significantly lowers indoor temperatures without consuming electricity. This technology is especially suited to Vietnam’s hot and humid climate, reducing the burden on air conditioning systems and cutting emissions from traditional electricity use. RARE COOLING has successfully piloted its solution in several urban and industrial areas, opening up potential for broader commercialization and adoption.
The innovations introduced by CENERGY and RARE COOLING are highly scalable and ready for nationwide deployment. Their widespread application would not only support Vietnam’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, as declared by the Prime Minister at COP26 (2021), but also play a vital role in implementing the National Green Growth Strategy. These technologies contribute to building a sustainable energy system rooted in renewable sources, enhancing energy efficiency, and decreasing dependence on fossil fuels—bringing Vietnam closer to its long-term climate goals.
| The Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit was established in 2017 based on an initiative by the Government of Denmark, evolving from its predecessor—the Global Green Growth Forum (3GF). To date, the P4G platform comprises 12 core member countries: Denmark, Chile, Mexico, Vietnam, the Republic of Korea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and South Africa. In addition, it enjoys participation from over 90 countries, international organizations, and private sector entities. Vietnam is one of the seven founding members, a formal partner of P4G, and will proudly host the 4th P4G Summit in 2025. Recognized as a leading global platform for advancing public–private partnerships, P4G connects governments, businesses, and civil society organizations to jointly propose breakthrough solutions for green growth. These efforts contribute meaningfully to the realization of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). P4G support to its partner countries primarily takes the form of public–private cooperation, offering both financial and technical assistance to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises implementing climate action initiatives. As part of the P4G Summit 2025, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) will host the Policy Dialogue Forum on Promoting Investment and Business Growth for Startups in Green Transition and Sustainable Development. The event, coordinated by the National Startup Support Center, will bring together leading experts, policymakers, businesses, investment funds and startups from Vietnam and around the world to share experiences, propose solutions for fostering a sustainable startup ecosystem and explore collaboration opportunities. |
