On February 22, at the National Innovation Center (NIC), the Future Entrepreneurs Club of Foreign Trade University (TEC FTU) held a ceremony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the “Startup with Kawai” competition, while also officially launching the 2025 season of the contest. The event marked a two-decade milestone of development, recognizing the 20-year journey of the competition in accompanying the youth startup community, and ushering in a new season filled with opportunities and innovation.
Founded in 2006 with sponsorship from the Kawai Scholarship Foundation (Japan), the Startup with Kawai competition has grown into one of the most influential startup playgrounds for students in Vietnam.
Over its 20 years of operation and development, the competition has not only served as a launchpad for bold, promising ideas and strong entrepreneurial spirit, but also as a bridge connecting and supporting generations of Vietnamese startups.
The competition has also marked a significant milestone by expanding its scale to the international market, raising its prize value to the highest level in history, and contributing to the 50-year partnership between Vietnam and Japan—with innovation and entrepreneurship as a strategic bridge.
Looking ahead to 2025, with the theme:
“Entrepreneurship is a journey of creation and leadership, where resilient individuals not only break through and shine with their own identity, but also open new horizons, lead communities, and engrave their names in a radiant era.”
Startup with Kawai promises to continue inspiring bold ideas and driving Vietnam’s startup ecosystem toward a dual goal—supporting the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and reaching out to the global market with a strong international presence.
This year, the Organizing Committee hopes to bring a fresh breeze to the competition by expanding participation to young Vietnamese founders aged 18–25 living and working worldwide—for the very first time.
The anniversary event welcomed familiar faces who have accompanied the competition over the past two decades, offering deep insights into the impact Startup with Kawai has created.
Ms. Vu Thi Hien – Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice Rector of Foreign Trade University – praised the competition’s enduring efforts and remarkable progress. She emphasized:
“Over the years, the Startup with Kawai Organizing Committee has done an excellent job. Therefore, going international this year is a natural step. The club has shown great courage in making such a breakthrough.”
Amid the dynamic wave of innovation in today’s era of global integration, Startup with Kawai 2025 will continue its mission to nurture Vietnam’s potential startups, while expanding and connecting the young startup community both locally and internationally. The aim is to build a new generation of globally minded entrepreneurs ready to contribute to sustainable global development.
With the guiding principle “Different Ideas, One Target,” the competition retains its three-round structure over five months, but introduces new, more practical approaches to increase real-world engagement—ultimately identifying the most promising startups ready to thrive in the current Green-Digital Era.
Structure of Startup with Kawai 2025
🔹 Round 1 (Feb 22 – Apr 5):
The Top 30 talented teams will go through over a month of incubation, constant learning, and experimentation before entering the first elimination round to select the Top 10.
This stage offers startups plenty of opportunities to interact with real customers, validate problems, and test products in the market—well-preparing them for the next round.
🔹 Round 2 (Apr 5 – May 25):
The Top 10 excellent teams will continue to scale up with a “fail-forward” mindset, supported by service partners through the KBS Supporting Package, and potential customers personally matched by TEC.
Goal: Optimize resources to develop their product and achieve rapid growth within a short timeframe.
🔹 Round 3 (May 25 – Jul 31):
The Top 5 finalist teams will have the chance to promote their products through TEC and partner media channels, participate in networking events and community activities, and continue developing their core products for one full month leading up to the Grand Finale Night.
Source: National Agency for Science and Technology Information and Statistics
