Since 2013, Vietnam has been an official member of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) serving as the national focal point. Vietnam became the 131st country to join this influential global network that spans across more than 170 countries. Since then, VCCI has played a central role in launching and coordinating various entrepreneurship initiatives, especially Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), held annually during the third week of November.
In 2016, VCCI notably nominated a Vietnamese policymaker for the Startup Nations Award for National Policy Leadership, highlighting Vietnam’s growing international presence in innovation. The same year, VCCI took the lead in connecting with global experts and speakers to enrich events like TECHFEST Vietnam and ECHELON Vietnam, marking the country’s increasing engagement in the regional startup landscape.
Connecting Vietnamese Startups to Global Opportunities
VCCI’s active participation in GEN paved the way for Vietnamese startups to gain international exposure. In 2019, for the first time, winning projects from the National Startup Competition were selected to represent Vietnam at the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC). Among them, INut Platform, an IoT ecosystem solution for innovative businesses, was chosen and made it into the top 100 out of 103,000 entries from 187 countries. The global finals were held from November 12–14, 2019, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Continuing the momentum, the 2020 national champion project from Nguyễn Tất Thành University, which applied Spirulina powder in shrimp feed and environmental treatment, was nominated to represent Vietnam at the EWC 2020.
Regional Leadership and ASEAN Entrepreneurship Initiatives
In 2020, as Vietnam assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship, VCCI played a pivotal role in coordinating business activities across the ASEAN and East Asia regions. One of the standout accomplishments was the establishment of the ASEAN Startup Network, alongside the launch of the Annual ASEAN Startup Forum and the ASEAN Digital Stars Awards—initiatives that recognized and celebrated digital innovation across the region.
These efforts reinforced VCCI’s leadership in promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital transformation across ASEAN. The organization is now working to connect Vietnam’s startup advisory ecosystem with regional and global networks, building a strong foundation for a collaborative and supportive startup environment.
Continuing Global Engagement in 2022
By 2022, Vietnam’s participation in the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) had entered its fourth consecutive year. VCCI once again nominated top projects from the annual National Startup Competition to compete on the global stage. That year, the project TUBUDD, a platform connecting travelers with local companions, won EWC Vietnam 2022 and advanced to the global Top 100.
In parallel, VCCI also contributed to Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2022, encouraging its departments and partners to organize local events aligned with the global initiative. These activities were published on the GEN Global platform, helping promote Vietnam’s entrepreneurial energy to an international audience.
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