Last Friday, the 3^rd International Startup Conference and Exhibition, or SURF 2018, took place at the Da Nang Administrative Centre, 24 Tran Phu. This was considered as the largest startup event in the central region and highlands.

Startup experts discussing how to build a startup community through creative space

Themed ‘Startup Capitals’, this year’s event attracted a total of more than 2,000 representatives who are leaders of municipal or provincipal People’s Committees nationwide, along with domestic and foreign startup partners, investors, and others.

Also, in attendance at the event were Irish Ambassador to Viet Nam Cáit Moran, Israeli Ambassador to Viet Nam Nadav Eshcar, representatives from the Consulates of Sweden, Switzerland, Canada and Finland in Viet Nam, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Van Tung, municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman cum Chairman of the Da Nang Coordination Council for Business Start-up Network (DSC) Ho Ky Minh.

In his remarks at the event, Mr Vo Duy Khuong, the Chairman of the Da Nang Entrepreneurship Support Company (DNES), underlined the important role of SURF 2018 in the development of a startup ecosystem in his city. After the first 5 years, members of the city’s startup ecosystem have together overcome difficulties and challenges.

Mr Khuong suggested that more orientations, and effective and comprehensive solutions, should be adopted in the coming time in order to perfect and increase the scale of the city’s creative innovation ecosystem.

“Da Nang is the first locality in Viet Nam to build DSC and DNES under public-private partnership (PPP) format. Focus is being on implementing a project to develop the city’s start-up ecosystem by 2020, with a vision towards 2030. These have proved strong commitments made by the local authorities in giving active support for startup activities in a bid to boost the development of a new generation of entrepreneurs and businesses in the city”, Vice Chairman Minh remarked.

A business representative introducing his products at SURF 2018

Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Van Tung asked the local authorities to continue boosting startup initiatives in their locality, especially those in such aspects as tourism, services, and cuisine.

He also suggested that the city should enhance the provision of services related to laws, accounting, consulting, working space and communication, organise events to share relevant knowledge and experience, and foster startup ecosystem links with other localities nationwide and such foreign countries as Israel, Finland, the USA and Singapore.

SURF 2018 featured over 30 presentations given by startup experts from both home and abroad. These presentations mainly focused on how to use, optimise and create links between five capital sources during the startup process, comprising financial capital, personnel capital, native capital, technological capital and social capital.

During his presentation about personnel capital, Israeli Ambassador to Viet Nam Nadav Eshcar highlighted the significance of human resource in the startup process.

“Fearlessness of failure, ability to ask questions, international-scale thinking and curiosity are the qualities needed to become a successful entrepreneur”, he added.

Also at SURF 2018, some startup experts gave participants advice on startup projects in deep tech which is the combination of different technologies in a startup product.

Ways to appeal for financial capital, and to attract and retain talents, the country’s startup market, and the application of artificial intelligence technologies into startup businesses, were also presented at this international event.

A total of more than 50 stands of startup projects were set up at the event to facilitate participants to advertise their products and seek their cooperation opportunities.

Within the framework of this year’s event, the final round of a startup pitch competition took place in the city. The final round saw the participation of the 7 most outstanding projects, namely Camera360, BGift, Ikkai Inc, TOB, EduSi, Xedike and Pho San. These projects had been chosen from over 20 entries from the qualifying rounds.

The winner will receive a total cash-prize of up to 200 million VND, as well as will be given a chance to participate in training courses in Isarel, and to appeal for investment capital from angel investors and venture capital funds.