After nearly 5 years of laying solid foundations for its startup ecosystem, Da Nang is making greater efforts to realise the goal of turning itself into an innovative startup hub in the central region and highlands. Currently, the city is paying special attention to developing information technology and high tech-based startups.

In 2020, startup incubators in Da Nang will cooperate with more incubation centres, and startup experts, from both home and abroad.

Mr Vo Van Chi, Deputy Head of the Technological Application Development and Research Board at the municipal Authority of Hi-tech Park and Industrial Zones, remarked, over the 2025-2030 period, the city-based Hi-tech Park would focus on conducting hi-tech research, incubation, and training activities.

During that period, importance would be attached to building a miniature creative and innovative ecosystem right inside the Park.

Cooperative relations with startup incubators will be set up in order to provide active support for startups to develop and commercialise their products.

More effective measures will be taken to promote business incubation activities in the Park. Developers of startup projects at the Park’s Business Incubation Centre will enjoy many incentives in accordance with the national law.

In particular, they will enjoy a discount of 50% on rental fees for their rental facilities. In addition, they will receive incubation activities-related information free-of-charge. Also, they will be allowed to access loans from financial institutions and investment funds.

CEO of the Songhan Incubator (SHi) Ly Dinh Quan said Da Nang is now home to 4 incubation and entrepreneurship support centres.

Mr Quan underlined the necessity for the city to construct at least a centre specialising in providing incubation programmes for block chain or artificial intelligence-related startup projects. He also underlined the importance of establishing entrepreneurship support groups in such aspects.

He also highlighted the significance of offering entrepreneurship education programmes at universities in order to develop startup human resources, and issue breakthrough policies to attract even more investors, experts and partners to promote the city’s startup ecosystem.

Active support should be given to startup companies to help them expand their operation in the international market.

Mr Quan unveiled that, during this year, SHi will continue to incubate startup projects involving such aspects as tourism, services and culinary in order to realise its goal of becoming the leading incubator in Viet Nam by 2020, and in Asia by 2025.

“Also this year, SHi will also host an international startup event to increase its brand name”, he added.

According to Mr Pham Duc Nam Trung, the CEO of the Da Nang Entrepreneurship Support Company Ldt (DNES), the city should give top priority to promoting the startup development in such key aspects as tourism, agro-forestry-fishery, industries, and logistics.

Mr Trung noted, in 2020, DNES would continue implementing the Founder Incubation (FINC) programme for technology startups with a focus on the B2B (business to business) market. B2B simply means that the enterprise will focus on selling products or services to other businesses rather than to consumers.

By PHONG LAN - Translated by MAI DUNG