Da Nang’s innovative startup ecosystem, for the time being, is facing some challenges in terms of infrastructure, human resources and finance. In reality, although creative startups across Da Nang, over recent years, have yielded many fruitful achievements, it is still necessary for the city to develop strategic stages so as to accelerate the startup scene in more sustainable manner, and also importantly, to realise it’s target of turning itself into an innovative startup hub in Viet Nam, and catching up with others in Southeast Asia.

By late 2021, at least 30 innovative startups and enterprises will have received financial support from Da Nang government to bring their startup ideas to fruition. Picture was taken at Thanh Khe District-based Canext startup company in late December, 2020.

Da Nang Business Incubator (DNES) Chairman Vo Duy Khuong said the national and municipal governments have issued many new policies on developing innovative startups. Da Nang has set out goals and map out plans to build itself into a smart city, an innovative startup hub by 2030, with a vision to 2045. Besides, in the context of more extensive economic integration, Da Nang business community has been more active in terms of the application of new technologies and innovations.

However, Mr Khuong pointed out to the fact that there are a few major challenges that Da Nang now faces. The city’s resources and its supporting infrastructure for innovative startups are still limited as compared to Ha Noi, HCM City, and other major cities across Viet Nam, for instance.

Over the 2021 - 2025 period, DNES will stay strong on its feet to maintain its stature of serving as an highly effective incubator based on the public private partnership (PPP) model.

Not only does DNES act as a place for business incubation and training, it also actively and proactively participates in building up the startup ecosystem with tasks in creating co-working spaces, organising startup events, cooperating with international partners and forming startup investment funds.

With great support from Da Nang government and the high enthusiasm and efforts of the entire staff, over the past five years, DNES has initially built Da Nang’s brand as ‘Viet Nam’s innovation hub by the sea’.

According to Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Science and Technology Tran Van Hoang, one of the key tasks set for 2021 for sake of better startup scene is to propose Viet Nam's national government to allow the application of Decree No 94/2020/ND-CP regulating mechanisms and policies into the development of innovative startup centres in the city, and the piloting of the regulatory sandbox in a bid to build Da Nang into a national-level innovative startup hub in Central Viet Nam and Central Highlands.

Remarkably, Da Nang government has rolled out action plans in active response to the Vietnamese government-approved project for supporting Viet Nam's national innovative startup ecosystem by 2025.

Under the adopted plans, focus will placed on organising innovative startup events and training activities, as well as ensuring support services, material and technical foundations and communication activities for innovative startups, startup networking activities, and more support for businesses planning to make their innovations.

The coming time will see the launch of more science and startup competitions for youths, students and IT programmers from Da Nang and elsewhere in Viet Nam.

By late 2021, at least 30 innovative startups and enterprises will have received financial support from Da Nang government to bring their startup ideas to fruition.

With regard to material and technical facilities for the sake of the local innovative startup ecosystem, Da Nang will strive to seek approval from the national government competent agencies to develop the National Innovative Startup Support Centre in Da Nang. Also, the construction of co-working and patent spaces, labs, and technical infrastructure at the Da Nang Hi-tech Incubation Centre will be completed on schedule.

Another heed will be paid to building the 2^nd phase of the Da Nang Innovative Startup Portal, and deploying a virtual reality exhibition platform integrated and operated on the Portal.

As for startup networking orientations, more startup investment funds will make their debuts in Da Nang.

By PHONG LAN- Translated by A.T