In recent years, the Da Nang creative innovation and startup community has organised many inspirational events connecting startups, investors, advisors, and members in the ecosystem. This is an opportunity to meet potential partners and investors and create an environment to learn from each other, thereby connecting resources and supporting startups in their entrepreneurial journey.

Mr. Aaron Everbart (right) shared with guests participating in the Friday Socials in Da Nang. Photo: V.H

Many events to exchange and connect

Speaking at the Friday Socials event hosted by Draper Startup House Vietnam (DSH) last weekend in Da Nang, Mr. Aaron Everbart, a DSH representative, said that since 2012, DSH has organised many events to connect and support the startup and innovation community in Viet Nam.

Particularly in Da Nang, DSH has been operating since 2019, and it has been tasked with supporting startups to approach potential partners and cultivate startup knowledge through seminars, thereby promoting the spirit of creativity, and creating opportunities for members of the startup ecosystem in the city to meet and connect with each other.

Some of DSH's activities include a workshop on goal setting skills for businesses, a Web 3.0 event for the tech world, the NFT application in the technology era, and a series of events "Friday Socials" held with a frequency of 2 times/month.

It is known that in 2023, DSH has organised the event "Friday Socials" 8 times. Through such activities, a number of startups have found important partners in the start-up journey, formed business development strategy and positioned their products.

“We hope these events will create an environment for startups to connect with each other, thereby making effective contributions to the local economy and society. DSH sets a vision to support the formation of one million innovative entrepreneurs around the world by 2030” Mr. Aaron Everbart noted.

Also participating in DSH's networking event, startup expert Sean Watts, a professor from the West Carolina University, the USA, acknowledged that Da Nang is a favourable environment for the startup community. Many startups are set up by young people with open minds and willingness to absorb new knowledge and effectively operate businesses.

Professor Sean Watts said that, compared with developed countries and some other start-up cities in the world, the meeting and exchange events between elements in the startup ecosystem in Da Nang have yet to connect with investment funds and large investors, but this is a positive signal for a potential startup city like Da Nang.

A representative from the Dat Bike company shared at the Friday Socials event hosted by Draper Startup House Viet Nam on the evening of April 21. Photo: V.H

Unleash growth potential

Talking about the startup ecosystem in Da Nang, Mr. Hub Langstaff, Director of the Swiss EP Startup Programme in Viet Nam, said that Da Nang has many advantages in terms of geographical location and living conditions, strong growth potential and preferential policies for startups to develop in the early stages.

However, after incubation, startups tend to move into other startup centres due to limited support resources.

“Facing this situation, we have built a support programme with the connection of a team of experienced international experts to Da Nang and introduced to the incubators. These incubators will continue to support and develop the surrounding ecosystem” Hub Langstaff said.

Meanwhile, according to Professor Seam Watt, startups need to be more proactive in communicating, connecting and finding investors, and at the same time, increasing their presence on popular media and social networks such as twitter and facebook.

Startups that can connect many elements in the startup ecosystem will have a better chance to access investment resources and have a higher chance of success.

Mr. Aaron Everbart stressed the need for startups in Da Nang to proactively show off their problems to other elements in the startup ecosystem apart from the advice of the mentor team. This is also a famous model in Silicon Valley, the USA.

Accordingly, businesses can pose challenges, find human resources and connect with training institutions to discover initiatives and solutions to solve difficulties in the start-up process, hereby helping the startup community develop sustainably.

Mr. Nguyen Van Chuong, Director of the Da Nang Entrepreneurship Support (DNES), noted that the interaction and exchange between the parties provided an opportunity for startups to find solutions to support, remove difficulties and challenges in the development process, learn from experience, and spread the entrepreneurial spirit.

Mr. Chuong also informed that, at present, many universities based in the city have established innovation centres with the participation and support of successful incubators, mentors, startups, etc.

DNES plans to organise training courses, and carry our support activities in the coming time so that startups and investors can connect with each other.

Reporting by VAN HOANG - Translating by M.DUNG