The annual Da Nang Startup and Innovation Festival (SURF) aims to promote the connection of the startup ecosystem, as well as facilitate startup projects to introduce products and access to many financial resources and business opportunities. This contributes to boosting the development of an innovative startup ecosystem, making Da Nang an innovative startup center of the region, and spreading the message ‘Da Nang - City of innovation’ to community.

The Da Nang Startup and Innovation Festival - SURF 2023 plays an important role in linking the startup ecosystem, and supporting the connection of resources. IN PHOTO: A startup is introducing its products at SURF 2022. Photo: VAN HOANG

Connecting startup ecosystem

Mr. Nguyen Van Chuong, the Vice President of the Da Nang Entrepreneurship Support (DNES), remarked that SURF is a big event, attracting a lot of attention from the domestic and international startup communities, and creating a playground for innovative startup projects in the city to exchange, learn about, and share experience and ideas through startup competitions and networking events.

Also, SURF is also an opportunity to connect elements in the startup ecosystem, creating opportunities for projects to reach investors, experts, and potential business partners in order to mobilise capital, expand the market and develop further, thereby contributing to promoting the image of Da Nang as a dynamic, creative, open and friendly city to investors and friends at both home and abroad.

In 2023, the Duy Tan University is selected as the coordinating unit to organise the SURF event. This is the second time SURF has been held at universities.

According to Dr. Tran Nhat Tan, the Vice Principal of the Duy Tan University, universities play an important role in the innovative startup ecosystem, especially in training human resources, and forming and promoting startup ideas. The organization of SURF 2023 is an important and meaningful event for university officials, lecturers and students.

Mr. Aaron Everhart, the Director of the Draper Startup House in Viet Nam, as part of the startup ecosystem of Draper venture capital fund, acknowledged that SURF plays an important role in the city's innovative startup ecosystem and the formation of the National Innovation and Startup Center in Da Nang.

The most anticipated event will see the large participation of domestic and international units, businesses, and startups to introduce and promote many innovative and groundbreaking products in multiple fields.

It will provide the good opportunities for startup project developers to meet founders of early-stage science and technology startups, connect with other startup support ecosystems, and learn about and share relevant knowledge about important economic and industry trends.

Many expectations about SURF 2023

Through the event, Dr. Tran Nhat Tan expects the school's research team, lecturers and students to develop connections with the business community and find opportunities to cooperate with investment funds.

On the other hand, large investment funds will be interested in innovative startups in the area and many startups will choose Da Nang as a location to develop startup projects.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Van Chuong said that SURF needs target startup fields with development potential in Da Nang. This will help startup projects have the opportunity to access more appropriate resources and support.

He stressed the need for the SURF organisers to promote the strengths of previous events and innovate in accordance with the development trend of the community in a bid to select and ensure the quality of startup projects, and expand the scale and scope of the event to attract many startup projects from different fields both domestically and internationally to create greater spillover and impact.

Mr. Vo Duc Anh, the Deputy Director of the Da Nang Innovation and Startup Support Center, said that one of the goals of SURF 2023 is to create opportunities to connect and cooperate with international partners, especially in the field of resources. Through side activities in the event, experts and researchers will have the opportunity to share new ideas, methods and advanced technology that create breakthroughs, hereby enhancing competitiveness and developing the Da Nang ecosystem.

Reporting by VAN HOANG - Translating by M.DUNG