Developing hi-tech industry and building Da Nang into a national start-up and innovation center is one of the tasks mentioned in the Resolution No. 43 dated January 24, 2019 adopted by the Politburo on building and developing Da Nang by 2030, with a vision to 2045. Over the past five years, the city has achieved certain results, gradually realising its goal of becoming an international level and highly competitive creative - scientific - technological urban area.

Production activities at the Trung Nam Electronics Manufacturing Services Joint Stock Company (Trungnam EMS)

Promoting the development of hi-tech industry

According to the Authority of Da Nang High-Tech Parks and Industrial Parks, groups of tasks and solutions for developing hi-tech industry include mechanisms and policies to promote and attract investment; the construction of Hi-Tech Parks and industrial parks; completing the organisational model and apparatus of the Authority; expanding domestic and international cooperation in the fields of research, application and development of hi-tech, training and incubation; connecting human resources; perfecting mechanisms and policies to attract investment; and effectively deploying the project on the master plan for the development of the Da Nang Hi-tech Park by 2030.

In addition, the Authority has coordinated with relevant units to complete the database and integrate modern technology in products and introductory images.

As a result, in the first 9 months of 2023, the Authority granted investment licences to 15 new projects; of which three are foreign direct investment (FDI) projects worth US$1.43 million in total, and 12 are domestic projects totalling VND1,216.7 billion.

Accumulated to date, the High-Tech Park, the Dedicated Information Technology Park and other industrial parks in the city have attracted 523 projects, of which 400 are domestic projects with investment capital of VND32,014 billion and 123 are FDI projects with investment capital of more than US$1.9 billion.

Mr. Tran Van Ty, Deputy Head of the Authority of the Da Nang High-Tech Parks and Industrial Parks, said that the Authority has issued incubation regulations and completed the project of leasing and arranging incubation space for projects at the High-Tech Park. The purpose is to support the promotion of incubation activities as well as facilitate State management of incubation.

The General Service Centre of the Hi-Tech Park has opened the high-tech business incubation center, thereby connecting with funds and investors, developing products, and deploying experimental models for projects participating in the high-tech business incubation programme.

To date, the General Service Centre has incubated seven high-tech business incubation projects and considered graduation for 5 ones, namely CARIS - Traffic Virtual Assistant app; Tao Viet AlgaeVi; Fairyland Microbiology; Shipway - Smart transportation; and Processing and recycling of waste solar batteries.

Currently, the Authority is enhancing information exchange and connection with the Management Boards of the Hoa Lac and Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Parks to share experience in incubating startup projects, and operating and managing incubation support infrastructure.

Innovative startup ecosystem developed synchronously

The authorities in Da Nang have issued 21 documents, mechanisms, policies, and plans related to the development of an innovative startup ecosystem in the city.

Among them are the Programme No. 36 dated January 13, 2020 of the Standing Board of the municipal Party Committee on promoting high-tech development, and building Da Nang into a national innovation and start-up center, and an international level and highly competitive creative - scientific - technological urban area; Decision No. 3836 dated October 13, 2020 of the City People's Committee approving the project on building Da Nang into a national innovation startup center in Central Viet Nam and Central Highlands; and Decision No. 1760 dated May 21, 2021 on the establishment of the Da Nang Innovation and Startup Support Center.

It can be said that the city is especially interested in developing an innovative startup ecosystem.

Therefore, the National Innovative Startup Support Centre has been established in Da Nang, and two startup centers are under the management of universities. Also, there are 9 incubation centres; 4 creative spaces; 9 co-working spaces; 4 startup investment funds, startup clubs at universities and colleges, and the innovative startup business community.

Besides, the city has organised a number of events, competitions and forums in a bid to promote the connection of domestic and international innovation startups. Included are the Da Nang Startup and Innovation Festival (SURF), the National Innovative Entrepreneurship Day (Techfest),  national Startup competition, Women's startup competition, the GDG Devfest MienTrung Hackathon, and  the Da Nang Scientific Research Contest for Students.

To develop physical and technical facilities to serve innovative start-up activities in the coming time, the Da Nang People's Committee has just issued a decision approving the project 'Management and operation of Software Park No. 2 (Phase 1)’, including the 21,892m² Innovation Space.

Moreover, the municipal People's Committee issued Decision No. 2202 dated August 19, 2022 on arranging a working headquarters for the Center for Innovative Startup Support under the Department of Science and Technology at 58 Nguyen Chi Thanh in Hai Chau District.

Additionally, the municipal Department of Science and Technology continues to organise training courses on intellectual property, and technology transfer and support for businesses to innovate technology and quality measurement standards for businesses, organisations and individuals in the city, thereby promoting and synchronously developing elements in the city's innovative startup ecosystem.

Reporting by MAI QUE - Translating by M.DUNG