Addressing a recent meeting held by the Da Nang Startup Network Coordinating Council in 2024, Vice Chairwoman of the Da Nang People's Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi acknowledged and highly appreciated the leading role of the Da Nang Department of Science and Technology in coordinating and implementing innovative startup activities, actively cooperating with council members in proposing and implementing startup support policies, creating favourable conditions for the development of the city's innovative startup ecosystem.

Vice Chairwoman of the Da Nang People's Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi delivers a speech at the regular meeting held by the Da Nang Startup Network Coordinating Council, August 15, 2024. Photo: VAN HOANG

The Da Nang Department of Science and Technology effectively completed and supplemented the plan for the second half of 2024, and the orientation of activities in 2025.

In particular, this agency will be in charge of ensuring the scale and quality of the Innovation and Startup Festival - SURF 2024, create opportunities for startup projects to access capital and strategic partners, learn from experiences of developing startup ecosystems and invite partners and experts to participate in the city’s innovation and startup activities.

Also, this agency will closely coordinate with international partners, especially South Korea, Singapore, Japan and Canada to improve the quality and effectiveness of cooperation programmes.

With a regard to the 2025 operational orientations, the Da Nang People’s Committee leaders has requested the municipal Department of Science and Technology to coordinate with the members of the Da Nang Startup Network Coordinating Council to pay attention, closely advise, accurately and specifically advise on policies to submit to the municipal People's Council for approval.

In particular, focus will be placed on building Da Nang into a leading innovation and startup centre in the region, with the goal of attracting more investment and participation from technology enterprises and international investment funds.

Also, it is a need to develop a variety of startup fields from technology, tourism, services to high-tech agriculture to create new values and enhance Da Nang’s competitiveness in the international market, build strategic partnerships with startup centres and international organisations, and attract resources and professional support for innovation and startup activities.

According to a report released by the municipal Department of Science and Technology, in the first half of 2024, the Department coordinated with many agencies and units of the Council to organise events to promote innovative startups in the city, expand international cooperation, attract investment flows and support startups.

Specifically, the city successfully organised the ‘The Da Nang Venture and Angel Summit 2024 (DAVAS 2024) programme, joined an innovative startup event in Shenzhen, China, coordinated with the Da Nang Union of Friendship Organisations, Catalyste+ organisation in Canada and related units to organise the ‘Women and innovative startups’ international conference

In the second half of 2024, the municipal Department of Science and Technology will  preside over the organisation of the Da Nang Innovative Startup Festival - SURF 2024 on August 29 and 30, boost connections with venture capitalists, startup experts, large-scale technology enterprises, innovative startup infrastructure investors and innovative enterprises in Australia by mid-September 2024, develop the startup ecosystem of Da Nang through cooperating with the Quest Ventures Investment Fund, along with partners from South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Canada and others.

Reporting by VAN HOANG - Translating by A.THU, T.TUNG