The strategy comes at a time of profound global shifts in investment flows and geopolitical dynamics, requiring Vietnam to recalibrate its startup policies to gain competitive momentum.
Making innovation-driven startups a key growth engine
Vietnam’s startup ecosystem has made notable contributions to socio-economic development. A diverse support infrastructure has emerged, including venture capital funds, incubators, and startup support centers from local to national level. In 2025, Vietnam ranked 55th globally in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index. Ho Chi Minh City entered the top five ecosystems in Southeast Asia for the first time, ranking 110th worldwide, while Hanoi rose to 148th and Da Nang made a remarkable leap of 130 places to 766th.
Lessons from leading technology nations teach that sustainable development is built on science, technology, innovation, and a widespread entrepreneurial spirit. Vietnam has identified innovative entrepreneurship as a long-term national strategy to unlock potential, mobilize resources, and achieve greater technology self-reliance in the digital era.
Vietnam currently has more than 4,000 startups, including two unicorns and dozens of near-unicorns, making it an attractive destination for regional tech investment. The strategy aims to nurture more unicorns, which are startups valued at over 1 billion USD. They are symbols of business success and also indicators of the overall quality of economic development.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh said: "Vietnam must rely on science and technology to drive innovation and transform its economy. The key factor and actor in this process are Vietnamese enterprises who will create momentum for applying science and technology in socio-economic development."
By 2030, Vietnam aims to become one of the leading countries in the region for innovative startups. The strategy sets targets for 2045: to have 1 in 10 citizens engaged in entrepreneurial activity, 1 enterprise for every 35 people, and 1 innovative startup for every 5,000 people. By then, Vietnam is expected to rank among the world’s top 30 in innovation, with over 100 startups valued at 100 million USD or more, and a venture capital market reaching 10 billion USD. These figures are a vision for restructuring the economy, where entrepreneurship and innovation become integral to society.
Coordinated solutions
With the vision of a startup nation where every citizen can innovate based on science, technology, and digital transformation, the strategy promotes a culture of creativity, encouraging bold thinking, action, and risk-taking. The Government will implement coordinated solutions to remove bottlenecks, including fully digitizing administrative procedures.
Vietnam also plans to pilot special mechanisms such as the “one-person enterprise” model, streamlined bankruptcy procedures to facilitate business restarts, and regulatory sandboxes for emerging technologies.
In terms of human resources, entrepreneurship education will be integrated throughout the national education system, from primary to higher education. At the same time, shared infrastructure networks, innovation centers, and community startup spaces will be developed nationwide.
The venture capital market will be significantly expanded through the establishment of funds at national and local levels, as well as funds backed by corporations and universities. Financial support mechanisms and credit guarantees based on intellectual property will also be strengthened.
Finally, Vietnam will deepen international integration and attract global experts to help domestic startups participate in global value chains.
By positioning innovative entrepreneurship as a long-term national strategy, Vietnam aims to unlock its full potential, mobilize resources, enhance strategic autonomy towards autonomy of strategic technologies, and achieve sustainable growth in the digital age.
