Vietnam aims to have an additional 500 startups commercialize research results.
The Ministry of Science and Technology has approved the national program on innovative startups for the 2026–2035 period, fostering the formation and development of startups.
The national program on innovative startups for the 2026–2035 period, approved on September 15, comprises a set of targeted tasks and activities designed to remove bottlenecks and connect the various components of the startup ecosystem. The Ministry’s guiding principle is that support measures must align with practical needs and be market-oriented, with business growth and socio-economic impact serving as the key benchmarks for success.
The program’s specific objectives fall into three categories: enhancing capacity, pooling support resources, and fostering a startup culture; establishing a cohort of enterprises based on the commercialization of technology, research findings, and intellectual property rights; and connecting startups with investment capital.
Notably, the program aims to establish at least 250 innovative startups by 2030—driven by technology testing and refinement, product development, and the commercialization of research results and intellectual property—with the target rising to 500 enterprises by 2035.
Technology products at the VIIE 2025 Innovation Exhibition, October 2025. Photo: Luu Quy
The program's targets align with the startup lifecycle, spanning idea generation, technology development, and product refinement to market validation and scaling.
The program aims to replicate at least 100 successful startup ideas, initiatives, and models—as well as lessons learned from failures and effective innovation practices—by 2030. By 2035, the number of ideas, initiatives, and models promoted and replicated is set to rise to at least 200, reaching an audience of 1.2 million annually.
Regarding enterprise development, the program targets supporting at least 150 startups in refining processes and developing prototypes for production by 2030, with 30 startups receiving support for the controlled testing of innovative products and projects. These figures are projected to increase to 300 and 30 enterprises, respectively, by 2035.
During the incubation and growth stages, the program aims to support 200 enterprises by 2030 and 400 by 2035. At least 30% of these enterprises must operate in high-tech or strategic technology sectors. Furthermore, at least 30% must achieve growth in revenue or customer base, secure investment capital, or expand into international markets.
Regarding support resources, the program aims to develop at least 500 experts in startup support, venture capital fund management, and incubation programs by 2030. The number of these experts must rise to at least 1,000 by 2035.
According to the 2026 Startup Ecosystem Index Report, Vietnam ranks 50th globally in the startup sector—its highest ranking to date. The domestic ecosystem currently comprises approximately 4,000 startups, 208 investment funds, 84 incubators, and over 20 startup support centers at both national and local levels.
Follow VNExpress