HCM City launches innovation, startup contest

A corner of HCM City (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City’sinnovation and startup competition I-Star 2022 was officially opened for submissions onMarch 16, lasting through August 31.

According to the municipal Department of Science andTechnology, the annual contest aims at building a sustainable startup and innovationecosystem for breakthroughs to be made serving the southern economic hub’sdevelopment.  

From its four editions so far, the competition received morethan 1,000 entries for its categories of outstanding innovative enterprises; outstandinginnovative solutions; outstanding communications works; and contributors of thestartup and innovation ecosystem.

Winners of I-Star 2021 (Source: VNA)

According to Nguyen Viet Dung, director of the department andhead of the contest organising board for 2022, despite COVID-19 impacts, the localecosystem has still been grown strongly. The amount of venture capitalattracted by local startups has so far exceeded 1.1 billion USD, with the city goingup 46 places to be listed in the group of the top 200 global startup cities lastyear.

Dung said the organiser expected this year's edition toreceive submissions that help tackle a series of matters, particularly regardingdigital infrastructure building, administrative reform and urban management, andsmart healthcare and education.

The entries will be evaluated based on the community's votesin the preliminary round, then by both the vote and judging results of the juryin the final round./.

VNA