HCM City launches innovation, startup contest

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

According to the municipal Department of Science and Technology, the annual contest aims at building a sustainable startup and innovation ecosystem for breakthroughs to be made serving the southern economic hub’s development.  

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

According to Nguyen Viet Dung, director of the department and head of the contest organising board for 2022, despite COVID-19 impacts, the local ecosystem has still been grown strongly. The amount of venture capital attracted by local startups has so far exceeded 1.1 billion USD, with the city going up 46 places to be listed in the group of the top 200 global startup cities last year.

Dung said the organiser expected this year's edition to receive submissions that help tackle a series of matters, particularly regarding digital infrastructure building, administrative reform and urban management, and smart healthcare and education.

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