The event aims to introduce successful startupmodels and pool social resources both at home and abroad to promote startups,towards building an innovative startup community.
Speaking at the event, Permanent Vice Chairmanof the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem said the city has set asustainable economic development model driven by intellectual economy and greengrowth.
In an effort to turn the city into a smart urbanarea for 2017-2020 and build an innovation eco-system in the east coveringDistricts 2, 9, and Thu Duc, a number of programmes and action plans have beenissued with specific measures, including a startup promotion plan, a cooperationplan with the Israel Innovation Authority, and a project to support small- andmedium-sized enterprises.
Over the past few years, the city has heldforums connecting domestic and foreign startups; seminars on smart citydevelopment, e-government, and big data; and working sessions with local businessassociations to try remove barriers in their way.
It also actively joined the Vietnam-Finland Innovation PartnershipProgramme and the Vietnam Silicon Valley programme, inviting experts from theUS, Japan and Israel to the effort.
Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs MikaLintila hailed Vietnam as one of the most important trade partners of Finlandin Southeast Asia.
He said he is accompanied by a delegation ofFinnish businesses to promote bilateral trade and investment, as well as seeknew partners and boost ties with the Vietnamese Government, organisations andenterprises.
Lintila said Finland focuses on bio-economy,clean technology and digitalisation, adding that the country was also named amongthe most innovative in Europe on World Economic Forum rankings, and as suchVietnam will certainly take home some benefits from joint projects.
During the two-day WHISE, seminars oninnovation, education, data, and financial technology were also held by theFinnish embassy, as well as the I-Star 2018 awards for creativity and business startups,a photo exhibition on creative children, and a display of technologicalproducts by startup firms.–VNA