PM Pham Minh Chinh (C) presents awards to winners of the national startup talent contest. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham MinhChinh has said startup and innovation must be considered as a crucial political taskthat contributes to promoting robust economic growth, enhancingcompetitiveness edge and efficiency of production and business, increasing labour productivity, and openingup a new development space.
PM Chinh was speaking at the "TECHFEST - WHISE 2023" imprint programme in HoChi Minh City on November 25, which was held as part of the National Innovation and Startup Festival(TECHFEST) and the Week of Ho Chi Minh City Innovation, Startup andEntrepreneurship (WHISE) 2023 from November 20-25.
The TECHFEST - WHISE 2023 took thetheme “Unleashing the potential of national resources –Empowering Vietnam’s innovative startup ecosystem for global integration”, bringingabout chances to connect financial resources and partners, develop domestic andforeign markets, and share knowledge with startup founders to help companiesoptimise resources and grow.
In his speech, the PM affirmed that the government is readyto listen to and adjust policies to create the most favourable conditions, rollout pilot models and specific initiatives to promote innovation in general andentrepreneurship in particular. The overarching perspective is to place thepeople and businesses at the centre, who are also the core, subject, goal,driving force, and resource for entrepreneurship and innovation.
According to the government leader, entrepreneurship andinnovation should be systematically carried out, focusing on four priorities inthe immediate future, including information technology, cybersecurity, digitalservices; healthcare technology and education; environmental technology andenergy; and hi-tech agriculture.
He said the effortshould be closely linked to addressing the bottlenecks, difficulties, andchallenges of the country, localities, agencies and units, especially thoserelated to climate change response, green economy, digital economy, circulareconomy, knowledge-based economy, contributing to accomplishing tasks set forthby the 13th National Party Congress.
On the occasion, heurged scientists, organisations, businesses, and investors at home and abroadto contribute more actively to Vietnam's entrepreneurship and innovationendeavors.
PM Pham Minh Chinh visits a stall at the exhibition. (Photo: VNA) This year, Vietnamranked 46th out of 132 economies featured in the Global InnovationIndex, standing fourth in ASEAN and among the top growing economies in development.Ho Chi Minh City was placed in the range of 81-90 among the top 100 emergingstartup markets worldwide. At present, Vietnam has over 3,000 startups, alongwith more than 140 universities and research institutes actively engaged in startupand innovation activities, supported by incubators, centres and clubs.
At the event, PM Chinh,along with leaders from ministries, agencies and Ho Chi Minh City, visited anexhibition showcasing innovative startup products and presented awards for thenational startup talent contest./.
