Hanoi (VNA) – Techfest Vietnam 2025 will take over Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem pedestrian street from December 12 to 14, showcasing cutting-edge technologies, innovative business models, and start-up support services directly to the public.
This year’s event, themed “Creative Startups for All People – New Growth Drivers”, marks a bold departure from the traditional conference format, evolving into a dynamic city-wide festival.
At a press briefing on December 3, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh highlighted the significance of Techfest 2025, coinciding with Vietnam’s review of the first year of implementing Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. He emphasised that innovation-driven entrepreneurship is increasingly seen as a core engine for Vietnam’s development in the modern era.
The Deputy Minister also noted that the government is in the process of drafting a national strategy for innovation and start-ups, built on technology, creativity, and digital transformation. The goal is to foster economic growth and instill a culture of innovation across the country.
He stressed the festival’s role in cultivating a start-up mindset that embraces risk and “tolerates failure,” underscoring the importance of giving entrepreneurs, particularly those in high-risk tech sectors, the opportunity to learn from setbacks and try again.
Pham Hong Quat, General Director of the National Agency for Startups and Technology Entrepreneurship, explained that Techfest’s 11th edition is being redesigned to be an open, highly interactive event aimed at expanding public access and spreading the spirit of innovation nationwide. International visitors will have the chance to experience both Hanoi’s cultural vibrancy and the creativity of Vietnamese innovators, while also exploring solutions that Vietnam is developing to address both domestic and regional challenges.
Unlike previous years, this year’s festival will unfold across Hoan Kiem pedestrian street and its surrounding areas, moving away from the typical indoor venue. Seminars and discussions will take place in cafés, restaurants, and social spaces, enabling greater interaction between residents, investors, researchers, businesses, and start-ups. The event will also offer a more immersive tech experience, featuring live demonstrations of groundbreaking technologies, with open participation for everyone - from households and students to young enterprises and early-stage innovators.
Over 60,000 attendees are expected both on-site and online, including representatives from corporations, start-ups, investment funds, incubators, universities, and research institutes, as well as delegates from six international regions: Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, North America, and Europe.
In addition to the Opening Ceremony and National Policy Forum, Techfest 2025 will feature more than 10 international workshops, specialist panels, technology showcases, and interactive demonstrations. There will also be over 20 events aimed at strengthening investment ties and promoting business collaborations between local and foreign partners.
The final round of the National Innovative Technopreneur Contest will spotlight outstanding Vietnamese start-ups, both domestic and international, that are using science, technology, and innovation to solve business and social challenges.
Tran Anh Tuan, Director of the Hanoi Department of Science and Technology, noted that this year’s event will feature around 700 exhibition booths. These will provide the public with an opportunity to explore new technologies while offering businesses and creative groups, especially those in digital and emerging tech sectors, a platform to showcase their products.
Themed zones will provide deeper insights for visitors, helping investors navigate the ecosystem and identify opportunities for collaboration, technology transfer, and commercialisation./.
