Ted Osius, the US ambassador to Viet Nam speaks at the event. — Photo vtv

HA NOI (VNS) — More than 20 Vietnamese start-ups have an opportunity to seek the support of high-tech United States (US) enterprises and venture capital firms after the Innovation Roadshow 2016 yesterday.

The event was organised by the US Embassy in Haø Noäi and the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST).

Vieät Nam was willing to learn from pioneering countries for the purpose of connecting different sources to support innovation and entrepreneurship incubation and widening the network to keep pace with the latest technological trend in the world, Traàn Vaên Tuøng, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology spoke at the conference.

As the US is home to thousands of the world’s leading high-tech corporations, through such events as the Innovation Roadshow 2016, Vieät Nam is expected to promote networking between the US and Vietnamese companies, the deputy minister said.

“With more intense co-operation between the US and Vieät Nam, we do hope that Vieät Nam’s start-up ecosystem will be more effective, focussed and efficient to bring about valuable opportunities for the start-up community in the country,” Tuøng said.

MoST is developing the legal framework for venture investment and start-up accelerators together with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as well as implementing the national project for supporting the start-up ecosystem for new innovative enterprises till the year 2025, according to the deputy minister.

“This is a big opportunity for us to listen, experience and connect with big technology companies from the US,” Traàn Minh Son, co-founder of Lozi, a Vietnamese mobile application for sharing food and drinks, said to Viet Nam News.

Ted Osius, the US ambassador to Vieät Nam, said at the conference that the history of the US economic growth was founded on incredible innovation and creativity and as President Barack Obama said, it was essential for the future of the US to maintain its role as the world’s engine of innovation.

However, innovation was not just essential to the future of the US, it was also vital to Vieät Nam’s future, he emphasised.

“We are here today to foster and promote the incredible growth in the start-up community in Vieät Nam,” he added.

David Thorne, the senior advisor to the US Secretary of State, spoke at the event that this Roadshow was important for energising entrepreneurship as they were building up the Global Entrepreneurship Summit to be held in Silicon Valley this summer.

The summit will showcase inspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors from around the world.

 “We are looking forward to having strong representation from ASEAN, especially Vieät Nam,” he said. – VNS