HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 20 December 2020 - On International Solidarity Day, VinFutureFoundation officially launches The VinFuture Prize, the first global scienceand technology prize from Viet Nam, and one of the world'slargest annual prizes in science andtechnology. VinFuture Foundation is founded by Mr. Phạm Nhật Vượng, the firstVietnamese billionaire - Founder and Chairman of the largest Vietnameseconglomerate Vingroup Corporation, together with his wife, Mrs. Phạm Thu Hương.

The vision of this endeavor is to "createmeaningful change in the everyday lives of millions of people by promotingbreakthrough scientific research and technological innovations". Withthat vision in mind, the VinFuture Foundation works to honour exceptional minds whose researchand technological innovations will improve the quality of life and ensuresustainable living for future generations by addressing the everyday issues ofpeople, aligned with one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). Keeping in mind its origins in a developing country, VinFuture Prizewill seek to ensure that fair and equal opportunities are accessible to allscientists and innovators, especially those who are making efforts underlimited resources.

The VinFuture Prize comprises of aGrand Prize and three special prizes. The Grand Prize of $3M will be one of thelargest annual global science and technology prizes in value. The Grand Prizewould be open to all, regardless of the candidate's nationality,age, gender, social status, or economic background. The prize will beawarded to proven breakthrough research and technological innovations thatpositively improve the quality of human life, and create a more equitable andsustainable world for future generations.

Inaddition to the Grand Prize, three special prizes of US$ 500,000 each will alsobe awarded annually, with a focus on promoting diversity, equity, and new fieldsof study. These prizes will be earmarked for the following groups:

• One VinFuture Special Prize for an exceptional researcher or innovator from a developing country institute
• One VinFuture Special Prize for an outstanding woman researcher or innovator.
• One VinFuture Special Prize for breakthrough research or innovations in an emerging field of science and technology that has significant future potential to create positive change for humanity.

Nominations will be solicited froma large, diverse pool of distinguished nominators, including globally renownedscientists and innovators, academic institutions, technology corporations, andprestigious innovation incubators in all countries.

An independent Prize Council,consisting of distinguished, globally renowned experts from academia, researchand industry, will adjudicate the Prize each year. Members of the Prize Councilcome from diverse sciences and professional disciplines, cultures, andviewpoints, including Prof. Gérard Albert Mourou (ÉcolePolytechnique, 2018 Nobel Prize winner); Prof. Sir Richard Henry Friend,FRS (Cavendish Professor of Physics at the University of Cambridge,2010 Millennium Technology Prize winner); Prof. Jennifer Tour Chayes (Universityof California Berkeley, Founders of three Microsoft Research Labs); Prof.Michael Eugene Porter (Harvard University, the founder of moderncompetitive strategy); Prof. Leslie Gabriel Valiant, FRS (HarvardUniversity, 2010 A.M.Turing Award winner); Prof. Pascale Cossart (PasteurInstitute of Paris, the foremost authority on Listeria monocytogenes); Prof. Sir Kostya S. Novoselov, FRS (University of Manchester, TanChin Tuan Centennial Professor at the National University of Singapore , 2010 Nobel Prize winner); Prof. Van-Chi Dang (LudwigInstitute for Cancer Research Director);Prof. Ha-Van Vu (Percey F. Smith Professor of Mathematics and Data Scienceat Yale University); Dr. Xuedong Huang (Microsoft CTO);  Dr.Padmanabhan Anandan (Wadhwani Institute for Artificial IntelligenceCEO).

The founders have personallycommitted an initial amount of US$ 100 million, which would be further enhanced inthe future to fund the VinFuture Prize's resources and administration process,ensuring sustainability of the Foundation's long-term operations. VinFutureFoundation, an independent, non-profit foundation, will manage the VinFuturePrize. The Advisory Council, which comprises of internationally recognised Vietnamese innovators,researchers, and industry leaders, co-chaired by Prof. Vũ Hà Văn, YaleUniversity, and Prof. Nguyễn Thục Quyên, University ofCalifornia Santa Barbara, will support the Founder in providing strategicadvice to the Foundation.

The Prize is the vision andbrainchild of Mr. and Mrs. Phạm. "Creating positive change and having adirect impact on people's lives -- this has always been my purpose -- in businessand life. The events of 2020 show that now more than ever, we need to bringtogether extraordinary individuals with good hearts and great minds, who canstrive towards realising the power of science andtechnology in overcoming our toughest global challenges, and improving people'slives," saidMr. Phạm Nhật Vượng, regarding his motivations behind conceptualising this prize.

Nominations for the first editionof the Prize will be open from January to June 2021. The names of the selectedVinFuture Prize Laureates will be announced on December 2021. The officialprize award ceremony will be hosted in Viet Nam in January 2022.