VCCI officially launched National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Council

The high-profile event drew senior officials, including Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang and Mr Nguyen Phi Long, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Party Committee of the Fatherland Front and Central Mass Organisations and Vice President of the Fatherland Front Central Committee. Also in attendance were senior representatives from ministries and agencies, leaders of top corporations, local business associations, and prominent startup founders from across the country.

Hoang Cong Doan, Chairman of the Management Board of the Song Thao Investment JSC, has been appointed Chairman of the newly formed Council. The initiative is set to inject fresh momentum into Vietnam’s startup ecosystem, unlocking practical support and strategic opportunities for early-stage ventures nationwide.

Addressing the gathering, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang praised the Council’s launch as a concrete milestone building on VCCI’s two decades of supporting entrepreneurship. He highlighted its vital role in uniting, connecting, and empowering startups to participate directly in policy advisory and advocacy during this critical new phase of national development.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that Vietnam is at a turning point, requiring a shift in its economic growth model to boost productivity and economic self-reliance. In this transformation, science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and the private sector play a pivotal role.

This strategy aligns with Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science and technology, as well as Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW on private sector development. By 2030, Vietnam aims to boast two million active enterprises, with the private sector targeting an average annual growth rate of 10–12% and contributing roughly 55–58% of national GDP. To realize these goals, the Government has refined its regulatory frameworks through Decrees 210, 264, and 268 to unblock venture capital flows and nurture innovation ecosystems.

To ensure the Council delivers tangible impact, Deputy Prime Minister Thang outlined five priority tasks for VCCI:

• A strong advocacy platform: Act as an effective mouthpiece for startups to pinpoint institutional bottlenecks and administrative hurdles.
• Enterprise-led networking: Forge dynamic innovation networks led by established businesses, encouraging major corporations to commission solutions and mentor startups.
• Capacity building: Assist startups in enhancing corporate governance, brand development, and product commercialisation.
• Strategic alignment: Channel startup activities toward high-impact frontier sectors, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, green technology, and the circular economy.
• Operational excellence: Maintain transparent, professional operations measured by concrete, verifiable outcomes for businesses.

According to the organisers, the Council will function as an action-oriented, business-centric body that measures success through real-world results. It aims to mobilize resources, strengthen links between businesses and regulatory bodies, research institutes, universities, investors, financial institutions, and global innovation networks.

Furthermore, the Council will drive the integration of science, technology, and innovation into daily business operations—facilitating the commercialisation of ideas, spawning new business models, and elevating the competitiveness of Vietnamese firms. It will also take an active role in policy feedback, tackling practical challenges on the ground to foster a more favorable entrepreneurial environment.

Ultimately, the Council's effectiveness will be reflected in tangible metrics: capital connected, businesses supported, initiatives deployed, and regulatory barriers successfully resolved.

Speaking on behalf of the business community, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ho Sy Hung, VCCI President, noted that Vietnam’s startup ecosystem has made remarkable strides, entering the top 50 global rankings for the first time in StartupBlink’s 2026 report. However, he candidly acknowledged existing shortcomings, such as weak synergy across ecosystem actors and a relatively small number of successful tech-driven business models. The Council is expected to bridge these gaps, serving as a hub for innovative ideas that empower startups to sharpen their management capabilities, leverage intellectual property, and integrate deeply into global value chains.

Pledging the Council’s commitment, its leadership team vowed to keep businesses at the core of its mission, driving targeted solutions to ease capital and market access constraints. Leveraging VCCI’s extensive network and authority, the Council aims to become a central nexus for resources, laying the groundwork for a robust generation of tech-driven Vietnamese enterprises capable of mastering advanced technologies and competing on the global stage.