Hanoi, August 21, 2026 – The international conference “Startups in an International Context,” held as part of the Vietnam Startup Community Day 2026 under the theme “Stories, Lessons and Future,” took place at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT). The event brought together nearly 1,000 delegates, marking the first time Vietnam Startup Community Day featured an international conference session with speakers from China, Singapore, and Canada, alongside 20 technology exhibition booths. The conference provided practical perspectives on building an innovation ecosystem, supporting startups in their development, and helping them gradually access international markets.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Quang Anh, Vice President of Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, delivers the opening remarks at the international conference “Startups in an International Context”
Vietnam’s Startup Ecosystem enters a new stage of development
The international conference “Startups in an International Context” took place at a time when Vietnam’s innovation-driven startup ecosystem is entering a new stage of development, marked by significant changes in its scale, quality, and level of international connectivity.
According to the 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index by StartupBlink, Vietnam climbed five places to rank 50th globally – its highest position since the ranking was first introduced. The value of Vietnam’s startup ecosystem increased by 67.9%, significantly exceeding the average growth rate of 17.5% among the world’s Top 100 ecosystems and representing the highest growth rate in Southeast Asia. Vietnam continues to rank 5th in Southeast Asia and 10th in Asia.
These results demonstrate that Vietnam’s startup ecosystem is undergoing important transformations. From an ecosystem primarily focused on encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit and supporting the formation of projects, Vietnam is gradually moving toward an ecosystem capable of connecting resources, developing businesses, promoting investment, commercializing technologies, and expanding into new markets.
This transformation is taking place alongside the ongoing development of institutions and new policies on science, technology, innovation, and innovative entrepreneurship. According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, policies introduced in recent years, together with the strengthening of support-organization networks from the central to local levels and enhanced international connectivity, are creating a stronger foundation for the ecosystem’s development in this new stage.
In particular, entrepreneurship in schools and universities is also facing an important transition. The “Program to Support Student Entrepreneurship for the 2026–2035 Period” sets out the goal of developing startup ecosystems within educational institutions in a coordinated manner, while strengthening connections among universities, businesses, investors, and support organizations.
Under this new approach, entrepreneurship activities in educational institutions should go beyond ideas and competitions. They need to create a continuous support journey—from idea generation and project development to incubation, experimentation, resource connection, and commercialization.
From International Connectivity to the capacity to reach global markets
As science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation increasingly become important drivers of national development, building a startup ecosystem capable of connecting and integrating internationally has become an urgent requirement.
The international conference “Startups in an International Context” was organized in this spirit, creating a space for dialogue between Vietnam’s startup ecosystem and international models. It provided opportunities to share experiences, explore potential partnerships, and gradually develop the capacity to bring Vietnamese startups to global markets.
The conference’s overarching message was a shift from “international connectivity” to “international capacity.” Rather than simply connecting startups with foreign partners, experts, or investors, the ecosystem needs to enable startups to genuinely access markets, build partnerships, mobilize resources, and expand their business operations internationally.
Inights– Three international perspectives on the journey to global markets
The series of presentations opened with Mr. Wang Fei, Deputy General Manager of TusStar, an incubation network under TusPark/TusHoldings within Tsinghua University’s innovation ecosystem in China. Drawing on his experience in developing international incubation networks, Mr. Wang Fei shared insights into the journey from university research to innovative enterprises capable of reaching global markets. According to the presentation, TusStar has incubated more than 8,000 enterprises and operates in more than 100 cities worldwide.
Mr. Wang Fei, Deputy General Manager of TusStar – an incubator network under TusPark/TusHoldings within the innovation ecosystem of Tsinghua University, China.
From Singapore, Mr. Marcuz Tan, CEO of Boustead APEX, Inc. and Founder of AI:Xcelerator, presented perspectives on strategies for building companies capable of creating value and working toward an “exit.”
His presentation emphasized that startups should define their ultimate objectives from an early stage, align their fundraising strategies with business growth, and consider pathways such as IPO or M&A.
Mr. Marcuz Tan, CEO of Boustead APEX, Inc., shares his insights.
Meanwhile, Ms. Zehra Khoja, an advisor to incubation and startup acceleration programs and formerly with the McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship, Canada, introduced “A Canadian Path for Global Founders”—a pathway for accessing the North American market through Canada’s innovation ecosystem. The presentation focused on how international startups can establish an initial foothold in Canada, develop partnerships, validate their markets, and gradually expand into North America.
According to the presentation, Canada’s ecosystem has strong capabilities in research and development, with prominent strengths in areas such as artificial intelligence, engineering, biomedical sciences, and sustainability. Centers such as the McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship, University of Toronto Entrepreneurship, and the innovation ecosystem in British Columbia provide important points of connection for startups seeking to access the North American market.
Ms. Zehra Khoja, Startup Incubation and Acceleration Programs Advisor and former advisor at the McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship, Canada, introduces “A Canadian Path for Global Founders.”
Three stories from three ecosystems revealed different approaches, but they shared one common conclusion: startups do not develop in isolation. Behind the growth of every successful enterprise is an ecosystem comprising universities, support organizations, businesses, investors, experts, and markets.
From Connectivity to Capacity: PTIT’s role in an open ecosystem
From Vietnam’s perspective, the conference highlighted the need to move from a relatively independent startup ecosystem toward an open ecosystem that proactively connects with the region and the world.
Leaders of the Ministry of Science and Technology emphasized that Vietnam needs to build an ecosystem in which domestic startups can proactively access global markets, capital, and expert networks. At the same time, Vietnam should become an attractive destination for international partners, investors, and innovation models.
In this process, universities play a particularly important role as they bring together young talent, research activities, and emerging technologies. For PTIT, its strength in technology education, together with its position within the ecosystem of the Ministry of Science and Technology, creates favorable conditions for the Institute to serve as a bridge connecting policy – research – technology – business – market.
PTIT is gradually developing its startup support ecosystem through incubation and acceleration programs, innovation spaces, intellectual property support, and expanded cooperation with international partners in South Korea, Singapore, China, Canada, and Australia. The Institute’s next direction is to strengthen technology transfer, commercialize research outcomes, and create more pathways for student startups to access international markets and global mentor networks.
Future – From a connected community to an ecosystem of shared growth
Vietnam Startup Community Day 2026 was not only a platform for sharing success stories from international ecosystems, but also an opportunity for Vietnam’s startup community to reflect on the requirements of the next stage of development.
From China came lessons on connecting university research with global markets; from Singapore came the mindset of building businesses focused on value creation and investment potential; and from Canada came a pathway for gradually establishing a foothold before entering a larger market. Three different stories, but all pointing in the same direction: startups that aspire to go further need an ecosystem capable of connecting resources and creating genuine international capacity.
The close coordination among PTIT, the National Startup Support Center (NSSC), the Innovation Support Center (ISC), the National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Development (NATEC), the Vietnam National University – Hanoi Technology and Innovation Park (VNU-TIP), the Vietnam National University – Hanoi Innovation Startup Incubator (VISI), and the TAO Startup community in organizing the event is a concrete illustration of the open ecosystem envisioned by the conference—a space where universities, government agencies, startup support organizations, and the business community share resources, experience, and networks.
For the startup ecosystem within educational institutions, this means building a long-term support journey for learners. For the national ecosystem, it means strengthening connections among policymakers, universities, businesses, investors, support organizations, and markets. At the international level, it means proactively learning from and cooperating with the world, while bringing relevant global resources into the development of Vietnam’s ecosystem.
Panel discussion: “From University to The Global Markets – The Role of University Incubators in International Expansion for Startups.”
With the spirit of “Stories, Lessons and Future,” the international conference “Startups in an International Context” contributed to creating a space where ecosystem stakeholders could share stories, draw lessons, and exchange perspectives on the future.
From a movement to an ecosystem; from ideas to enterprises; from connecting resources to creating value—this is the journey that Vietnam’s startup ecosystem is now embarking on.
It represents a shift from connecting simply to know one another, to connecting to collaborate; from collaborating to learn, to collaborating to create shared value; and from international connectivity to the capacity to reach global markets.
Vietnam Startup Community Day 2026 therefore was not merely a community networking event, but a forum for collectively exploring how international experience can be transformed into Vietnam’s own capabilities—with the spirit of Stories, Lessons and Future.
Contact Information:
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) – Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT)
Address: 96A Tran Phu Street, Ha Dong District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Email: iec@ptit.edu.vn
Website: https://iec.ptit.edu.vn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PTITIEC
