(31 July 2025)

On 24 July 2025, the Vietnam Preliminary Round of the 8th Nanning International Elite Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition was successfully held in a hybrid format at the ULIS – Jonathan KS Choi Cultural Centre in Hanoi. The event marked an important milestone in promoting collaboration in innovation between Vietnam and China, particularly Guangxi Province, as well as opened new opportunities for young entrepreneurs to thrive in a vibrant startup ecosystem. The competition is co-hosted by the Nanning Science and Technology Bureau and the Nanning Bureau of Industry and Informatization; implemented by TusStar Science and Technology Business Incubator; and jointly organized in Vietnam by Sunwah Innovations and the Innovation Startup Incubator of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VISI).

Preliminary Round (Vietnam Station) of the 8th International Talents Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition 2025 (Nanning, China) held in Hanoi on 24 July 2025.

The Vietnam Station preliminary round welcomed more than 70 delegates and guests from China and Vietnam, including government officials, startup supporting organizations, universities, businesses, and innovation experts.

Vietnamese representatives included Mr. Do Tien Thinh, Deputy Director of the National Innovation Center (NIC), Ministry of Planning and Investment; Mr. Nguyen Viet Duc, Head of Energy Management Division, Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade; Mr. Tran Phi Long, Director of the Innovation Startup Incubator, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Mr. An Ngoc Thao, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA); Ms. Pham Thu Trang, Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Officer, UNDP Vietnam; Ms. Le Thu Lua, Secretary General of the Hanoi Chapter, Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance and Chief Representative of Sunwah Group (Hong Kong) in Hanoi.

From China, the event was honored with the attendance of Ms. Deng Zhuangli, Deputy Director of Nanning Science and Technology Bureau; Mr. Fan Ruze, Deputy Director of Nanning Bureau of Industry and Informatization; Mr. Zhang Jinsheng, Chairman of TusHoldings and General Director of TusStar (Beijing); alongside several experts and scholars from both countries.

Representatives of the Organizing Committee: Ms. Deng Zhuangli, Mr. Fan Ruze, Mr. Do Tien Thinh, Mr. Zhang Jinsheng, and Ms. Le Thu Lua — took a group photo with the guest delegates at the event.

During the Opening Ceremony, speakers from both sides emphasized the importance of establishing a strategic innovation hub connecting East and Southeast Asia, contributing to global knowledge exchange and sustainable development. Ms. Deng Zhuangli highlighted Vietnam’s key role as part of the overseas preliminary rounds. She expressed hope that the competition would become a launchpad for deeper international collaboration in entrepreneurship and innovation. She also noted that Nanning has been actively fostering technological innovation, refining its supportive policies, and building an open, inclusive, and cooperative ecosystem.

Ms. Deng Zhuangli, Deputy Director of the Nanning Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, delivered a speech on behalf of the organizing unit at the event.

Speaking on behalf of the co-organizers in Vietnam, Ms. Le Thu Lua emphasized the vital role of youth-driven innovation in advancing cooperation between Vietnam and China. She highlighted key areas such as AI, biotechnology, new energy, smart healthcare, and the digital economy. Ms. Lua also underscored that Sunwah Innovations, Sunwah Group’s strategic innovation platform in Southeast Asia, has been actively supporting Vietnam’s innovation ecosystem. This support comes through partnerships with universities and organizations, hosting competitions, and launching various startup support programs.

Ms. Le Thu Lua, Secretary General of the Hanoi Chapter, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance and Chief Representative of Sunwah Group (Hong Kong) in Hanoi, delivered speech at the event.

The event also witnessed the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding between TusStar (Beijing), the Innovation Startup Incubator of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VISI), and Sunwah Innovations.

Representatives of TusStar Science and Technology Business Incubator, the Startup and Innovation Incubator of Vietnam National University, Hanoi and Sunwah Innovations signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the event.

This was followed by the launch of the TUSSTAR – VISI – SUNWAH INNO Innovation Center, a direct result of a strategic partnership aimed at boosting scientific research, technology transfer, startup development, and international networking.

The launch ceremony of the TUSSTAR – VISI – SUNWAH INNO Innovation Center took place under the witness of Ms. Deng Zhuangli, Deputy Director of the Nanning Municipal Science and Technology Bureau.

After the signing ceremony, 10 excellent teams from ASEAN participate in the preliminary pitching round, showcasing highly applicable and practical innovative projects. This year’s judging panel consisted of experts and investors from both countries, including Mr. Tran Phi Long, Director of VISI; Mr. Nguyen Hieu Linh, Investment Director and Vietnam Representative of eWTP Capital; Mr. Nguyen Tri Hien, CEO of Thien Ha Xanh Edtech; Mr. Lan Baodong, Director of the Industrial Center, Digital Engineering Company No. 4; Mr. Shi Rongquan, Head of Corporate Clients, China Telecom. The Vietnam station of the 2025 Nanning International Elite Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition served as an essential platform to discover and nurture young talents, particularly those with aspirations in technology and innovation. The event not only offered a professional environment for startups to improve their projects, but also provided access to professionals and investors, increasing the likelihood of further development, commercialization, and global scaling.

The judging panel took a group photo with the Organizing Committee before the pitching session of the competing teams.

This year, the competition attracted a wide range of innovative topics in cutting-edge fields. These included artificial intelligence (AI), new energy vehicles and components, new materials, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and healthcare, and the emerging Low Altitude Economy (LAE), which is gaining significant attention in China.

Ten teams presented their projects through both in-person and online formats.

Amidst digital transformation and integration, the startup ecosystem in Vietnam and ASEAN is experiencing robust growth, with thousands of startups, venture capital funds, and support programs from both public and private sectors. Vietnam currently boasts approximately 3,800 active startups across technology, education, healthcare, digital agriculture, finance, and logistics.

Launched in 2018, the Nanning International Elite Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition is a strategic initiative designed to attract global talent and boost local innovation. Over its past seven editions, the competition has drawn over 3,000 contestants from 30 countries and regions, with more than 30 projects successfully commercialized in Nanning.

The recent Vietnam Preliminary Round further solidified Vietnam’s crucial role in regional innovation. It offered a vital platform for emerging startups to connect with the global innovation ecosystem, helping to position Nanning as a dynamic innovation hub in ASEAN and serving as a critical stepping stone for promising projects to expand internationally.