Partnership for Innovation

IPP2 has been facilitating innovation partnerships in order to get needed additional support to its portfolio projects and to enhance the development of the innovation and startup ecosystem through information sharing and enhancing joint activities of ecosystem players.

Some partnership activities that IPP2 initiates and facilitates:

  1. Inno Partners’ Network of innovation support entities in Vietnam including development partners (World Bank, SECO EP., UNICEF, UNIDO), international independent organizations (British Council, SNV, SPARK, JICA), Embassies (Embassy of Israel, Embassy of Netherland, Embassy of America, Embassy of Canada), Vietnam’s government agencies (NATEC/MOST, NATIF/MOST, Department of Science and Technology in HCMC and in Da Nang, Ministry of Investment and Planning) and SMEs support programs (FPT Ventures, VIIP, FIRST, BIPP, MBI/ADB), incubators/accelerators/coworking spaces (TOPICA, LOTUS, HATCH, Vietnam Silicon Valley, SIHUB, DNES) and so on. The first joint acceleration program co-created by the three core members of Innovation Partners Network (IPP2, MBI/ADB and SECO EP.) and implemented by iAngel Network (one sub-project of IPP2) has been very successful. It is considered the biggest accelerator in Vietnam with 300 applications, nearly 60 startups accelerated, 25 startups graduating and the involvement of the most popular investors, mentors, innovation consultants and startup service providers in Vietnam.
  2. Vietnam’s Delegations to big startup events such as Slush Finland 2015-2016, Slush Singapore 2016. Meaningful connections and strategic trade partnerships with Finnish and international partners were established in Slush.
  3. Call for Joint Business Creation by Tekes and NATIF as main financiers (IPP2 acts as facilitator). This is among the first initiatives of trade connection between Vietnam and Finland.
  4. Vietnam’s Digital Innovation Startup Ecosystem (ePlatform). The platform is supposed to be the backbone of a digitally connected and visualized Vietnamese startup ecosystem and its functions are expected to stimulate innovation further. The solution is built as cloud infrastructure to collect, maintain, distribute, showcase and use Vietnamese startup ecosystem information in real-time to benefit all parties involved.
  5. Collaboration with 11 universities and colleges across Vietnam in innovation and entrepreneurship training.

ASEAN Innovation Network

This is an initiative by IPP2 to better facilitate innovation system and collaboration among the ASEAN countries. The first workshop of the ASEAN Innovation and Entrepreneurship Developers Network titled “The role of universities in innovation ecosystems development” took place in Hochiminh city on 9, 10 December  2015 with 60 participants from 07 countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. The event has brought about a panorama of the current regional ecosystem development status, practice and a variety of practical experiences and learnings in fostering and strengthening innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems. The next steps are to develop and implement a cooperation program for innovation and entrepreneurship support of the ASEAN region.