IPP is an initiator, facilitator and connector with the aim of strengthening the Vietnamese innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. It fosters new activities, connections and collaboration nationally, regionally and internationally. IPP is now working with key local and international partners to develop and scale up practical innovation and entrepreneurship training and to improve local support mechanisms and programs for Vietnamese new innovative companies.

Key activities by IPP since 2015:

 

1. Innovation Funding

IPP2’s project portfolio consists of 18 Vietnamese new innovative companies and 14 consortiums that are ecosystem developers. Support for these projects includes grants and soft supports as training, coaching and networking.

 

2. Capacity Building

 

2.1. Capacity Building for Policy-makers

Since 2015, the IPP has trained more than 100 senior Vietnamese policy-makers on the management of innovation, science, technology, education and finance for startups and innovation in Finland and Singapore. In addition, IPP invites international experts and consultants to Vietnam to work with agencies under the Ministry of Science and Technology, bringing international knowledge and experience to develop supporting policies as well as implementing activities to support innovation in Vietnam. IPP also invited world leading experts to give lectures on policies for science, technology and innovation to provide new knowledge and thinking to the management of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Provincial Departments of Science and Technology, relevant ministries and agencies on the international context, international trends, best practices and experiences of developed countries, including Finland, on innovation management, S & T management; thereby contributing to the quality and effectiveness of S & T development policies and innovation in tandem with economic growth and sustainable development in Vietnam.

 

2.2. Entrepreneurship and Innovation Training

 

a. Training of the Trainers (ToT1)

 

The ToT1 is ‘first time in Vietnam’ world-class innovation and entrepreneurship training program in 8 months for 12 Vietnamese business consultants. The ToT1 Program consists of two months of intensive training with professional trainers and 6 months of coaching practice. Four international trainers from Europe and the US together with a team of local facilitators conduct the training and support the follow-up process. There are also weekly experience-sharing sessions with visiting international and local guest speakers, who are successful businessmen, angel and venture capitalists and business consultants. The 12 participants, who have a variety of international experience, come from private companies, entrepreneurship support organizations, governmental agencies and Vietnamese universities.

 

b. Innovation Accelerator Training Program (IAP)

 

The IPP Innovation Accelerator Program is a six-month program for IPP’s supported projects to accelerate their innovative activities and increase their potential for international growth. This standardized and tailored training program based on a comprehensive curriculum, combining with other services as mentorship, network access, and matching funding for the 22 innovation companies and system projects in Hanoi, Hochiminh City, Danang-Hue.

IAP provides (1) Innovation and entrepreneurship training based on a tailored curriculum and delivered by experienced international trainers and 12 IPP business consultants from ToT1 program; (2) Access to local and international mentors, investors, donors, entrepreneurship supporting programs; (3) Bootcamp, Mid-term and Final Demo Day with certificates of completion for teams.

 

c. Training of Trainers 2 (ToT2)

 

Training of Trainers 2 on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (TOT2) is part of IPP2’s University Collaboration Program with the aim to strengthening the role of higher education in Vietnam’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. It is focused on providing teaching methodology and modern approach on innovation and entrepreneurship. Trainers of ToT2 are highly experienced international lecturers in innovation and entrepreneurship from Finland and the US.

ToT2’s objectives includes:

• Build capacity for university lecturers on E&I
• Promote E&I training within universities in Vietnam
• Promote the formation & development of E&I ecosystem within Vietnam’s universities

After a 2-week intensive training Bootcamp and 06 month developing E&I curriculum, the partner universities will develop their own training curriculum on innovation and entrepreneurship in forms of:

• Undergraduate courses
• Postgraduate courses
• Training of Trainers courses
• Executive Training courses
• Other extra-curriculum activities as student camps, startup contests, etc.

Those universities participating in ToT2 program include:

1. Hanoi University of Science & Technology
2. Foreign Trade University
3. FPT University
4. HCMC University of Science & Technology
5. HCMC Open University
6. University of Finance – Marketing
7. Saigon Technology University
8. Da Nang University of Technology
9. Nha Trang University
10. Da Lat University
11. Hue Industrial College
12. MOST Management Training Institute (as observer)

 

d. ToT Replication

 

IPP has been cooperating with many partners to implement ToT training courses nationwide such as ToT2-HCM course in cooperation with SIHUB for 33 trainees from 6 universities in Ho Chi Minh City, ToT2-Hanoi cooperates with Hanoi University of Technology and Foreign Trade University for 27 participants from 13 universities in the North. For the time to come, IPP is organizing the ToT replication courses in Da Nang (in cooperation with DNES) and Hue (in cooperation with Hue Industrial College).

 

3. Innovation Partnership Development

IPP strives to facilitate partnership creation among key players of Vietnam’s startup and innovation ecosystem domestically and internationally with strong emphasis on the establishment of a trade-based partnership between Vietnam and Finland. IPP has sponsored many individuals and organizations to participate in some biggest startup’s events of the world.

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