HCM City — The InnoEx Business Innovation Forum 2025 officially opened in HCM City on Thursday, under the theme “Shaping the Future Economy: From Data to Digital Assets”.

The event drew over 30,000 participants, including 4,000 CEOs and founders, 300 domestic and international exhibitors, more than 100 startups from Việt Nam and abroad, and over 70 international investment funds, alongside hundreds of top regional experts from various sectors.

Speaking at the forum, Trần Thị Diệu Thuý, vice chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee, commended InnoEx 2025 for fostering connectivity and promoting innovation. She highlighted the forum’s role in uniting young innovators, entrepreneurs, tech companies, investors, and international experts, creating collaboration and strengthening the city’s innovation ecosystem.

She pledged the city’s continued support for InnoEx from 2025 to 2028, urging pioneering businesses to transform new initiatives into inspiring success stories, positioning HCM City as a regional and global hub for innovation, high technology, and finance.

According to Trương Lý Hoàng Phi, CEO of Investment & Business Partners (IBP) and vice president of the HCM City Young Entrepreneurs Association, Việt Nam’s deepening integration into the global economy has driven GDP growth from US$20 billion in 1995 to $500 billion in 2025, while per capita income rose from $300 to nearly $5,000.

Phi called on InnoEx to expand international connections through the Global Innovation Partner initiatives, including partnerships with global companies such as Qualcomm and the Vietnam Innovation Expedition. She emphasised leveraging internal capabilities via programmes like Innovation Fast Track and Corporate Innovation as a Service, enabling businesses of all sizes to participate effectively.

The HCM City Young Entrepreneurs Association noted that InnoEx 2025 serves as a key dialogue platform in the Vietnam Private Sector Forum, in coordination with the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association, to gather proposals and ideas from the private sector and international organisations, supporting policy-making for innovation and private sector growth.

InnoEx 2025 showcased breakthrough technologies and business models, providing a forum for the business community to exchange ideas, propose initiatives, and explore solutions that enhance competitiveness and sustainable growth amid the global shift in data, technology and market trends. — VNS