Việt Nam, South Korea startups explore cross-border tech partnerships

Twenty-eight technology startups from Việt Nam and South Korea are exploring cross-border partnerships and commercial opportunities, as corporate–startup collaboration gains momentum in the region.

 

Representatives of Shinhan Future’s Lab and participating startups showcase technology solutions at a Demo Day in HCM City. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

HCM CITY — Twenty-eight technology startups from Việt Nam and South Korea showcased their products and explored business partnerships at a recent startup Demo Day held in HCM City.

The event, organised by Shinhan Future’s Lab Vietnam (SFL-V), brought together startups participating in two programmes – Global Shinhan InnoBoost and Shinhan Global X-Change. It was the first time the two programmes had held a joint Demo Day.

The participating startups covered areas including artificial intelligence, deep learning and other technology applications.

Seven startups joined the Global Shinhan InnoBoost programme, which focuses on testing technology solutions with Shinhan's business units, while 21 others took part in the Global X-Change programme, which supports market access and business connections between Vietnamese and South Korean companies.

The event comes as Việt Nam promotes science, technology, innovation and digital transformation under Poliburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, with greater focus on linking startups with businesses to turn technology into practical applications.

The event was attended by Jin Ok Dong, chairman of Shinhan Financial Group.

“When people talk about startups, they often think first of technology and innovation. But I believe the true essence of a startup lies in connection – connecting people, connecting markets and connecting possibilities that did not exist before,”he said.

Dong said Shinhan would continue to connect South Korea and Việt Nam.

A key focus of the event was moving startup technologies beyond pilot projects towards commercial applications.

Finan, a Vietnamese platform for small retailers and household businesses, has moved its collaboration with Shinhan from a proof-of-concept to a commercial partnership, launching SHINHAN STORE in April 2026 with sales and inventory management, e-invoices and banking services. The platform currently serves more than 800,000 household businesses and retailers, with cumulative transaction value exceeding US$5 billion.

Another collaboration involved CoreCode and Shinhan Securities Vietnam. The companies developed VINASTALK, an AI-powered platform that aggregates and simplifies stock-market information. The platform provides market news and data analysis and supports users in exploring investment strategies and accessing trading-related information.

In 2026, SFL-V partnered with GenAI Fund to connect AI and emerging-technology startups with investors and businesses. The first international branch of Shinhan Future’s Lab, SFL-V has operated in Việt Nam since 2016 and expanded from fintech into areas including AI, big data, insurtech and edtech.

The latest Demo Day reflects a broader trend in the startup ecosystem, in which corporate–startup cooperation is increasingly focused not only on investment and mentoring but also on testing technology in real business environments and developing commercial products. — BIZHUB

 

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