The 3rd International Startup Conference and Exhibition, or SURF 2018, officially took place at the Da Nang Administrative Centre on 29 June. This was considered as the largest startup event in the central region and highlands of Viet Nam.
The 3rd International Startup Conference and Exhibition
In attendance were were Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Van Tung, Irish Ambassador to Viet Nam Cáit Moran, Israeli Ambassador to Viet Nam Nadav Eshcar, representatives from the Consulates of Sweden, Switzerland, Canada and Finland in Viet Nam, Da Nang People’s Committee Vice Chairman cum Chairman of the Da Nang Coordination Council for Business Start-up Network (DSC) Ho Ky Minh, along with more than 800 representatives of domestic and foreign startup partners, investors, and others.
Addressing the event, Vice Chairman Ho Ky Minh said that “Da Nang is the first locality in Viet Nam to build DSC and DNES under public-private partnership (PPP) format. Focus is being on implementing a project to develop the city’s start-up ecosystem by 2020, with a vision towards 2030. These have proved strong commitments made by the local authorities in giving active support for startup activities in a bid to boost the development of a new generation of entrepreneurs and businesses in the city”.
Deputy Minister Tran Van Tung asked the local authorities to continue boosting startup initiatives in their locality, especially those in such aspects as tourism, services, and cuisine.
Mr Vo Duy Khuong, the Chairman of the Da Nang Entrepreneurship Support Company (DNES), said that Da Nang aims to become a destination for startups and innovation in Southeast Asia by 2030. He underlined the important role of SURF 2018 in the development of a startup ecosystem in his city. After the first 5 years, members of the city’s startup ecosystem have together overcome difficulties and challenges. He expressed his belief that the SURF 2018 will be a new development step of the coastal startup ecosystem, towards turning the Da Nang Business Incubator into an innovation hub by the sea.
SURF 2018, under the theme ‘Start-up capitals’, attracted more than 2,000 attendees including central and provincial leaders, international investment funds, private investors and individuals, start-up businesses, and representatives from universities in Da Nang, Hue, Quang Nam, Binh Đinh, Ha Noi, HCM City and other provinces.
The event also drew the participation of over 40 speakers, including domestic and international start-up professionals who shared their experiences. The content and discussion focused on how to use, optimise and link funds in the journey to start a business. Startup Capitals, with its five key sources of capital for start-ups, include financial capital, technology, human capital, local capital, and social capital.
Ngo Huyen
