In 2006, former Vice Chancellor of Germany Philipp Rösler visited Vietnam for the first time to see the land where he was born. After 13 years, he returned with the promise of contributing to the country’s development.

 

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With a busy working schedule, Rösler only had a short time to talk with the local press before he went to HCMC National University and then to the airport where he took a flight to Germany.

It was the first official meeting with the mass media after VinaCapital announced the former Vice Chancellor of Germany would act as chair of the advisory council to VinaCapital Ventures, which supports startups.

At the meeting, he stressed that he returned to Vietnam this time not as a politician to attend conferences, but as a supporter of the startup community.

“This is my destiny,” he said.

It is not enough to copy 100 percent of the US Silicon Valley’s model, because the business environment in Silicon is different from Vietnam. The application of the model in a flexible way will bring success.


During his years of working as Minister of Economics and Technology and member of the management board of the World Economic Forum, he acted as the bridge linking German startups and Silicon Valley. He decided to continue this work in Vietnam.

He said the most valuable assets of Vietnam were not oil & gas, natural resources, infrastructure and technology, but the youth. No where else in the world had he seen young people so dynamic and industrious. What Vietnam needs to do is give them opportunities, a good environment and improve the national education system, he said.

Rosler, at the meeting, repeatedly emphasized that ‘making investment in youth’ is his top priority task. Vietnamese youth lack a bridge that connects them with the world. So, the mission he set when returning to Vietnam was to help Vietnam’s enterprises reach beyond their territory.

During the meeting with the press, Rosler continually praised Vietnamese food,saying that it was little known in the world. Why? Because many people still have not heard of it. And the same is true of Vietnamese startups.

So, he plans to bring a high number of foreign investors, not just several, to Vietnam, and give support to companies not listed in VinaCapital’s investment portfolio to bring value to the Vietnamese community.

The startup ecosystem is good in Vietnam. Da Nang and HCMC have Silicon Valleys of their own.

However, it is not enough to copy 100 percent of the US Silicon Valley’s model, because the business environment in Silicon is different from Vietnam. The application of the model in a flexible way will bring success.

 

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Xuan Mai