Hung Dinh, founder of J.O.O.M

In 2016, the Vietnamese technology community was stirred up by the ‘DesignBold phenomenon’, an online design tool which received first prize at Creative Business Cup Vietnam 2016 and the year’s startup prize at Startup Festival 2016.

Hung Dinh, founder of J.O.O.M, said he began cherishing the idea about an online design tool in 2012. Creating a tool that helped design websites in 2003-2014, Hung’s Joomla.com has attracted 20 million users.

Realizing the increasingly high requirements on images, Hung decided to develop DesignBold with the wish to ‘change experience in traditional graphic design’.

In early 2015, Hung participated in a 30-day training course in Israel. At that time, the lecturer requested a group of five trainees from five countries show their startup ideas. Hung’s idea was applauded and the beta version received high praise.

After coming back to Vietnam, Hung and his co-workers at J.O.O.M gathered strength to build up DesignBold before the product officially hit the market on October 25.

According to Hung, just within seven days, 20,336 registrations to join the system were made and 2,026 clients paid, worth $80,000.

An analyst commented that DesignBold can improve communication between designers and clients as they have to interact via phone and email, which takes time to complete products. Clients don’t have time and capability to use specialized design software for minor changes.

DesignBold now has a store containing 60 million images and 5,000 design samples that serve graphic design on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram, events, invitation cards, letters, blogs, eBooks and adverts, which are ready for users. 

DesignBold also can create a platform which connects designers with clients all over the world, allowing them to create design products within a short time.

Hung said DesignBold now has 45,000 users, mostly in foreign markets. He wishes to develop 1 million design samples when the number of users reaches 500,000 and 1,000-2,000 designers on the system.

Politaire, a game for mobile devices, and DesignBold, an online design tool, are just two examples of successful technology startups.  

Science Deputy Minister Tran Van Tung, speaking with the local press, said the labor force has a ‘golden quality’ as Vietnamese are recognized as clever, creative and intellectual.

A report of the Ministry of Science & Technology showed that many Vietnamese technology startups have received huge investments, including Triipme VND10 billion, MoMo VND600 billion, GoiIt VND200 billion and Beeketing $150,000.

Hao Mai