Software and website designers from Asia, including Vietnam, will gather in Hanoi on May 18-19 to compete in the APEC App Challenge. 

The event will be co-organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Asia Foundation and Google in the run-up to the 23rd APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting slated for May in the capital city. 

During 24 hours, participants are required to develop a free application on mobile phone or website to help micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) leverage the Internet to export to foreign markets. 

The winners will be announced on May 19 morning. Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh will present awards to the winning team at the APEC conference on trade and innovation held in the afternoon the same day.

The theme of the contest is significant to the Asia-Pacific region as MSMEs currently make up 98 percent of all businesses in the region and employ two-thirds of the region’s labour force.

The event aims to seek new solutions to strengthening comprehensive development, innovation and sustainability of regional economies as well as to promote the promulgation of policies targeting creativity and innovation in addressing trade issues.

VNA