Techfest 2017, a technology conference, will be held by the Ministry of Science and Technology on November 14 in Hanoi with the participation of various regional partners.

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam at the Techfest 2016.

Typical partners in the startup communities in Vietnam and other countries like Singapore and Malaysia will attend the event.

Themed “Ecosystem Connect,” Techfest 2017 will attract firms, foreign experts, relevant ministries and agencies in a national program to support the innovative startup ecosystem.

The conference will also welcome startups, investors and speakers in each field of technology such as education-training, agriculture, healthcare, tourism, transport, e-commerce and financial technology.

This is also an opportunity for investors to sound out cooperation opportunities with startups.

There are around 30 venture capital funds in Vietnam, according to the National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Development under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Many large groups and companies have set up funds for startups, including FPT Ventures, Viettel Venture, and CMC Creative Fund. Besides, the Vietnam Accelerator Fund has been established with the participation of four major investors, namely FPT, Dragon Capital Group, South Korea’s Hanwha Group, and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam.

Some angel investors networks have also emerged, such as VIC Impact, Hatch! Angel Network, iAngel and Angel4us. An angel investor is an affluent individual who provides capital for a business startup, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity.

SGT