Tech firms need a functioning market and transparent policies to test and scale their initiatives, as strong solutions struggle to reach users without a clear framework, said Le Van Tri, Director of Learn to Leap Education Technology Joint Stock Company.

Learn to Leap is among several enterprises submitting proposals as Hanoi pilots its Technology Exchange (HanoTEX) and Digital Transformation Market (DTMarket) from February 3.

Tri said the two platforms must focus on measurable results, open access and coordinated institutions to drive the capital’s digital economy.

Learn to Leap, which develops digital education and STEM training solutions, proposed that the city publish clear priority problem statements from departments and districts.

“If agencies define specific needs, such as digital skills training for civil servants or STEM platforms for public schools, enterprises can design targeted solutions from the start,” Tri said.

“A transparent testing and evaluation process will help pilot projects move quickly into deployment.”

Giang Son High Tech Agricultural Company Limited, which provides digital tools for small and medium-sized enterprises, stressed inclusivity.

“We hope the platforms categorize demand by sector and scale so SMEs can join pilot projects,” said Mai Chi Hieu from the company.

“If criteria favor only large firms, it will limit the innovation ecosystem,” he added.

Businesses say HanoTEX and DTMarket must operate as structured marketplaces where technology undergoes evaluation, matching, piloting and commercialization, rather than serving as display platforms.

According to the Hanoi Department of Science and Technology, the launch of the platforms advances Politburo Resolution No. 57 on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation.

Despite research gains, Hanoi still faces a gap between innovation and commercialization. The new platforms aim to close it.

HanoTEX will act as the city’s central hub for listing, testing, evaluating and transferring technologies. It will connect research institutions, enterprises, investors and public agencies to build a transparent science and technology market.

DTMarket, a specialized arm of HanoTEX, focuses on digital transformation. Agencies and businesses can search for digital products, run pilot programs and assess results based on performance.

Cu Ngoc Trang, Director of the Hanoi Department of Science and Technology, said success will depend on how many solutions move into practice and solve real problems.

“Success depends on practical application and measurable impact,” he said.

Trang said the city modeled the platforms on international examples, including Singapore and China and plans to link them with domestic and global exchanges.

The goal is to promote Vietnamese technology exports while selectively adopting advanced foreign technologies and safeguarding technological sovereignty, he said.

Hanoi aims to raise the digital economy’s share of gross regional domestic product from 17.3% to over 30% by 2030 and above 70% by 2065.

Truong Viet Dung, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, said the city has shifted from broad subsidies to outcome-based procurement and from administrative oversight to market creation.

“We prioritize strategic technologies mastered domestically,” he said, citing surveillance systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, robotics and STEM education.

Hanoi plans to install more than 21,000 surveillance cameras with an estimated investment of VND700 billion ($26.9 million), creating a sizable market for local tech firms.

The city is accelerating major projects, including a 196-hectare digital technology zone in Dong Anh Commune and technology parks in Thuong Tin and Dan Phuong communes, to support smart urban growth.

Dung said HanoTEX and DTMarket will help structure and channel rising technology demand in a transparent and efficient manner.