The seminar discussed development potential of, opportunities, and challenges facing Vietnamese startups, particularly in technology, as well as cooperation prospects for Viet Nam and UK in this regard.

In his remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long stressed the potential of developing Vietnamese technology startups based on digital technology development advantages in the market.

The ICT industry in Viet Nam has grown by 17 percent per year, reaching a value of 125 billion USD in 2021, he noted.

Saying tremendous room remains for the two nations’ cooperation in technology startup development, the diplomat noted Cambridge University is the best partner for Viet Nam in financial technology and expressed his desire to promote the two sides’ cooperation in the near future.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dang Bang, Director of the Cambridge Judge Business School’s MPhil in Finance Programme, said Vietnamese startups lack experience, which Cambridge University can support.

He hoped that agencies and organisations in the UK and Viet Nam, such as the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK and AstraZeneca, will be bridges to help young Vietnamese businesses access the Cambridge startup ecosystem.

Nitin Kapoor, President for Asia Area Frontier Markets at AstraZeneca and Chairman and General Director of AstraZeneca Vietnam, said that through cooperation on vaccine, AstraZeneca is also looking for opportunities to develop a partnership with the Vietnamese government in developing a health care ecology.

He affirmed that the potential for cooperation in this field is great, especially in the context that the strategic partnership between Viet Nam and the UK is developing robustly.

The Vietnam Days in the UK 2022 is organised by the Vietnamese embassy in collaboration with organisations and enterprises of both countries on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

It features events that focus on enhancing the bilateral cooperation in various areas, ranging from education and training, green transformation, renewable energy, fintech, startup and innovation; and promoting Viet Nam as an attractive destination for tourists in the context that the country has reopened its door to international visitors.