Vietnam looking for innovation cooperation opportunities in the United States

Meeting with Vietnam Innovation Network members, Minister Dung highly appreciated their participation in major programmes run by the National Innovation Centre (NIC), and the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI). They included human resource development for semiconductors, AI application research and training, and the Vietnam Innovation Challenge programme.

Dung requested network members to promote connections with the world's leading experts, institutes, and schools that can collaborate and provide training programmes, and organisations that can support Vietnam in innovation.

"The network should continue to connect with new members on the basis of generating long-term benefits for the country," the minister said.

Minister Dung also had meetings with technology giants. Will Abby, senior vice president of sales and partner enablement at global semiconductor leader ARM - owned by SoftBank Group, said that the company's technology is applied in more than 95 per cent of smartphones and software operating systems around the world.

"To date, 70 per cent of the world's population uses ARM chip-based products and the company has a monopoly on chip architecture. Chip design businesses in Vietnam are all ARM customers," Abby said. "However, ARM currently does not have a representative or office in Vietnam and is building a plan to launch an office."

Minister Dung said that the Vietnamese government has been improving the business investment environment for high-tech investment projects, especially in semiconductors and AI. Vietnam is also preparing infrastructure, human resources, and institutions to attract and cooperate with large technology corporations.

He asked ARM to consider an investment cooperation plan in Vietnam. "Specifically, cooperation in human resource development with ARM and its partners in Asia and around the world. In addition, ARM should open a representative office, and R&D centre at NIC Hoa Lac to promote business activities, research cooperation, and introduce new technologies," the minister said.

He also pointed out the opportunity for cooperation between ARM and NIC in developing a shared semiconductor laboratory for training, business incubation, and supporting Vietnamese startups to develop chip design using ARM's technology and intellectual property.

Marvell is a leading US chip design company with annual revenue of $5.5 billion, valued at about $160 billion. Marvell has been operating in Vietnam since 2013, with two offices in Ho Chi Minh City. Loi Nguyen, senior vice president of Marvell's optical and copper interconnect segment, said the company is building an IC design centre in Ho Chi Minh City and Danang that will have about 400 engineers, and it is expecting to expand in the near future.

"Marvell Vietnam's engineers can work on most product lines using the latest technologies," he emphasised.

Minister Dung suggested Marvell could expand its investment and R&D centre in Vietnam to become a leading hub, in addition to opening a representative office in Hanoi to promote business activities, research cooperation, and introduce new technology.

Regarding training digital talents, Kareen Ghanem, Google Group's director of government relations and public sector policy, said that Google has invested and cooperated in digital transformation, e-commerce, innovation, and startups, and is planning to produce mobile phones.

"Recently, Google has cooperated closely with NIC to implement digital talent training and business incubation programmes, which are participated in by a lot of Vietnamese training institutions and students," he said.

Minister Dung pledged to closely coordinate with ministries, agencies, and localities to create favourable conditions for Google to invest, research and develop in Vietnam. He suggested elevating the relationship between the MPI and Google to a comprehensive strategic cooperation by promoting high-tech investments in Vietnam and cooperation with NIC.

"Specifically, Google should continue to coordinate with NIC to effectively implement the digital talent development and innovation and startup business incubation programmes in Vietnam, and expand Google's programmes to support digital economic development, innovation, and entrepreneurship," he emphasised.

Marvell Technology, Inc, a data infrastructure semiconductor solutions provider, announced on May 16 that it has increased its presence in Vietnam along with the size of its workforce in the past year, with the company revealing plans to expand research and development, engineering, and design activities in the country.

The Vietnamese government opens its arms to Indian entrepreneurs and businesses to invest in high-technology, semiconductors, and digital technology, according to Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Bui Hoang Phuong.

US chipmakers have bolstered their operations and partnership activities in Vietnam as the country emerges as a semiconductor hub amid the AI boom.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has announced that Vietnam will invest in several research centres to support universities and innovation hubs, with pilot production costs potentially reaching $7 billion, necessitating collaboration between the government and the private sector.

Training up a workforce for the semiconductor industry is heating up thanks to the involvement of universities in Vietnam.