Vietnam’s Youth Shine at National Startup Day for Students

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh praised student entrepreneurship at the 7th National Startup Day for Students (SV.STARTUP) in Ho Chi Minh City on April 20. The event highlighted achievements of Project 1665, a nationwide initiative supporting student startups through 2025.

Attending for the fourth time, PM Chinh stressed the government’s dedication to youth empowerment as a driving force for national growth. He noted the increasing creativity in student-led startup movements each year.

Project 1665, launched seven years ago, has made significant progress. All higher education institutions and 63 provincial education departments now support student entrepreneurship. Students across Vietnam have initiated over 42,000 startup projects. The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) has organized more than 3,500 startup competitions, engaging nearly 480,000 young people and generating close to 23,000 proposals.

The Prime Minister called for a stronger ecosystem to foster student innovation. He urged authorities to improve policies supporting student startups, particularly in finance, intellectual property, and public-private partnerships. PM Chinh advocated for expanded startup support funds, idea exchange platforms, and mentor networks.

The Ministry of Education and Training was tasked with developing more startup support centers and integrating entrepreneurship into curricula. Educational institutions were encouraged to invest in modern labs and promote applied research.

PM Chinh emphasized collaboration between the state, schools, and businesses. He called on companies to invest in student projects and guide them from internships to commercialization.

The HCYU was urged to expand its “Youth Startup” program, focusing on innovation-driven entrepreneurship in IT, cybersecurity, digital services, medical and educational technologies, environmental and energy solutions, and high-tech agriculture.

Since 2020, Vietnamese students have launched nearly 39,000 startup projects, with an additional 9,000 from secondary and high school students. Nearly 300 startups have emerged from university incubators, and over 2,000 educators and 10,000 students have been recognized for their entrepreneurial contributions.

The 2025 SV.STARTUP event, co-organized by multiple government ministries and agencies, runs from April 18-20 at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education. It features forums on innovation in universities, entrepreneurship in vocational education, and strategies to foster startup mindsets. The event also includes an exhibition of student-led projects and the final round of the “Students with Startup Ideas” competition.

This year’s entries show diversity and practicality, addressing real-world challenges using technologies like IoT, Big Data, and AI. Several ventures are already showing profitability and strong growth potential.

PM Chinh concluded by expressing confidence in Vietnam’s 20 million young people, stating that with proper guidance, they will pioneer advancements in science and technology, helping to position Vietnam as a global and regional innovation hub in the digital era.