Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung has hailed cooperation between the National Innovation Centre (NIC) and Google as profoundly significant, helping accelerate Vietnam’s startup and innovation ecosystem, particularly in strategic technology sectors like artificial intelligence (AI).

The ceremony to announce new NIC - Google initiatives.

At a ceremony held in Hanoi on June 18 to announce new initiatives aimed at bolstering AI entrepreneurship and digital literacy in Vietnam, Dung stressed that the Vietnamese Party and Government have identified science – technology, innovation, and digital transformation as the shortest way and vital pillars for Vietnam to deliver on its aspiration of rapid, sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development.

He reiterated that science – technology and innovation are not only key drivers of growth but also an essential path for Vietnam to turn itself into a prosperous nation with better labour productivity, national competitiveness, climate change response, and local livelihoods.

The event marked the expansion of collaboration between NIC and Google, following the success of the "Build for the AI Future" initiative introduced in 2024.

Two new Google for Startups training programmes, AI Bootcamp 2025 and Solution Lab 2025, were launched to support 150 local startups in developing cutting-edge AI technologies and developing breakthrough GenAI solutions.

Additionally, the Vietnamese – language version of the Google AI Essentials course was also introduced to speed up Vietnam’s digital transformation process.

NIC Director Vu Quoc Huy said that building on past success, NIC and Google are aiming to empower the next generation of innovators who play a pioneering role in the country’s next economic development wave with Google AI platform.

Since 2022, more than 500 Vietnamese startups have engaged in Google’s Startup Academy, Google for Startups Accelerator, and Google Startup Masterclass.

Nearly 100 of these firms received support to develop and improve their products, benefiting more than 300,000 customers and creating over 300 new jobs through successful fundraising and team expansion amidst Vietnam’s competitive economy.

Managing Director of Google Vietnam Marc Woo shared that Vietnam boasts huge potential to develop an AI-driven economy, elaborating AI is projected to contribute up to 1.89 quadrillion VND (79.3 billion USD), or nearly 12% of Vietnam’s GDP by 2030.

The number of AI startups in Vietnam has grown more than 4.5 times since 2021, positioning the country as a leader in the global AI race, he said, highlighting commitments to accompanying Vietnam’s economic development through consolidating its long-term partnership with NIC.

As many as 60,000 scholarships have been awarded under NIC and Google’s “Grow with Google, Accelerate Vietnam Digital Talent” programme, encompassing data analytics, UX Design, digital marketing, and AI Essentials. They ensure that Vietnamese workers gain necessary skills to meet job market requirements.

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