- Collaboration on Establishing the Innovation Center at Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City and Joint Startup Development
- Support Planned for Korean Companies to Join the Ho Chi Minh Innovation Startup Center Starting in 2026
Key officials from Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (President Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai), visited Crosshub, a leading Korean startup, to learn about government support and operational strategies for Korean startups and to discuss potential collaborations.
Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNUHCM), located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is the largest university in the country, with approximately 85,000 students and 4,300 faculty members.
President Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai, who led the visiting delegation, introduced the Startup Innovation Center, scheduled to open in 2026, and proposed that Crosshub join the center as a resident to support its entry into the Vietnamese market. Prior to the meeting, President Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai stated, "With the rapid global growth of Crosshub, the government and academia in Vietnam have begun efforts to attract global companies in line with the nation's emerging startup policies." She expressed confidence that Crosshub's entry into Vietnam would serve as a model case for how Ho Chi Minh City and the Vietnamese government can invigorate the ecosystem with leading Korean startups.
Recently, the Vietnamese government has been preparing a variety of national policies to foster startups under state leadership and is actively working to attract global startups as part of these efforts.
The delegation, who visited Seoul AI Hub and Seoul Fintech Lab to observe Korea's startup support system, shared their impression of Korea's strength as a global startup powerhouse after touring the facilities. They were particularly impressed by the collaboration between the government and private accelerators.
Photo by a Crosshub official explaining the facilities of Seoul Fintech Lab to a delegation from Vietnam National University
The discussions were also attended by Nguyen Quang Phuoc, President of the Vietnam Innovation Network in Korea (ViNK), and Kim Kihung, President of the Korea Digital Convergence Industry Association, who joined to discuss economic development between the two countries.
In his welcoming remarks, President Kim Kihung stated, "Through this visit by the President of Vietnam National University, we will provide unwavering support for startup exchanges between the two countries." He added that Vietnamese companies would be invited to the annual Digital Media Tech Show held every November to support their entry into the Korean market, and that the two associations would host regular academic exchange events every year.
Through this meeting, Crosshub plans to establish an "AI Convergence Research Center" with VNUHCM in the first half of next year, and to use this as a springboard for entering not only Vietnam but also neighboring countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore, together with Vietnam's leading developers.
Specifically, by 2026, they plan to implement a blockchain-based student ID project for students at Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, with the goal of expanding this system to all universities in Vietnam.
Additionally, by participating in Vietnam's e-government projects in cooperation with the Vietnamese government, they aim to further strengthen exchanges between the two countries.
Kim Siho, Global Leader, stated, "A formal agreement is scheduled to be signed during CEO Kim Jaeseol's visit to Vietnam in February 2026, which will mark the official launch of the project." He further explained that Crosshub has built a network with major domestic startups through Dinolab, a startup program by Woori Financial Group, and will support the development of the Vietnamese network by recommending outstanding companies.
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