Ho Chi Minh City startup ecosystem estimated at around 7-7.5 billion USD

On the afternoon of April 14, the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for the development of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation held a quarterly review meeting for Q1 2026 on implementing Politburo Directive 57, Decree 204 of the Party Secretariat, and Decree 06 of the Government.

Progress against central and city-assigned tasks

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong said that, under Directive 57, the city has completed 16 of 44 tasks assigned by the central government and 11 of 14 tasks according to the city’s plan. The remaining tasks are being carried out on schedule, with no overdue items.

Digital data strategy and budget allocation

The city said it is the first locality nationwide to issue a complete digital data development strategy for 2026–2030, with a vision to 2035. For 2026, Ho Chi Minh City allocated VND 12,705 billion for this field, equivalent to about 4.16% of total budget expenditure.

Infrastructure rollout and digital government implementation

In infrastructure deployment, the city is investing in and completing unified information technology infrastructure across the entire political system. Telecommunication infrastructure continues to be upgraded, with 5G coverage reaching 95%, exceeding central targets, while fiber-optic broadband has reached all wards and hamlets.

Digital platforms, data centers, smart city models, and artificial intelligence applications are being deployed to improve management and governance efficiency. The city processed more than 40,600 electronic documents, achieving a rate of 93.74%. The digital government platform has been rolled out to 168 wards, communes, and special zones, with over 4,600 accounts in use.

Innovation commercialization and technology trading

On innovation, Ho Chi Minh City has deployed 54 technology products participating in commercialization pilots, attracting about VND 500 billion in investment. The updated technology trading platform has entered operation, recording 17 transfer contracts with a total value of about VND 22 billion.

The innovation ecosystem continues to expand, with 35 incubators and innovation centers. The city is reported to rank among the top 5 in Southeast Asia and the top 110 globally for dynamic startup ecosystems, with an estimated size of about USD 7–7.5 billion.

Smart city development and strategic technology planning

For smart city development, the city is implementing the Science and Technology City Project in the northern area. The smart city operations center continues to be invested in to enhance monitoring, analysis, and decision-support capabilities.

Ho Chi Minh City is also promoting data infrastructure development and cooperation to invest in large-scale data centers. The city has issued a plan to deploy strategic technologies, identifying 9 technology groups and 26 priority products.

The city is implementing a controllable testing mechanism (sandbox) for UAVs and selecting 6 scientific and technological organizations to participate in forming an internationally recognized Research Center (CoE). The science and technology program for 2026–2030 is being developed, focusing on strategic technology development.

Leadership priorities and Q2 2026 focus

In concluding remarks, City Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang said the city still has many tasks to perform. Implementation of directives and schemes must be tied to specific responsibilities of heads of agencies, units, and localities, while evaluating effectiveness to avoid dispersed, overlapping, and wasteful investment.

He also required that allocation and disbursement of science and technology resources be tight and reasonable, especially for the roughly VND 12,700 billion fund. The city will create opportunities to train a cohort of science and technology experts abroad to supplement a high-quality workforce.

Emphasizing digital transformation as a foundation for near-term development, leadership said agencies should soon complete infrastructure, equipment, and databases, while building a workforce capable of meeting information technology requirements. Information security and data safety were highlighted as priorities, alongside strengthening training and professional development for civil servants and public employees to improve advisory capacity and the effectiveness of digital transformation implementation.

For Q2 2026, Ho Chi Minh City will focus on completing the institutional framework, mechanisms, and policies for science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. The city police will deploy the Cyber Security Center in Phase 1 to ensure information safety and data security. Departments and localities will continue data cleansing, standardization, connection, and sharing, and complete IT infrastructure to ensure synchronized operation of digital platforms.