Top 10 Prestigious Startup Competitions in 2023

Vietnam’s startup ecosystem has been witnessing continuous development in recent years, with a series of practical ideas and projects being born. Among them, professional competitions are always an exciting and attractive destination for passionate startups who desire to receive direct and indirect value through awards.

Let’s look at some of the prominent startup competitions in 2023 with ITI Fund.

1. Startup Wheel

Startup Wheel is one of the most significant innovation competitions in Southeast Asia. It is organized by the most influential units in the startup field, such as the Business Startup Support Center (BSSC), the Young Business Association of Ho Chi Minh City (YBA), Investment Promotion and Business Support Joint Stock Company IBP.

The competition targets individuals and organizations domestically and internationally, with the event taking place from March 2023 to August 2023. The previous seasons have achieved impressive results with over 1000+ projects participating, 500+ million views, and 200+ partners across five continents.

Some notable startups from the competition include: 

• Benkon – a startup that applies IoT technology to manage and optimize air conditioning usage for businesses, which successfully raised $500,000 in March 2023 in a funding round led by ITI Fund.
• Coolmate – an “all-in-one” fashion shopping solution for men.
• Vexere – the first mobile application in Vietnam that helps manage all activities in the transportation business of bus companies.
• ProfilePrint – a startup that solves the problem of subjective taste affecting the classification and pricing of raw materials, won first prize in the international group in 2021.

Benkon – Startup đạt giải quán quân tại Startup Wheel 2022 (Nguồn ảnh: Startup Wheel) 

2. TECHFEST

This annual event promotes domestic technology initiatives led by the Ministry of Science and Technology. It is also an opportunity to summarize and convey messages from the Government to our country’s startup ecosystem.

The competition runs from May 2023 to December 2023, targeting Vietnamese individuals living and working within or outside the territory. Since 2015, the program has attracted more than 20,000+ participants, 2600+ startups inside and outside the country. Some notable startups from the competition include:

• PVA PRO – a startup that provides a solution for water-soluble packaging technology.
• Sobanhang – a digital sales application for small Vietnamese traders.
• WeShare – a fundraising application for social organizations from online shopping platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, and Bitis, up to 30% of the order value.

Sobanhang won first prize at TechFest 2022 (Source: TechFest)

3. Qualcomm Innovation Challenge

Qualcomm Group organises Qualcomm Innovation Challenge, a program that supports the development of innovative startup companies operating in Vietnam’s technology field, such as designing solutions for 5G, IoT, machine learning, smart cities, and mobile technology,… of Qualcomm Technologies.

The event takes place from October 2022 to September 2023. After several preliminary rounds, the top 10 companies with outstanding achievements will be financially supported and participate in several months of technical and business incubation. Among them, the top 3 winning projects in the final round will receive cash prizes and other support from Qualcomm Technologies Group after the program.

Here are some notable startups from the competition:

• MiSmart – specializes in manufacturing and supplying unmanned agricultural aircraft (Drones).
• VPTech – a factory with a deep focus on elevator production.
• GraphicsMiner is an easy-to-use platform that creates 3D simulation videos in 30 minutes.

Top 3 startup companies receive awards from Qualcomm Innovation Challenge 2022 (Source: Qualcomm)

4. Hack4Growth

Hack4Growth is a competition that seeks practical solutions to pressing issues in Vietnam, organized by AVSE Global (Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Held annually from July to December, the program targets projects with individuals aged 15 and above who are approved by their parents or guardians to participate in the competition. Each team must have at least one member aged 18 or above with Vietnamese nationality.

After many seasons of organization, Hack4Growth and AVSE Global have an ecosystem with over 10,000 Vietnamese intellectuals living and working worldwide. This has attracted significant grey matter value, outstanding ideas from Vietnamese people across continents, and a world-class team of experts. Here are some notable startups from the competition:

• Bizzi – a SaaS (software service) platform that simplifies manual invoice data processing through technology applications.
• Metain – a real estate investment project using blockchain technology and NFT.
• Nanoneem – a research project on green plant protection drugs using nanotechnology.

Hack4Growth 2022 announces Top 10 finalists (Source: Hack4Growth)

5. Startup Viet – VnExpress

Startup Việt is an annual event organized by VnExpress to seek potential startup projects, from February to December every year. In 2022, the program attracted more than 300 project applications. Some notable startups from the competition include:

• eJoy – a solution that helps users personalize their English learning based on their interests instead of following pre-existing curricula.
• SSSmarket – a fashion platform that focuses on sharing and refreshing wardrobes.
• Benkon – a startup that applies IoT technology to manage and optimize business air conditioning usage.

Representative of eJoy received the first prize in Startup Vietnam 2022 (Source: Startup VnExpress)

6. SK Fellow Ship

With the desire to explore, support and accompany potential early-stage startup projects in Vietnam, SK Group – the second largest conglomerate in South Korea – has cooperated with BSSC to implement the SK Fellow Ship competition.

The program takes place from May 2023 to November 2023 and targets startups in all fields, especially prioritizing technology projects that can solve social issues. In 2022, SK Fellow Ship attracted more than 150 registration applications.

Some notable startups from the competition include:

• Selly – a technology platform that provides quality goods at reasonable prices from manufacturers to people who want to do business online without capital.
• Benkon – a startup that applies IoT technology to manage and optimize air conditioning usage for businesses.
• Sobanhang – a digital sales application for small Vietnamese traders.

Top 4 outstanding startups of SK Fellow Ship 2022 (Source: SK Fellow Ship)

7. Mekong Startup

Organized annually since 2016, Mekong Startup takes place with the desire to seek and support potential startup projects and technology applications, thereby contributing to the economic growth of each locality in general and the Mekong Delta region in particular. 

Under the leadership of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry branch in Can Tho (VCCI Can Tho), Mekong Startup took place from May 2023 to October 2023. Since 2016, the competition has attracted more than 1,500+ applications, with nearly 5,000 participants, hundreds of which have been awarded prizes, consulted, connected for trade, invested in capital and found a place in the market.

Some outstanding startups from the competition:

• CUAvn – a pioneering enterprise, is building a supply chain of high-end crab products from Nam Can – Ca Mau land.
• Sustainable disinfection solution – electrochemical technology application
• Development of Cá Lóc sausage product

Image at Mekong Startup competition in 2022 (Photo source: VCCI)

8. SV Startup

Hosted by the Ministry of Education and Training and aimed at students nationwide, startup projects participating in SV Startup will focus on solving community problems, thereby contributing to economic and social development.

The competition is expected to take place from June 2023 to December 2023 on a national scale. After four seasons of organization, SV Startup has attracted more than 20,000+ participants with over 2,500+ startup ideas and projects.

Some outstanding projects from the competition:

• AutoAntenna – an artificial intelligence application solution for early monitoring and warning of antenna column status
• Smart Wheel Chair – an electric wheelchair that helps people with disabilities and the elderly move more easily
• WELLIFE – an application that supports management and connection in treatment to improve the effectiveness of medical examination and treatment.

BK 307 team with AutoAntenna solution won first prize in the field of Industry, Manufacturing and Products (Source: BKU)

9. Creative Idea Contest – CiC

CiC (Creative Idea Contest) is an annual contest on innovative entrepreneurship aimed primarily at students nationwide, organized by the Innovative Entrepreneurship Center of Ho Chi Minh City National University – IEC.  

After many seasons of competition, the program made excellent marks when it had more than 300+ ideas and startup projects, 700+ contestants registered from over 215 universities, colleges, and high schools across the country and reached more than 700.000+ people.

The outstanding startups from the competition are:

• Medus – A platform that supports medical learning and remote health monitoring.
• Tilt alarm device for waterway traffic.
• Air quality monitoring station model using NB-IoT technology.

To demonstrate our concern and desire to contribute value to the development of young startup projects in Vietnam, ITI Fund participated in CiC 2022 as a strategic partner and judge in the final round.

Mr Ngo Dinh Dat – Managing Director of ITI Fund, was one of the judges in the CiC 2022 final round (Source: CiC).

10. UII Incubator Program

UII Incubator Program After six months with many benefits such as providing workspace, training programs, consulting,… UII Incubator Program is a quality and free incubation program that supports early-stage startup projects to develop products and market orientation.

Organized by UEH Innovation Institute (UII), SEPT Capacity Development Center and Leipzig University (Germany), the program takes place from March 2023 to December 2023 on a national scale. It aims at projects that can apply technology, and engineering to solve market problems in technology, education, finance, and agriculture,… not only domestically and internationally (Germany, Europe,…)

The outstanding startups from the competition are:

• Beloved & Beyond – E-commerce platform for flowers and gifts.
• Yobite – Freeze-dried yoghurt.
• MyCobox – The first bright mushroom growing kit in Vietnam.

UII Incubator Program 2023 has officially launched and is actively looking for potential startup projects (Source: UII).

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