Techfest DongNai 2021: Connecting and building an Innovative Startup Ecosystem

​With the participation and coordination of many departments, branches and localities, this activity is expected to attract a large number of people from all walks of life, creating a "push" for Innovative Startup activities in Dong Nai Province area.

Candidates participating in the final round of the Innovation Startup Competition Dong Nai Province in 2021

* Connecting, building, and completing the ecosystem of Techfest

Mr. Lai The Thong, Director of the Department of Science and Technology said: “After the orientation conference on Techfest DongNai, it is the second step in a series of activities to promote innovation activities among all classes of people and create start-up culture and link the province's Innovation Startup ecosystem".

Techfest has been held many times in Dong Nai Province. However, this is the first time the festival has been held on a large scale, with the participation of many departments and branches related to Innovation Startup activities. Accordingly, events related to the Youth will be presided over by The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Dong Nai Province; related to women presided over by the Provincial Vietnam Women's Union; related to farmers will be chaired by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Farmers' Association; related to students will be chaired by the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

Being organized based on the "format" Techfest Vietnam, Techfest DongNai 2021 is expected to gain many fruitful achievements. This is also a specific step to closely connect departments, branches, units and organizations in supplementing and perfectly improving the Techfest ecosystem.

Mr. Lai The Thong shared: “Innovation startups have been promoted in recent years. Therefore, the departments and agencies in the province have been operating but not really closely linked with each other. The Department of Science and Technology plays the permanent role of the council, will connect, build and supplement other elements to complete the innovation startup ecosystem. For example, we need to build a team of mentors (trainers, guides), build a co-working space (start-up incubators), organize training courses on innovative thinking for the workforce in charge of directing and implementing of innovation start-up, ect.”.

According to Mr. Thong, innovative start-up activities used to be mainly carried out by the Department of Science and Technology; From now on, these activities would be extended to all relevant sectors, localities, and units to participate.

* Interesting contents

With the purpose mentioned above, Techfest DongNai 2021 includes many activities which integrate the introduction of start-up projects, innovation start-ups of the forces: youth, farmers, women, pupils, students; local products - OCOP (One Commune One Product). This will also be an opportunity to exchange and learn between the authors/co-authors who won prizes at the Provincial Technical Innovation Contest, the Youth and Children's Creativity Contest, and the Science and Technology Contest for high school students in the locality provincial; connecting with start-up projects in the Southeast region and the whole country, etc.

Lasting from November 17 to 26, Techfest DongNai 2021 will have many seminars and talks around the theme of innovation start-up. This will be a forum for people of all ages to learn about mechanisms, policies to promote innovation start-ups.  At the same time, share questions, recommendations, ideas, in order for appropriate authorities to join hands to "contribute" and bring innovative start-up activities to a high quality.

To make the innovative start-up activities come into focus and suitable for each social object, the seminars and conferences of Techfest DongNai 2021 will include many topics, and will be undertaken by many departments and branches. In particular, within the framework of Techfest DongNai 2021, provincial leaders will have a direct talk with young people, with the theme of Youth aspiration in starting a business and starting-up.

Within the framework of Techfest DongNai 2021, there will be activities to display and introduce startup products, winning products of contests, OCOP products, etc. Accordingly, the event participants will have a total of 70 booths for displaying products. The exhibition will take place from 8:00am on November 24 to 4:00pm on November 26.

Because of organizing a large event for many consecutive days with the participation of many people, in order to ensure the safety of Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control, besides the number of 50-100 people directly participating in events at the Department of Science and Technology, activities of Techfest Dong Nai 2021 will be broadcast on several communication channels (Website, Fanpage, YouTube) of the Department of Science and Technology as well as agencies and units to jointly organize the event. In addition, the Department of Science and Technology will also apply 2D and 3D virtual reality technology in product display activities.

People interested in the event can access the website: http://startupdongnai.gov.vn.

Hoang Giang