Google launches new accelerator program for Vietnamese startups

The launch of "Google for Startups Accelerator, Southeast Asia: Vietnam but pha doi moi' to fast-track the growth of local startups was held today [July 11] by Google in partnership with the Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC) and the US Mission in Vietnam.

At the event, Deputy Minister of Investment and Planning Tran Duy Dong said that the program was strong evidence of Vietnam's commitment to supporting innovation and the startup ecosystem in the country.

"The selected startups will become a part of the inventive startup community working towards a common goal of connecting, collaborating, and learning from each other," Dong said.

Vietnam's Vice Minister of Investment and Planning Tran Duy Dong speaks at the event. Photos: Google

Thye Yeow Bok, Head of Startup Ecosystem for Southeast Asia, South Asia Frontier and Greater China Region stressed the program continues Google's long-term commitment to supporting Vietnam's economic growth "by accelerating the development of local startups through intensive training, mentorship, and networking opportunities for Vietnamese entrepreneurs."

Last year, "Google for Startups, Startups Academy-Vietnam" successfully concluded after 15 workshops and 283 mentoring hours with experts and renowned mentors.

Some of the startups that participated in the program last year have achieved positive results. "After participating in the program, we successfully secured our seed round with the participation of a venture capitalist," said Truong Minh Dat, CEO and co-founder of BenKon.

Nguyen Hong Ngoc, CEO of Momby said Google for Startups is not only a leadership program, it also provides and supports startups with new knowledge and latest technologies.

"Above all, we have the opportunity to become part of a dynamic startup community where everyone is willing to share, support, and collaborate for collective growth and success," Ngoc said. 

After joining the Google program, Momby, a personal assistant application for parents, scaled its app adoption with 35,000 users, while Benkon successfully closed a seed round with its energy-saving solution.

Delegates attend the event.

This year's program is designed to give Vietnamese startups the exposure, network, and resources to expand globally. It will focus on six key industries instead of 16 to ensure a more focused program and align with the country's most critical industries: Education, Retail, Agriculture, Fintech, Healthcare, and Smart City.

It builds on the success of ‘Google for Startup, Startup Academy Vietnam’, which was first launched in 2022 for 50 selected local startups across 16 key industries and will be rolled out nationwide.

Google for Startups Accelerator, Southeast Asia is a three-month program that starts with an in-person boot camp, followed by online workshops, mentoring, and coaching from Google and industry experts and culminates in a graduation and demo day.

Only 20 startups will be selected to participate in the in-person boot camp, ensuring that Google and the NIC can provide in-depth support throughout the program through 1:1 coaching, mentoring, group sessions, and workshops. Selected startups will also be introduced to Google's global alumni network of more than 1,000 startups from different regions. In addition, up to 200 other startups can benefit from the program's content through open-access online workshops.

This year's program is open for applications from July 11 to August 25, 2023.