Microsoft, Vietnam Silicon Valley partner to support startups

By Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc

September 26, 2016

US technology giant Microsoft and the Vietnam Silicon Valley project have entered a partnership to support a sustainable startup ecosystem in Vietnam.

The cooperation will accelerate the necessary support as well as tech products and services for the startup ecosystem in Vietnam, helping them increase business capacity through the application of technology based on Microsoft’s comprehensive platform, Microsoft Vietnam said in a statement.

Microsoft will work along with the VSV in its training programmes, providing specialists and entrepreneurship consultants. The duo will also shortlist the potential projects/teams to incubate and support in terms of technology, finance and commercialization.

VSV will play the key role in acceleration and venture funding, while Microsoft will act as a technology advisor and enabler of commercialization, according to the statement.

“Through the partnership with leading global tech groups, typically Microsoft, our training and business development programmes will ensure that practical benefits will be created to help Vietnamese startups strengthen their capacity,” said Thach Le Anh, principal at VSV.

Microsoft said it hoped to duplicate this support across the country.

Hanoi-based VSV was initiated by the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology in 2013 to commercialise technology, by bringing best practices from the Silicon Valley to train, accelerate and invest in Vietnamese startup companies.

VSV Accelerator, launched in 2014, has incubated over 40 startups and enabled venture capital funding in deals including food exploration app Lozi, SME utilities platform TechElite, P2P lending startup LoanVi and video-based education site Schoolbus.

Through four-month boot camps, VSV invests at least $10,000 in each startup typically for a 10 per cent stake.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has fulfilled a lot of activities to help boost entrepreneurship throughout its 20-year presence in Vietnam. Last year, it joined Singapore venture capital fund Expara and a Vietnamese firm, Customer Loyalty and Acquisition Services, to launched the CLAS Expara Startup Accelerator. The accelerator can invest up to $500,000 in its graduates, who are also entitled to enjoy a lot of other perks.

It also brought Tech Femme, an event for women entrepreneurs, to the country two years ago.

Also read:

Microsoft, Singapore VC Expara, CLAS launch startup accelerator in Vietnam

Exclusive: Expara Vietnam Accelerator to come in as first investor in graduating startups

Malaysia’s 1337 Ventures enters Vietnam with Alpha Startups

Singapore Reporter/s

In Singapore, we are looking to double our reporting team by this year-end to comprehensively cover the fast-moving world of funded startups and VC, PE & M&A deals. We want reporters who can tell our readers what is really happening in these sectors and why it matters to markets, companies and consumers. The ability to write precisely and urgently is crucial for these roles. Ideal candidates must have to ability to work in a collaborative, dynamic, and fast-changing environment. We want our new hires to be digitally savvy and ready to experiment with new forms of storytelling. Most importantly, we are looking for hard-hitting reporters who work well in a team. Collaboration and collegiality are a must.

Following vacancies can be applied for (only in Singapore).

Following vacancies can be applied for (only in Singapore).   

  • A reporter to track companies/startups that have raised private capital, and have the potential to become unicorns. SEA currently has over 40 companies with a valuation of over $100 million and under $1 billion.
  • A reporter who can get behind the scenes and reveal how funding rounds are put together, or why they’ve failed to materialise. She/he in this role will largely focus on long-format stories. 
  • A journalist to track special situations funds, distressed debt and private credit (from the PE angle) across Asia.
APPLY NOW

Singapore Reporter/s

In Singapore, we are looking to double our reporting team by this year-end to comprehensively cover the fast-moving world of funded startups and VC, PE & M&A deals. We want reporters who can tell our readers what is really happening in these sectors and why it matters to markets, companies and consumers. The ability to write precisely and urgently is crucial for these roles. Ideal candidates must have to ability to work in a collaborative, dynamic, and fast-changing environment. We want our new hires to be digitally savvy and ready to experiment with new forms of storytelling. Most importantly, we are looking for hard-hitting reporters who work well in a team. Collaboration and collegiality are a must.

Following vacancies can be applied for (only in Singapore).

Following vacancies can be applied for (only in Singapore).   

  • A reporter to track companies/startups that have raised private capital, and have the potential to become unicorns. SEA currently has over 40 companies with a valuation of over $100 million and under $1 billion.
  • A reporter who can get behind the scenes and reveal how funding rounds are put together, or why they’ve failed to materialise. She/he in this role will largely focus on long-format stories. 
  • A journalist to track special situations funds, distressed debt and private credit (from the PE angle) across Asia.
APPLY NOW