From personal passion to community aspiration
Born in 1998 into a family with generations tied to farming in Ha Tinh and later Gia Lai, Nguyen Thien Ly witnessed farmers’ struggles: bumper harvests that brought low prices and dependence on traders. Ly soon realised the paradox: farmers toiled all year round yet remained poor. From then on, he was determined to find a new direction for agricultural cultivation in his homeland.
While studying information technology in Thua Thien Hue, Ly realised that what local farmers lacked was the ability to apply technology to cultivation and product consumption. He gathered like-minded friends to establish HubTech Asia – a comprehensive platform connecting farmers, cooperatives, businesses, and consumers. Starting with small steps such as developing traceability tools, HubTech has now gradually evolved into an integrated management solution, helping cooperatives digitise their production and operations.
Agricultural entrepreneurship is no easy task. To overcome farmers’ hesitancy about high investment and unfamiliar technology, HubTech offers a 45-day free trial and sends technicians to provide hands-on guidance, helping farmers gradually familiarise themselves with the technology platform. “We focus on cooperatives and enterprises as vital links. Farmers need stable markets, consumers need transparency. Technology is the trusted bridge,” Ly explains.
Not only stopping at technical solutions, HubTech also pursues social goals: poverty reduction, increased farmer income, and environmental protection through sustainable farming, earning international recognition and start-up funding.
Youth entrepreneurship – A pillar of sustainable rural development
Instead of leaving rural areas, many young people are now building green businesses. According to Youth Co:Lab Viet Nam, nearly 49% of social start-ups focus on climate action, especially raising community awareness. This is an encouraging sign, as climate change is severely impacting the North Central and Central Coastal regions – areas frequently hit by storms, droughts, and saltwater intrusion.
Apart from personal efforts, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and start-up support funds also play an important role in empowering entrepreneurial efforts. The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union has launched various movements such as “Youth Start-ups” and “Creative Youth,” while implementing the Luong Dinh Cua Awards to honour and support exemplary models. This serves as a significant source of motivation, giving rural youth greater confidence on their entrepreneurial journey.
In particuar, in June 2025, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union organised a Viet Nam – Republic of Korea rural youth exchange highlighted new ideas such as “healing farms” and development of modern cooperatives. Young Vietnamese participants recognised similarities in the approach: placing farmers at the centre, technology as the tool, and cooperatives as the support platform. These experiences offer valuable references for youth in the North Central and Central Coastal regions – areas in need of models that both adapt to climate change and deliver economic value.
In the picture of new rural development, youth are the vanguard force. Given the opportunity, they can transform the fields of this region into “start-up laboratories” – where young intellect, digital technology, and the aspiration for sustainable development converge.
