Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh highly commended the recent progress made by Da Nang’s innovation and startup ecosystem.
According to the Deputy Minister, to become an influential innovation and startup hub, both domestically and regionally, Da Nang needs to shift its focus from quantitative growth to enhancing the quality and effectiveness of the ecosystem.
Deputy Minister Hoang Minh urged the city to continue building an effective and substantive startup ecosystem. Innovation spaces must be connection points linking experts, capital, and markets, and actively contribute to solving the city's economic challenges rather than merely acting as venues for hosting events.
Enterprises must play a central role in this ecosystem. The goal of the startup and innovation is not simply to increase the number of startups; more importantly, it is to foster the creation of technology and innovation-driven enterprises capable of mastering technology, developing products, and scaling up operations.
Enterprises must also act as the key agents in transforming research results into commercial products, converting technology and intellectual property into economic value, and gradually integrating more deeply into global supply chains.
To achieve this goal, Da Nang needs to strengthen linkages between businesses, universities, and research institutes; promote the establishment of spin-off businesses; further develop the science and technology market; and facilitate the application of research results in production and business activities.
Furthermore, the city needs to continue attracting domestic and international investment funds, angel investor networks, and startup accelerator programmes, while connecting startups with major enterprises, partners, and international markets.
According to Deputy Minister Hoang Minh, Da Nang’s advantage in international integration must be transformed into market advantages for businesses and startups.
Another key task is developing human resources and a culture of innovative entrepreneurship, particularly in fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and digital technology.
Da Nang needs to foster an environment that encourages the spirit of daring to think, act, innovate, and take risks, while also creating conditions for innovative ideas — especially those from students and young people — to be incubated and developed into products and businesses.
The Deputy Minister urged Da Nang to aim to become an international hub for innovation and innovative startups. The city must not only attract international capital, technology, and partners but also support local enterprises in bringing their products and technologies to regional and global markets.
Consequently, six key tasks have been outlined: building an effective and substantive ecosystem; placing enterprises at the centre; promoting the commercialisation of technology and intellectual property; developing capital sources and markets; training human resources and building a startup culture; and establishing Da Nang as an international innovation destination.
In his opening remarks, Ho Quang Buu, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang City People's Committee, affirmed that SURF 2026 continues to be a forum for connecting domestic and international innovation resources and fostering collaboration among the government, businesses, investors, research institutes, universities, and the startup community.
Through this event, startups gain further opportunities to access capital, technology, markets, and partners; expanding cross-border investment connections in sectors of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, digital technology, blockchain, green technology, and digital transformation.
According to the Vice Chairman of the Da Nang City People's Committee, the locality has determined that innovation must become the city's core engine for development, rather than merely a task for the science and technology sector.
SURF 2026 brings together over 30 speakers, experts, and investment fund representatives from Singapore, Republic of Korea, the United States, Japan, and China, alongside more than 20 partner organisations and over 30 in-person exhibition booths.
According to organisers, the event has attracted over 3,000 registrations and more than 150 project entries for the Da Nang Innovation Startup Competition – SURF 2026.
The event programme features two seminars, two forums, and an innovation startup exhibition; the launch of a technology and innovation showcase space from Daegu (Republic of Korea) in Da Nang; and the signing of memoranda of understanding, and announcements of investment partnerships.
On the occasion, the organisers announced a certification from StartupBlink recognising Da Nang as the "fastest-growing startup ecosystem in Viet Nam."
