The Association’s seventh tenure (2022–2025) concluded with impressive results: approximately 21,000 members engaged in activities across 34 provinces and cities, two economic conglomerates, and 16 affiliated clubs. The Association has continued to consolidate its position as one of the largest business associations in the country.
Beyond organisational growth, member enterprises of the VYEA have created jobs for five million workers; generated annual revenues of more than 40 billion USD; and contributed over 10% of national GDP. Hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dongs were allocated to social welfare programmes, demonstrating the pioneering spirit and strong sense of community responsibility among young entrepreneurs.
Innovation, breakthrough and value creation
A highlight during the past tenure was the Association’s comprehensive restructuring, the establishment of four new clubs, and the successful organisation of the 30th anniversary celebration of the Vietnamese Young Entrepreneurs Movement in November 2023. The event honoured the movement’s formation and development journey, reaffirming its stature, traditions and reputation.
Alongside organisational development, the Association focused heavily on brand-building and recognising entrepreneurial excellence through major programmes such as the Red Star Award — Outstanding Young Entrepreneurs of Viet Nam, the Viet Nam Gold Star Award, and the Outstanding Young Startup Entrepreneurs Award.
In policy consultation and dialogue - a core mission of the Association - the seventh term recorded 1,062 related activities across all levels. A notable milestone was the revival of the Viet Nam Private Sector Economic Forum (VPSF) 2025.
From this effort emerged the initiative to train 10,000 CEOs for the 2025–2030 period, reflecting the Association’s long-term vision and commitment to the business community. The Association also continued to uphold its role on the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform, contributing practical insights from the business sector.
During the tenure, the Association expanded trade and investment promotion and international cooperation with 1,446 activities. Highlights included cooperation agreements with major corporations, banks and financial institutions, helping member enterprises expand investment, enhance technological capacity, and improve competitiveness.
At the local level, trade promotion programmes organised by provincial and municipal chapters of the VYEA attracted tens of thousands of businesses showcasing products and seeking investment partnerships. In addition, the Association signed three international cooperation agreements, further cementing its role as an active member of the ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs community.
Regarding training work, the Association organised 1,449 programmes and workshops centred on digital transformation and modern management. The Central Committee also conducted visits, discussions and working sessions with localities and youth organisations to support startup models, entrepreneurship guidance and economic empowerment initiatives for young people. Over the three-year seventh term, Association chapters implemented 1,453 social activities with a total value of nearly 300 billion VND.
Breakthrough directions
As the country enters a new phase of development, which demands innovation and deeper global integration, the young entrepreneurial force is expected not only to drive growth but also to spearhead Viet Nam’s economic breakthrough. With this mission in mind, the action slogan for the Association’s eighth term has been set with strong determination: “Pioneering Innovation – Creating Value – Steadfastly Entering a New Era.”
Looking ahead to 2045, the year by which Viet Nam aims to become a developed nation, the VYEA aspires to become the leading young entrepreneurs’ organisation in the ASEAN region.
This marks a pivotal transition, signalling the Association’s evolution from a movement-based organisation into one with long-term strategy, global mindset and a focus on sustainable effectiveness. In this vision, the digital economy is identified as its backbone, with an ambitious target: 30% of member enterprises’ revenue to come from digital economic activities.
One of the major priorities of the eighth tenure is the organisational development. The Association aims to expand its membership base to between 35,000 and 50,000 members—an unprecedented scale. This expansion goes hand in hand with ensuring that 100% of provincial and municipal chapters, as well as all affiliated clubs, operate effectively and undergo a comprehensive shift to digital management. Additionally, 95% of members will be trained in modern governance, digital technologies and innovation.
Notably, the community of member enterprises aims to contribute 15% of national GDP and generate eight million jobs. These figures demonstrate a generation of young entrepreneurs ready to shoulder greater responsibilities amid global economic volatility, constant supply chain restructuring and intensifying competition.
To achieve these goals, the Association will focus on building a connected and efficient ecosystem for cooperation and business exchange—both within and beyond the Association. This ecosystem is expected to help enterprises save 8–20% in annual fixed costs, reduce marketing and sales expenses, and prioritise the use of each other’s products and services, fostering collective growth. As part of this, the Association has signed—and will continue to sign—strategic agreements with major financial institutions and banks to secure more flexible financing for its members.
This effort requires the collective engagement of all members of the Central Committee in the new term to implement special incentives for members, applied to products and services within the Association’s central system and the wider membership community. At the same time, the Association aims to build a professional office staff to ensure continuous operations, strengthen connections between the central body and local chapters, and enhance the effectiveness of programme implementation. This includes a salary support scheme for dedicated officers in chapters facing financial constraints, tied to clear KPIs focusing on operations, networking and membership development.
Moving toward the ASEAN Region
Another notable highlight of the eighth tenure is the shift in mindset from growth to sustainable development. Today’s businesses are evaluated not only by their profits or scale, but also by their positive impacts on the community and the environment.
The association has set a goal for 50% of its member enterprises to adopt ESG, considering this a new standard for sustainable development and international competitiveness. This is a pioneering step, as ESG has become a global benchmark enabling Vietnamese businesses to participate more deeply in global supply chains. A strategic commitment of the 8th tenure is to become the first to implement the Training Programme for 10,000 CEOs (2025–2030), and to issue the “Viet Nam Golden Star Seal” as a guarantee of quality and credibility for Vietnamese products.
Particular attention is given to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - which account for over 90% of all businesses nationwide - through strategic initiatives such as: supporting 50,000 household businesses to transition into enterprises, providing professional consulting for 10,000 businesses, ensuring 80% of member enterprises apply digital technologies, bringing 1,000 businesses into the “AI for SMEs” programme, and promoting a culture of knowledge sharing through the campaign “Each young entrepreneur mentors two new entrepreneurs.”
On the path of integration, ASEAN is regarded as the “strategic highway” for Vietnamese businesses to expand into the broader regional market. Ambitions such as bringing at least 50 member enterprises into global value chains, promoting the establishment of an “ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Alliance,” and organising “Vietnamese Young Entrepreneurs National Pavilions” at major international trade fairs reflect a commitment to genuine, substantive integration, far beyond symbolic cooperation.
Thus, the eighth tenure is not merely a new working phase. It represents a journey of aspiration, intellect, and responsibility. The ambitious goals being set not only show the confidence of the young business community, but also reaffirm their pioneering spirit for the nation’s future. The 2025–2030 period will stand as the clearest testament to this strong and determined rise.
