Synopsis

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Publish Date: April 2, 2019

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Today, talk of “VCs” in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam almost always refers to the growing ranks of Venture Capitalists instead of the Viet Cong—a name that many people associate with the Vietnam War. With a population of 95 million people, Vietnam has more than 1,500 active startups, making it the third largest entrepreneurial ecosystem in Southeast Asia (behind Singapore, the major financial hub in the region, and Indonesia with 260 million people, respectively). The median age in Vietnam is 31—and there over a million babies born across the country each year, even with a two-child policy recently loosened. Furthermore, OECD (2012) PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results reveal that Vietnam’s 15-year-olds perform on a par with those in Austria and Germany. Remarkably, about a quarter of Vietnam’s population is 14 or younger, with almost 70% of the population between the ages of 15 and 64.

In 2015, there was a 139% increase in venture capital investment in Vietnam resulting in 67 deals—up from 28 deals in 2014. Moreover, the number of deals have increased, on average, from 20 deals per year in the period from 2011-2013 to 48 deals per year in the period from 2014-2016, based on data aggregated by Topica Founder Institute. Of note for 2016, seed and Series A deals made up 70% of the 50 documented deals, according to Topica Founder Institute. Additionally, the number of large deals (greater than $5 million) remained relatively unchanged (10 in 2015 and 11 in 2016), but their collective value grew 60% ($63 million compared to $100 million). However, with three major startup hubs across the country (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang), Vietnam lacks the transparency, clarity, and context for anyone interested in startups—especially incoming waves of entrepreneurs and investors from overseas.

Startup Vietnam: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Socialist Republic captures the challenges, efforts, and successes of Vietnam’s youth, local startups, and foreign entrepreneurs during a time of transition between tradition and modernity. Having significantly evolved during the last 20 years, Hanoi's leadership is committed to making Vietnam a “startup nation” in an attempt to accelerate the country’s growth over the next 20 years. The spirit and promise of a resilient, improvisational, driven, and entrepreneurial people in this Southeast Asian nation are presented within an understandable operational landscape, in addition to creating a vision for what a 21st century Vietnam might become.

For the past four years, I have been working in Vietnam programs and/or activities supported by the governments of Vietnam, the United States, and Finland as well as private sector advocates (local and international investors, entrepreneurs, and developers) to further the development of the enterprise ecosystem. Furthermore, as a qualified participant-observer, I am an entrepreneur, consultant, advisor to startups, and writer who has contributed to Tech In Asia, e27, and Tech Wire Asia—the leading news portals for startups in Southeast Asia.

As the interest in Vietnam continues to increase from abroad, more foreign entrepreneurs and investors are flocking to Vietnam where they will experience culture shock. I, too, experienced the “Vietnamese way of doing things,” and it can be quite frustrating from a Western perspective. My role in Vietnam’s enterprise ecosystem has been as super-connector—optimizing relationships inside and outside Vietnam. I am able to engage in these activities because of my experience in Vietnam—ranging across multiple industries, from IT and media to startups.

There are only a handful of writers who cover Vietnam’s enterprise ecosystem; I began writing in 2014 because I saw a gap in coverage on the exciting and interesting things happening in Vietnam. However, most coverage of Vietnam’s recent entrepreneurial trajectory lacks context (from foreigners), or very closely resembles a press release (from locals). And it is very early in Vietnam’s trajectory so there are some bad actors and instances where the “blind are leading the blind”—for the loudest players are not always the best or the ones with the most experience (foreigners included).

So I wish to present a solid view of where Vietnam is heading, offering a range of perspectives of the entrepreneurs, investors, and other allies in whom I trust or have confidence. At the same time, I seek to capture the incredible spirit of the people who are building a better future in Vietnam. Often, there are contradictory positions, statements, edicts, and decrees regarding policies relevant to entrepreneurship in Vietnam. Still, local and foreign entrepreneurs have found a way to persevere. How is it possible?

Startup Vietnam aims to answer that question and other questions which incoming foreigners (and already resident foreigners) might have about Vietnam’s already "enterprising" ecosystem.

To me, Vietnam is the best-kept secret in Southeast Asia. People hear the word, “communist” and they "switch off." However, for those "in the know," there are plenty of opportunities but they must overcome cultural challenges and approach the situation with the appropriate expectations. Furthermore, there are four million overseas Vietnamese—some of whom may want to return to their homeland, but are not sure how they will be received. Some other basic questions include:

•    Do I call Ho Chi Minh City by its official name, or should I refer to the city as Saigon?

•    My parents fought for the South (Republic of Vietnam)—will I have any trouble?

•    How can I help Vietnam?

•    What is life like for Viet-Kieu (Vietnamese born overseas) in Vietnam? 

•    Will Hanoians hate me?

Thus, Vietnamese-Americans and other members of the diaspora will be interviewed to share their perspectives in specific chapters. Locals in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hanoi also will be interviewed, as well as foreigners across these three cities so that a holistic view is presented on operating in Vietnam for those who are interested.

The major markets are 1) Viet Kieu (or Overseas Vietnamese); 2) foreigners who will do business in Vietnam; 3) foreigners who will tour Vietnam; and 4) foreigners who are researching Vietnam but who will not or have not come to Vietnam.

The chapters are divided in a logical fashion to allow the reader to digest one portion before continuing on to the next topic. First, “Why Vietnam?” is established so that the reader understands what is at stake. The shift from communism to capitalism is a once-in-a-lifetime event—and it’s happening now. However, one can live in Vietnam without experiencing it, so the next chapter covers "Vietnam Up Close.”

Chapter 5 addresses the “New Vietnam Mindset,” which is led by entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and members of civil society in the country. The next chapter focuses on how startups can achieve growth in Vietnam followed by the beginnings of a startup nation. Chapter 8 explores challenges and opportunities in Vietnam, before outlining the requirements for success in the following chapter. Chapter 10 sets forth a vision for Vietnam in the future before the last chapter, which gives actionable steps for foreigners to get involved in Vietnam.

In this proposal, Chapter 3 (Vietnam Up Close) is included. In short, I am well-positioned to write about entrepreneurship, startups, and innovation in this important Southeast Asian nation—which will only grow in importance.

Above: Hardcover design; cover photo: Andrew Rowan

Outline

Section I: More Than Meets the Eye

Chapter 1: Why Vietnam?

Chapter 2: Vietnam from Afar

Chapter 3: Vietnam Up Close

Chapter 4: Beneath the Surface

Section II: The New VCs of Vietnam

Chapter 5: A Mindset Shift

Chapter 6: Catalyzing Growth in Vietnam

Chapter 7: The Beginnings of a Startup Nation

Chapter 8: Challenges and Opportunities in Today’s Vietnam

Section III: Requirements for Success

Chapter 9: Building a Solid Foundation

Chapter 10: Localizing Global Solutions

Chapter 11: Being a Part of Vietnam’s Success

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Chapter 1: Why Vietnam?

Vietnam has created and experienced a remarkable growth and development story in the last 30 years—second only to China. Since 1986 and the beginning of the Communist Party’s Doi Moi (“renovation”) policy, Vietnam has steadily integrated its economy into the global marketplace, including the country’s accession into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007. By 2010, poverty in Vietnam had been reduced to around 20% from 60% in the early 1990s.

Vietnam doesn’t have a market of over a billion people like China or India. Yet, with a population of over 90 million people, it has more than 1,500 active startups, making Vietnam the third largest entrepreneurial ecosystem in Southeast Asia (behind Singapore, the major financial hub in the region, and Indonesia with 240+ million people, respectively). The World Bank and the IMF have both recognized Vietnam’s development success. In 2013, the World Bank acknowledged Vietnam’s path from one of the world’s poorest countries to a lower middle-income country in the span of 25 years. Last year, Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of IMF, delivered remarks in Hanoi about Vietnam “gearing up for the next transformation.” If Vietnam is able to avoid the middle-income trap, it can then provide a blueprint for similar countries. Furthermore, as a country among the first to be impacted by climate change, Vietnam will serve as a litmus test for how a rising sea level will impact countries around the world.

On a macro level, annual trade is projected to increase by more than $200 billion by 2020—this presents a huge opportunity to develop trade-oriented services based on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). The middle and affluent class is expected to increase to 33 million Vietnamese by 2020, more than double the number from 2012 (14 million) according to BCG. And according to a recent Knight Frank report, by 2025, Vietnam will see the largest creation of ultra-high net worth ($30+ million) individuals in the world. With increased purchasing power, these consumers will desire new products and services as their values of self-expression are reinforced.

Further questions:

•    Why does Vietnam matter?

•    Why is there a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Vietnam?

•    How might climate change alter Vietnam’s course?

•    How can Vietnam be an example for other countries?

•    What is Vietnam’s current trajectory?

Chapter 2: Vietnam from Afar

Many people outside of Vietnam first and foremost think of the wars fought there. But that’s not the everyday Vietnam that is undergoing massive change. The urban changes in Vietnam that are visible on the surface level and they are raw, real, and deep-rooted. (In fact, it would be hard not to notice the hustle and bustle as well as omnipresent noise pollution in the most populous cities.) It can be confusing for foreigners to reconcile what they read or hear with what they see once landing in Vietnam: it’s changing literally right before your eyes in the major cities. Vietnam is more than just a collection of rice paddies, conical hats, and water buffalo—and life here has progressed beyond scenes from Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now. How is Vietnam different from the one you might have seen in the headlines (if at all)?

Further questions:

•    How does the real Vietnam differ from Vietnam from Afar?

•    What hasn’t changed from this outside perception?

•    What has changed, even within a few years?

•    How much of what you read and hear is true?

•    Once inside, how much of what you see is real?

Chapter 3: Vietnam Up Close

When arriving in Vietnam, expats naturally gravitate to Ho Chi Minh City (the economic center) or Hanoi (the capital). District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City is but one version of Vietnam—but it is usually where expats congregate, with the exceptions of District 2 or District 7. Furthermore, there is life outside of Hanoi’s Tay Ho district, the preferred enclave for expats. Is it possible to live in Vietnam without experiencing Vietnam? How can you reduce miscommunication (across cultures) and set the right kind of expectations (for everyone to work towards success)?

Understanding how to operate here (professionally or doing business) is completely different from the structured and formal environment in the West. In one important matter, contracts don’t mean anything—relationships do. When does "Yes" really mean "Yes?" Nuance and context are the key to figuring out many things here for business. And then there are the everyday challenges of living in Vietnam. How can foreigners connect with Vietnam on a deeper level?

Further questions:

•    How to avoid common pitfalls?

•    What should you expect?

•    What to make of conflicting information?

•    What questions should you ask?

Chapter 4: Beneath the Surface

Vietnam’s former tourist tagline used to be “The hidden charm.” Insofar as this relates to the inner workings of the country’s politics and economy, much of what happens in Vietnam occurs beneath the surface. The commonly-read headlines about Vietnam (40 years after the war, U.S. presidents making friends with former enemies, and Ho Chi Minh City versus Hanoi) aren’t really accurate—and what I’ve written in my earlier articles about startups, technology, and innovation in Vietnam isn’t the entire story. Vietnam is known for its political stability, but that’s true only up to a certain point. We explore the informal economy, as well as some of the more informal aspects of life in Vietnam.

Further questions:

•    What don’t we usually talk about or mention when it comes to Vietnam?

•    Is there a “dark side” to operating in Vietnam?

•    How does one really know what’s going on?

•    What to look out for when doing business or living in Vietnam?

Chapter 5: A Mindset Shift

There is an array of modern entrepreneurs who are trying to scale companies within and outside of Vietnam. Their stories are shared in this chapter.

Further questions:

•    How is this new mentality taking shape?

•    Is this the exception or the formation of a new rule?

•    What’s the path of success?

•    Is all the “bad press” (lack of transparency, crony capitalism, restrictive internet regulations, etc.) true?

•    What about the “good press” (Asia’s next dragon or tiger, a rising middle class, and an IT outsourcing haven, etc.) being true?

•    Is everyone just trying to make a "quick buck" in Vietnam?

•    Are foreigners all walking ATMs? (Yes and no.)

Chapter 6: Catalyzing Growth in Vietnam

Vietnam is at such an early stage of its development—the country has only been truly “open for business” since 1995 as a result of the post-war embargo. The level of depth and sophistication in the country just isn’t there—from workers to mentors to local investors and other nouveau riche players—everyone seems to be learning as they go. The entrance bar is low. But is that a good thing? Will entrepreneurs and other nascent actors do more harm than good? We sit down with the most active investors in Vietnam.

Further questions:

•    What do Vietnamese entrepreneurs need to work on?

•    What do angel investors in Vietnam need help with?

•    Should entrepreneurs tackle the national market or aim for a regional play from day one?

•    What are the most effective ways to grow in Vietnam?

Chapter 7: The Beginnings of a Startup Nation

The pieces in Vietnam are beginning to assemble: events, government support, and an active interest in entrepreneurship from varying segments of the population. Coworking spaces are springing up as the basis for communities to form, but what’s next?

Further questions:

•    What do people on-the-ground in Vietnam see as the humble beginnings of a startup nation?

•    What’s the rate-limiting step in the process?

•    What are the building blocks being put in place today?

•    How can foreigners help?

Chapter 8: Challenges and Opportunities in Today’s Vietnam

Since normalizing relations with the U.S. in 1995, Vietnam has grown at a neck-breaking speed over the last twenty years. The next twenty years will test all levels of Vietnam’s society as development continues to quicken its pace and new technologies and ways of communicating are introduced to Vietnam.

Further Questions:

•    What is the vision that the Vietnamese and others share for this country of soon-to-be 100 million people?

•    Wherein do the opportunities lie? Mentor networks? Angel Investor networks?

•    What about the changing role of women in Vietnam?

•    Will the country realize economic/social equality in some form? 

Chapter 9: Building a Solid Foundation

Last year, the World Bank and Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) released a report about what Vietnam might look like in the year 2035. Publicly, Hanoi’s leadership embraces innovative practices, but when it comes to implementation there seems to be a disconnect in some areas. It has outlined a long-term vision for Vietnam but how exactly will the nation get from "here" to "there?"

Further questions:

•    What about the necessary investments in education, training, technology?

•    What is the government of Vietnam doing?

•    What about foreign allies/competitors?  

•    What kind of commitments are we talking about?

•    Could a free and open and more democratic society be on the horizon?

Chapter 10: Localizing Global Solutions

A vibrant private sector will play a pivotal role in reaching “Vietnam 2035.” Throughout the country, 70% of Vietnam’s more than 90 million people live outside of urban areas. So what might work in one part of Vietnam might not work in another due to regional and/or population density differences—which means that solutions need to be truly localized by community stakeholders. How can new products, services, and solutions be developed at local levels—while at the same time incorporating existing global solutions into the local Vietnam context?

Further questions:

•    How can exponential technologies accelerate Vietnam’s developmental story?

•    What should local entrepreneurs focus on considering existing resources and technologies in Vietnam?

•    What kind of experts does Vietnam need?

•    Can Vietnam’s societal challenges be overcome?

•    What areas or industries will need constant attention to achieve “Vietnam 2035”?

Chapter 11: Being a Part of Vietnam’s Success

This chapter will include advice for policy makers and foreigners who want to play a part in Vietnam’s future development. How can you be a part of Vietnam’s success?

Further questions:

•    How can foreign entrepreneurs and investors get more involved in Vietnam’s development story in smart ways?

•    What’s the best way to get started?

•    What are the resources for entrepreneurs in Vietnam?

•    What are the best kinds of programs for interested investors to create in Vietnam?

•    What are some lessons learned?

Proposed/completed interviews/quotes (non-exhaustive):

•    Phan Quang; Deputy Director, Asian Development Bank (Hanoian)

•    Jon Baer; author of Decoding Silicon Valley: The Insider's Guide and partner at Threshold Ventures

•    Vu Duc Dam; Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam; supporter of startups

•    Brian Cotter; lead of the UNICEF Innovation Lab in Vietnam

•    Christopher Zobrist; Center for Mindful Learning

•    Tran Tri Dung; the Entrepreneurial Programme funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of Switzerland

•    Dr. Ev Myers; former Fulbright Professor, Vietnam National University and former Fulbright Specialist, Thai Nguyen University

•    Bernard Seys; cofounder of Efaisto 

•    Vanessa Santamaria; cofounder of Memeapp

•    Barbara Ximenez; cofounder of Shutta 

•    Thu-Ha Pham; APAC regional manager, AngelHack

•    Jeffrey Paine; managing partner of Golden Gate Ventures

•    Ryu Hirota; principal of IMJ Investment Partners

•    Shuyin Tang; principal of Unitus Impact

•    Douglas Abrams; CEO of Expara Ventures 

•    Binh Tran; venture partner, 500 Startups Vietnam

•    Pham Hong Quat; Director of National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization, Ministry of Science and Technology

•    Aaron Everhart; cofounder of HATCH!

•    Hoi Nguyen Ba; founder of Fablab Da Nang

•    Ha Dau Thuy; cofounder and chair of the BOD of OCD Management Consulting

•    Marion Vigot; founder, Ma Belle Box

•    Hieu Tran; former Ministry of Industry and Trade official/ ASEAN Secretariat official

•    Justin Nguyen, operating advisor for Vietnam, Monk's Hill Ventures

Audience

Background

•    There are over 1,500 startups operating in Vietnam, with an increasing number of foreigners going to Vietnam with the intention of establishing startups. 500 Startups, a venture fund based in Silicon Valley (with operations in Vietnam), plans to fund 100 startups in Vietnam over the next three years with a $10 million fund. This target amounts to one startup per week but there are currently only 200-300 applications for any incubator/accelerator in Vietnam. Thus, the number of active entrepreneurs pursuing startups has to significantly increase in Vietnam—whether local or foreigner—for 500 Startups Vietnam to meet its target.

•    According to the cofounder of Startup Weekend, Vietnam’s population alone has the capacity to boost the number of team applications per program by 2,000-3,000.

•    Launch, the members-only global Facebook group for Vietnam’s startups now has more than 30,000 members, up from 20,000 one year ago with daily questions and comments posted in Vietnamese and English. However, the sections on Vietnam Startups in Quora have not been updated in two or three years, so primary information about Vietnam’s enterprise ecosystem is maintained by gatekeepers.

Primary Market

•    Current and additional Singaporean founders/entrepreneurs looking to source quality developers (“ready to deploy” teams) in Vietnam;

•    Current and additional regional investors from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan who are interested in the burgeoning Vietnamese market;

•    Current and additional international entrepreneurs from Europe (UK, France, Switzerland, Finland, and Germany) who are looking to develop their prototype for less money than it would cost in their home markets;

•    Current and additional investors (venture capital, private equity, and impact) from the U.S. (primarily Silicon Valley and New York City) who are increasingly looking to frontier markets;

•    Current and additional intentional and “accidental” entrepreneurs from the U.S. (~400,000 Americans visit Vietnam annually);

•    Vietnamese-Americans (2+ million in the U.S.—half live in California and ~100,000 live in San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley; almost 200,000 live in Orange County, California, close to Hollywood; and ~35,000 live in Houston, Texas, a production center for the Oil and Gas industry);

•    Members of the Vietnamese diaspora in English-language markets such as Canada (~150,000) and Australia (~180,000); and

•    American students who study in Vietnam, thereby demonstrating their interest in the country (1,000 during the 2013-2014 academic year).

Secondary Market

•    High school students curious to learn about Vietnam outside the lens of “containment of communism” as taught in Advanced Placement American History (~400,000 sat for this exam in 2011);

•    The almost seven million Vietnam War-era veterans who are still alive and might be curious about the changing legacy of Vietnam;

•    Incoming diplomats (on two-to-four year tours) to Vietnam who have a commercial or economic focus and need to “ramp up” quickly—over 80 Missions in Hanoi and 25 Missions in Ho Chi Minh City;

•    Digital nomads or location-independent freelancers who want to dive a bit deeper into their Vietnam experience;

•    Professionals at The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, UN agencies, or NGOs; and

•    Business and political science professors; and college students who focus on globalization, developing economies, and/or Southeast Asia (see below).

Kieu-Linh Valverde, Associate Professor in the Asian American Studies Department at UC, Davis, and author of Transnationalizing Viet Nam sent the following email:

“I really look forward to reading [Startup Vietnam] if I'm able to have an early copy for review. I actually would love to teach it in my class Winter 2017 on development if possible. The main class project will be group start ups!”

Members of the Vietnam Global Insight Expedition (GIX) at Tuck Business School, Dartmouth College (25 students) traveled to Vietnam last year in their efforts to:

“…study Vietnam’s business environment given several post-war decades of rapid social and economic change, evolving capital and investment flows, political balancing of communist ideology with capitalist growth, and the country’s increased integration in international trade and labor regimes.”

Similarly, seven MBA students from the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University visited Ho Chi Minh City last year to:

“…[work] on a project with a Vietnamese start-up company for the past three months now. Currently, we are in Vietnam and working to align the company's future goals with potential investors.

The client is a three year old company which is doing extremely well, but has been unable to reach its maximum impact/ potential. The client is looking for a strategic investment which can assist the company both financially as well as technologically.

We were in [Ho Chi Minh] city this whole past week working with the client on-site.”

University of California, Davis; Dartmouth College; and Indiana University current and future students (with similar profiles and interests) all would be interested in reading Startup Vietnam.

Promotion

I regularly share content on Twitter and LinkedIn (combined 2,023 followers as of September 13, 2017) related to Vietnam. I have established a dedicated site for the book, www.startupvietnambook.com, which will include all of the published content I have created on Vietnam relating to startups, innovation, and technology.

Three major sites focus on my topic in the region—Tech In Asia, e27, and Tech Wire Asia—and I have contributed to all three. I have guest blogged every month (rotating) since February 2015 to reach visitors via sites such as Tech In Asia (2.5+ million unique monthly visitors), e27 (250,000 unique monthly visitors), and Tech Wire Asia (190,000 unique monthly visitors). I have received invitations to return on each site, plus I’ve made contact with several other U.S.-based publications for potential future guest posts. Between 2015 and 2016 my articles on Vietnam’s tech scene were shared over 1,500 times and generated almost 8,000 likes on various social media. An article (August, 2016) on a third-party platform received almost 1,000 hits per day during a two-week period. Another article (January, 2017) received 5876 hits with average time of 1:45 spent on page. I will continue to contribute content on these platforms and I am currently targeting Quartz, MIT Technology Review, and Harvard Business Review.

In 2015, I was asked to moderate a panel on Big Data and Social Media at the first-ever Techfest Vietnam conference in Hanoi, which was attended by ~1,000 people with support from Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology. Additionally, I was moderator for two sessions at last year’s TechFest Vietnam.

As part of market research and promotional efforts, I will start giving presentations on the economic developments and entrepreneurial opportunities in “Startup Vietnam" to relevant and interested audiences in the United States. In May 2017, I traveled to University of California, Davis for a Viet Nam Cluster Meeting hosted by Professor Kieu-Linh Valverde, who is spearheading the New Viet Nam Studies Initiative—which denotes contemporary or 21st century Vietnam. This event was a good opportunity to get feedback on the current manuscript, which is over 130,000 words; the final product will be approximately 65,000 words. In June 2017, I gave a talk on Vietnam and startups at New York University: http://bit.ly/NYUFLVN

Professor Balbir Bhasin, Ross Pendergraft Endowed Professor of International Business at the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith has invited me to address his classes on my professional experiences in Vietnam.

In November, 2017, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit will be held in Da Nang, Vietnam. Over 20 Member Economies will be represented across over 400 events, mostly in the Fall. The Summit will be attended by various leaders, including the President of the United States. I plan to distribute promotional materials for Startup Vietnam to various delegation members in attendance at select events in addition to talking/moderating at certain side events in the run up to, and during APEC Leaders Week.

Competition

The book, Startup Asia: Top Strategies for Cashing in on Asia’s Innovation Boom is five years old. Another book, Vietnam 2014: New Information and Cultural Insights Entrepreneurs Need to Start a Business in Vietnam, is three years old and has not been updated with critical changes to 2015’s national legislation.

Deal Street Asia, a website with offices in Singapore, also covers startups, but focuses more on funding, investment, and financial markets.

Vietcetera is a cultural blog featuring personal interest stories including entrepreneurship. Anh-Minh Do, a Vietnamese-American, is cofounder. He was the Vietnam editor for Tech In Asia (living in Ho Chi Minh City), but now works at Vertex Venture in Singapore, where he lives. He contributes to Forbes.

Tech In Asia and e27—the most well-known regional portals—do not have dedicated tech reporters covering Vietnam; they rely on correspondents based in The Philippines, Indonesia, or India to report on Vietnam. Tech In Asia and e27 do utilize contributors, but the quality is uneven and/or commentary is provided by individuals who have limited experience in and/or exposure to Vietnam.

Bobby Liu occasionally contributes to e27; he now works as a senior director and evangelist for Topica Edtech Group, an Edtech startup expanding into Southeast Asia. He also focuses on Bangkok, as he is co-director of the Topica Founder Institute Bangkok, an incubator for startups in Thailand.

Jon Myers, a location-independent entrepreneur, has written about the benefits of living in Vietnam for Virgin. He is a design consultant for corporations; comments on his articles indicate that readers would like to know more about operating in Vietnam.

Brett Davis writes about modern Vietnam (as a contributor for Forbes), but takes a much broader approach in that he doesn’t focus solely on startups, innovation, and entrepreneurship. 

Bloomberg, Reuters, Forbes, CNET, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and BBC News all have published articles about Vietnam’s growing startup potential in the last year or two. However, these articles lack context or the bigger picture of the shaping trends over two or three years as they are just snapshots. (These reporters usually "parachute in" for a week or two.)

Saigoneer is a Saigon-based blog that does some reporting/featuring on some startup topics but it is not a core focus for the publication.

The Word, a Vietnam-based magazine and online portal, features a “Startup of the Month” section.