Attracting international technology talent and venture capital

From the perspective of a foreign expert who has lived and worked in Vietnam for nearly a decade, how do international entrepreneurs and technology experts evaluate Vietnam?

Objectively, Vietnam is currently a market with great potential for the development of science and technology. But I would describe it as a high-potential destination rather than a fully-mature global talent hub.

Vietnam’s strengths are real. It has a young and digitally-engaged population, a strong entrepreneurial culture, competitive operating costs, and a strategic location in ASEAN. For technology professionals and founders, Vietnam is exciting because the market still has many unsolved problems.

Vietnam is no longer viewed only as a manufacturing destination. It is a market where technology, capital, and policy reform are moving together.

However, though the procedures for foreign experts to work for Vietnamese businesses have become more convenient than before, for founders, obtaining business licenses or complying with regulations in areas such as data, payments, and foreign ownership remains relatively complex.

But Vietnam does not need to remove all regulation. It needs to make the path easier to understand. International talent can accept regulation. What they struggle with is uncertainty. If the process is clear, digital, and consistent, Vietnam will become a much more attractive destination for international experts, encouraging them to move from simply being interested in Vietnam to deciding to live, establish a business, or expand operations here.

Each country in the region has its own strengths. So where does Vietnam fit in? Beyond the advantages you mentioned, how should technology experts and entrepreneurs view the market?

In my opinion, Vietnam should learn but not replicate. Rather, it can position itself as the most dynamic emerging market in ASEAN, a market full of opportunities for technology builders, operators, engineers, founders, and investors who want to participate in real technology growth.

To realize that goal, it needs clearer talent pathways, stronger English-language guidance, faster digital processing, and better coordination between immigration, labor, tax, banking, and investment authorities.

Vietnam has introduced a number of policy reforms in recent years to create a more favorable environment to attract international technology talent. Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, effective from August 7, 2025, cuts work permit processing to ten working days, relaxes experience requirements for experts, and creates new exemptions for professionals in finance, science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. The International Financial Center framework shows Vietnam is willing to think ambitiously about attracting investors and senior professionals.

Recently, on behalf of the Vietnam Private Capital Agency (VPCA), you proposed that Vietnam introduce a “Remote Talent Visa” to attract experts in various fields, including technology. Could you elaborate on this idea?

It would allow qualified foreign professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, and independent experts to live in Vietnam while working remotely for overseas clients, exploring startups, investing, or mentoring Vietnamese companies.

The objective is not tourism but economic development. Many talented people today work remotely: software engineers, AI specialists, product managers, investors, consultants, and founders. They may not be ready to open a company in Vietnam on Day 1, but if Vietnam gives them a legal, simple, and attractive way to live here, many will eventually invest, hire, mentor, or build businesses here.

I would design it with clear categories: remote professionals with proof of foreign income, startup founders exploring Vietnam, and investors or experts in priority sectors like AI, fintech, semiconductors, climate technology, and financial services. It needs safeguards: proof of income, health insurance, a clean criminal record, and compliance with Vietnamese tax and immigration rules. It should not create informal work. It should create a transparent pathway into Vietnam’s innovation economy.

This is also not a new idea imposed from outside. Vietnam’s own national startup strategy explicitly calls for favorable visa policies to attract foreign entrepreneurs, experts, investors, and fund managers. The Remote Talent Visa is one practical way to deliver on a commitment the government has already made on paper.

It helps build a pipeline of global talent that becomes familiar with Vietnam, connects with local companies, and eventually contributes to the broader innovation ecosystem.

Vietnam should not wait until someone has already decided to invest. It should create a pathway that helps them fall in love with the country first, then build here.

As a financial expert, how attractive do you think Vietnam’s technology market is to international investment funds?

Vietnam is attractive, but still developing from an institutional investor perspective. The appeal is strong. Vietnam has a large domestic market, rising incomes, high digital adoption, and major gaps that technology can solve. Regional themes support it too: supply chain diversification, digital finance, AI adoption, and a growing middle class. Investors also like that there is real economic activity behind the technology story.

At the same time, investors see challenges. Exit pathways are limited. Initial Public Offering (IPO) markets are not yet deep enough for many venture-backed companies. Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are improving but need more scale. Legal structures for venture investment, convertible instruments, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), etc., remain complicated.

So my view is positive, but practical. Vietnam has the demand side. It has founders, talent, and growth. The next stage is strengthening the capital formation side: fund structures, exits, sandboxes, investor protection, and regulatory clarity.

Vietnam’s National Strategy for Innovative Startups aims to grow the country’s venture capital market to reach $1.5 billion by 2030. Do you think this is a feasible goal? What does Vietnam need to do to realize this goal?

Yes, the target is realistic, but it will not happen automatically. Vietnam today has more than 4,000 startups and two unicorns, and annual venture investment has averaged around $400 million, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology’s latest report. Reaching $1.5 billion means roughly tripling or quadrupling annual volume in four years. That is achievable, but only if the conditions for capital improve as fast as the ambition.

My first recommendation is legal infrastructure. Vietnam needs clearer rules for venture funds, convertible bonds, SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) agreements, ESOP programs, and other investment instruments that align with international practices.

Second, build strong regulatory sandboxes in fintech, AI, digital assets, and climate technology, so regulators learn while innovation moves forward under supervision.

Third, attract foreign fund managers, accelerators, and institutional investors. Capital matters, but global networks matter just as much. Startups need customers, later-stage investors, and overseas markets.

Fourth, connect the startup strategy with the International Financial Center strategy. If Vietnam wants to be a regional financial and innovation hub, venture capital should be part of that design, not a side project.

Finally, focus on exits. Venture capital grows when investors believe there is a path to liquidity. That means deeper IPO markets, more M&As, and stronger corporate venture participation.

Vietnam has ambition, high-quality human resources, and significant growth potential. The next step is building legal, financial, and regulatory architecture that is modern enough to turn these advantages into competitive strength on a global scale.

The last thing I want to say is that Vietnam should not only attract visitors. It should attract builders.