AI for urban operations
Analyze traffic, infrastructure and public service data to support real-time operational decision-making.
Number · Sector hub
Digital technology
HCM VIF aims to invest in teams that apply artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing and IoT to solve a specific operational problem of urban, medical or manufacturing - where value is measured by real efficiency, not just technology demonstration.
Why now?
Artificial intelligence has passed the testing phase
In the last three years, the cost of deploying artificial intelligence models has decreased rapidly while the data and cloud computing infrastructure in Vietnam has matured enough for small and medium enterprises to access. The problem is no longer whether the technology is feasible or not, but rather which team turns it into a product that customers pay for aims to bring Vietnam into the leading group in the ASEAN region in AI, with the orientation of training at least 500,000 AI human resources and AI deployment human resources by 2030. The biggest gap today is early stage capital for teams that have products but do not have enough cash flow to open. wide.
We are not looking for the largest model. We look for a team that deeply understands a business process and uses the data of that process to create an advantage that is difficult for competitors to copy.
This is the time when HCM VIF wants to accompany: when the digital transformation needs of businesses and the public sector are clear, but the capital source for the domestic Series A round is still available. thin.
500.000
AI human resources training and fostering goals until 2030
Source: Draft National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence to 2030, vision to 2045 – Ministry of Science and Technology
10.000
Bachelor's, engineering, master's, PhD AI and data science degrees awarded every year
Source: Draft National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence to 2030
Top 3
Vietnam's position in AI in Southeast Asia by 2030
Source: National strategy on research, development and application of artificial intelligence
Ho Chi Minh City Chance
Advantages only City funds have
Institute - industry close school
Data science and machine learning research groups at major universities in the City are the core source of technology and human resources for startups.
Market testing in place
Ho Chi Minh City's business density and public service scale allow the team to test the product on real customers right from the early stages.
Data and computing infrastructure
Domestic data centre infrastructure and cloud services help reduce training and model operating costs and meet domestic data storage requirements.
Companion policy
The City's digital transformation orientation and technology ordering programmes pave the way for startups to legitimately approach public sector problems.
HCM VIF what to look for in the industry
Four signals in the digital technology profile
The business problem is clear
The product solves a specific customer process, measured in cost savings or increased revenue — it doesn't stop at a generic platform.
Sustainable data advantage
The team owns or creates its own data source, making product quality improve over time and difficult to copy.
Healthy operating index
Repeat paying customers, retention rates are stable, and cost to serve per customer tends to decrease as scale increases.
Data governance and compliance
Personal data protection policies, access authorization and audit logs were established early, in accordance with current legal requirements.
The central problem
Digital technology problems we are interested in
Enterprise data platform
Tool for collecting, standardizing and exploiting internal data for small and medium-sized businesses with reasonable deployment costs.
AI applied in vertical industries
Specialised assistants and models for healthcare, finance, logistics or manufacturing — where business insights create competitive barriers.
IoT and edge infrastructure
Solution for connecting devices, collecting field data and processing at the edge for factories, buildings and technical infrastructure.
Information security and data protection
Technology to monitor, detect attacks and protect personal data - the foundational conditions for any digital application to operate sustainably.
And other breakthrough technologies
The above list is the direction the Fund is interested in, not a limit. If your business pursues a disruptive new technology that falls outside of the above categories, we'd love to hear.
Priority areas
Areas of interest to the Fund
List of priority fields according to the Fund establishment project — where the Fund actively searches and receives investment applications.
The Fund is looking for digital technology teams to solve the City's real problems
Submit your application online for the Fund to consider according to the investment criteria of the digital technology sector, or learn in advance about the Fund's investment strategy.