Open Innovation Day 2026: Global Tech and Investment Leaders Join Forces in Ho Chi Minh City to Build the Next-Generation Industrial City

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 26, 2026, the annual international event Open Innovation Day 2026 (OID 2026), themed "Power the Next-Generation Industrial City," will take place at Skylar 4, Thiskyhall Sala, 10 Mai Chi Tho Street, An Khanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, alongside a series of related activities. The event is led by the SoiHub - Open Innovation Hub, with the support of Saigon Telecommunication & Technologies Corporation (SAIGONTEL), the Open Innovation and Technopreneur Institute (OITI), the National Institute of Innovation (NACENTECH) under the Ministry of Science and Technology, the International Labour Organization (ILO), Chau Giang Group Joint Stock Company, the Technology Incubation Center (TIC), and numerous other partners.

The event is expected to bring together major technology corporations, investment funds, research institutes, universities, and international partners from South Korea, the United States, Japan, Singapore, the European Union, and other markets. The gathering aims to foster dialogue, connect resources, and create opportunities for cooperation and investment in infrastructure and the development of high-value-added industries in Vietnam. According to the organizers, approximately 50 investment promotion delegations from the United States and South Korea are expected to visit Vietnam, with 15 discussion, engagement, and partnership-building sessions planned around OID 2026.

From Double-Digit Growth Ambitions to the Challenge of Building Industrial Capacity at Scale

Vietnam has set a target of achieving double-digit economic growth during the 2026–2030 period, with science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation identified as key growth drivers. This direction is reflected in Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in the development of science and technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, as well as Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW on private-sector development. The latter identifies the private sector as one of the most important drivers of the economy and encourages the development of large private enterprises capable of taking a leading role.

To realize these ambitions, Vietnamese businesses need greater access to long-term capital, core technologies, and markets for their products, alongside stronger contributions from domestic corporations to the advancement of science, technology, and innovation. These resources can help narrow the gap between the country's development needs and its existing capabilities.

OID 2026 is designed around this direction, shifting the focus from broad-based innovation ecosystem development toward addressing large-scale infrastructure challenges and building core industrial capabilities for Vietnamese enterprises.

The event builds on the results accumulated over previous editions. Over the years, OID has attracted more than 3,000 participants in total, connected over 200 organizations, including leading corporations and pioneering startups, and featured more than 300 speakers from various industries. At OID 2025 alone, with support from 268 media organizations, the event generated 174 international media articles and reached more than 800,000 readers across over 10 countries. OID 2025 also recognized 12 strategic partners and facilitated discussions on more than 100 real-world technology challenges.

Building on these achievements, OID 2026 will focus on four areas that directly affect industrial competitiveness and investment decisions in the next phase of development. More than 20 speakers, including leaders from government agencies, corporations, investment funds, and international organizations from Vietnam, the United States, South Korea, Canada, and other markets, are expected to contribute to the program.

1. Investment and Infrastructure for AI and Data Centers

Computing capacity, data centers, and semiconductors are becoming essential foundations of the digital economy and high-tech manufacturing. OID 2026 will examine the development of AI infrastructure and computing capacity, as well as the conditions required to attract investment into these sectors in Vietnam.

Participants in this area will include representatives from the Authority of Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence under the Ministry of Science and Technology, SAIF Eagle Fund, the Vietnam International Financial Centre in Ho Chi Minh City (VIFC-HCMC), Honeywell, Robert Half and Protiviti, and US-based investment fund Skytian Capital.

2. Workforce Development in the AI Era

AI is reshaping skill requirements and the organization of work across multiple industries. The program will focus on reskilling and upskilling, while strengthening collaboration among businesses, educational institutions, and research organizations.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) in Viet Nam will participate in this area.

3. Green Energy Infrastructure

Reliable electricity supply, sufficient power capacity, and the ability to meet increasingly stringent emissions-reduction requirements are becoming more important for data centers, semiconductors, and high-tech manufacturing. OID 2026 will focus on clean power sources, electricity grids, energy storage systems, and financing and partnership models for developing energy infrastructure.

The World Energy Council (WEC) will participate in this area.

4. The Low-Altitude Economy

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), autonomous systems, testing infrastructure, and dual-use technologies are giving rise to a new technology market. OID 2026 will explore initiatives to strengthen domestic research and development (R&D), testing, manufacturing, and supply chains, while expanding connections with international partners.

This area will be co-chaired by the Vietnam Aerospace Association (VASA).

Bringing these four areas together in a single program is intended to connect investment needs with technological capabilities, research resources, and market opportunities—all of which must develop in tandem to establish new industrial capabilities.

In Conjunction with Autumn Economic Forum 2026, Expanding Opportunities for International Cooperation

Notably, OID 2026 will serve as an opening event alongside the series of activities of Autumn Economic Forum 2026 (AEF 2026), led by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. This collaboration aims to connect economic development strategies with practical implementation.

While AEF focuses on the broader economic outlook, mechanisms, and policies to advance new growth drivers, OID 2026 provides a platform for technology corporations, investment funds, and international financial institutions to connect and jointly explore solutions to specific infrastructure needs.

Designed specifically for C-level executives, OID 2026 offers businesses, major technology corporations, and international investors an opportunity to engage directly with one another and establish common ground with government authorities. Participants will gain a broader understanding of Vietnam's emerging industrial infrastructure landscape and have opportunities to assess pilot models firsthand, paving the way for technology partnerships and investment projects that can be implemented in practice.

Three Practical Networking Benefits for Vietnamese Businesses

For domestic businesses, OID 2026 creates opportunities to meet a wide range of international investors and technology partners in Ho Chi Minh City at a single event, rather than having to approach individual partners overseas.

The program's networking value centers on three areas:

Policy engagement: Direct dialogue with central and municipal policymakers.

International connections: Opportunities to meet foreign investors, technology corporations, and research partners.

Executive-level networking: Building relationships with business leaders, investment funds, and leading research institutes and universities in Vietnam.

Through an open and practical discussion format covering policy, capital, technology, and research resources, OID 2026 aims to translate dialogue into concrete opportunities for cooperation. This approach is intended to help Vietnamese businesses strengthen their technological capabilities, participate more deeply in global value chains, and contribute to building the foundations of a next-generation industrial economy.

PR Newswire is the official media partner of Open Innovation Day 2026. 

Event information: https://oid.openinnovationhub.vn/

Registration: https://invite.aef.vn/

SoiHub Organizing Committee Representative

Ms. Trinh Thi Lan Huong
Email: [email protected]

Open Innovation and Technopreneur Institute (OITI) Organizing Committee Representative

Ms. Hoang Ngoc Mai
Email: [email protected]