The Artificial Intelligence Accelerator Challenge 2021 (AAC 2021) successfully organised a Demo Day on Tuesday for the five most outstanding start-ups participating in the challenge.

The programme was hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology, with the sponsorship and support of the Aus4Innovation Programme, implemented by VSV and VnExpress e-newspaper.

Launched in February 2021 with the theme: "Artificial Intelligence during the Pandemic - Adapting to the New Normal", AAC 2021 aims to find, nurture and develop applications of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in diverse fields, including finance, commerce, electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, education, transportation, and smart cities.

From 111 initial applications, 15 projects were selected for training and the five most outstanding projects were selected to undergo a 16-week customised boot camp to foster knowledge and experience in business operations of start-ups, allowing them to perfect their business models and improve their presentation skills to potential investors and customers.

At the Demo Day event, the five start-ups had the opportunity to present their potential in front of a large community of investors, partners and the start-up community to raise capital and support.

Bui The Duy, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, said: “The Government is trying to implement many activities to cope with disruptions caused by COVID-19, in which innovation and application of advanced technologies have been defined as a key to increasing the resilience of businesses and the recovery of the economy. AI is one of the core technologies that may revolutionise many of Viet Nam's key socio-economic sectors such as health, education, business, finance and agriculture.”

The ACC 2021 programme is part of the Australian Government's support, through the Aus4Innovation Programme, to promote AI in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to adapt to the new-normal in Viet Nam.

Kim Wimbush, Programme Director of Aus4innovation, said: “We acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of the Vietnamese Government in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Through initiatives such as sponsoring and promoting innovative applications using AI, Australia has made a strong commitment to supporting Viet Nam’s COVID-19 recovery, both in the short and long term.”

Huy Pham, Investment Director of VSV Foundation, said: "Although AI is complicated and still fairly new in Viet Nam, these start-ups are helping Viet Nam to stay on the cutting edge of technology and innovation."

"I'm pretty proud of these young entrepreneurs for their perseverance and commitment to innovation, especially during these unprecedented times. The pandemic has led to shifts in how we work and connect, and our start-ups are building the tools and services that will make work - and life - more efficient, interactive, and collaborative."

"AAC 2021 has brought new talent and energy to Viet Nam's start-up ecosystem. Building on this momentum, Demo Day is a chance for our fearless entrepreneurs to put their potential on display and show how they can contribute to the growth and success of the country," said Thang Tran, AAC 2021 Programme Director. — VNS