HCM CITY — The Business Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Products and the Business Studies and Assistance Centre have launched the 2025 Green Startup Project Competition in HCM City.

The competition aims to identify and nurture startup models that pursue sustainable development in areas such as clean agriculture, processing technologies, community-based tourism, circular economy, social impact-driven business, and preserving local cultural heritages.

Vũ Kim Anh, deputy director of the Business Studies and Assistance Centre and head of the organising committee, said a new feature in the 11th edition of the annual competition is the expanded scope to include youth groups, students, cooperatives, and micro and small enterprises.

The competition also places greater emphasis this year on green startup models that apply technology, promote eco-tourism and adopt circular economy principles.

“We hope to continue identifying projects with the potential for scaling up, thereby making a positive contribution to the green transition of Việt Nam’s agriculture sector and rural economy,” Anh said.

“This is how we are building a deep-rooted startup ecosystem that grows from practical realities and aims for sustainability.

The contest is divided into two groups.

Group A is for newly established startups that have prototypes or products introduced to the market less than one year ago.

Group B is for organisations or businesses that have been operating for between one year and five years with commercialised products or services.

Anh said the organising committee has received a large number of applications.

The deadline for submissions is the end of July.

In August, the jury will make an evaluation and announce the semifinalists, who will then take part in training sessions to refine their projects.

The semifinals will be held all over the country and online in September. The finals will take place in HCM City in October.

The competition offers prizes worth nearly VNĐ1 billion (US$38,379), including VNĐ210 million in cash and the remainder in the form of support packages for communications, training, market access, and others.

The 10-year-old competition has helped shape a vibrant startup ecosystem with nearly 1,000 innovative projects.

It has played a key role in fostering the spirit of green entrepreneurship, emphasising local cultural values, promoting environmental protection, and advancing sustainable development, Anh said.

Notably, it has enabled a number of high-tech agricultural initiatives, eco-friendly farming models and sustainable agricultural value chains to gain access to vital resources and markets. These efforts not only enhance farmers’ incomes but also contribute to protecting land, water resources, and biodiversity, she added. — VNS