Consulate General in San Francisco actively promotes knowledge and technology cooperation between Vietnam and Silicon Valley
WVR - In the context of Vietnam aiming to transition its growth model based on knowledge, technology, and innovation, linking Vietnam's technology ecosystem with Silicon Valley – a leader in U.S. and global technology trends – is considered a strategic requirement.
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| Vietnam Consul General in San Francisco, Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan, delivered the keynote speech at the Vietnam Innovation Connection event – San Francisco Bay Area, on December 7, 2025. (Source: Vietnam Consulate General in San Francisco) |
On December 7, at Silicon Valley, the Vietnam Innovation Connection event – San Francisco Bay Area 2025 gathered numerous technology experts, scientists, startup entrepreneurs, leaders of Vietnamese innovation organizations, along with representatives from many technology companies operating in Silicon Valley, centered in the San Francisco Bay Area.
This event, organized by the Vietnam Consulate General in San Francisco (USA), is an annual activity connecting Vietnamese knowledge and experts in the USA, especially in Silicon Valley, with the country's science and technology development needs in the new phase.
In the context of Vietnam aiming to transition its growth model based on knowledge, technology, and innovation, linking Vietnam's technology ecosystem with Silicon Valley – a leader in U.S. and global technology trends – is considered a strategic requirement, contributing to creating new development drivers for Vietnam's economy by 2030, with a vision to 2045.
A central foundation for sustainable development
In the keynote speech opening the event, Vietnam Consul General in San Francisco, Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan emphasized that the leadership of the Party and State of Vietnam highly values the core role of science – technology and innovation in the national development strategy. Five strategic objectives have been identified: enhancing labor productivity and competitiveness; promoting the digital economy; developing a knowledge economy; ensuring sustainable economic restructuring; and creating an innovation foundation to elevate Vietnam into the group of high-income countries by 2045.
The Consul General affirmed that major policies of the Party and State – with a focus on Resolution 57-NQ/TW on scientific – technological breakthroughs, national strategies on AI, digital technology, semiconductors, biotechnology, and many other fields – have created a strong policy corridor for Vietnam to upgrade its technological capabilities. He also emphasized that these policies pave the way for strengthening connections and deeper cooperation with the global Vietnamese intellectual community, particularly the intellectuals working in Silicon Valley.
Consul General Tuan stressed: "Connecting engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and the technology network in Silicon Valley with Vietnam is expected to contribute significantly at a strategic level for Vietnam to enter a higher development trajectory according to the major goals set."
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| Dr. Tran Viet Hung, a computer science expert and founder of the technology company GotIt in Silicon Valley, speaking at the event (Source: Vietnam Consulate General in San Francisco) |
A strategic bridge of global knowledge with Vietnam
In discussions, Consul General Tuan shared reasons why Vietnam needs to expand deeper connections with Silicon Valley's technology ecosystem – the leading center in the U.S. and globally for the development of era-defining technologies such as artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, semiconductors, data science, robotics, new energy, cybersecurity, and other strategic technologies.
The Consul General emphasized that Silicon Valley is a convergence of global intellectual excellence, including Vietnamese intellect, combined with abundant venture capital, a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and an ecosystem that facilitates growth based on continuous innovation.
This is an environment where innovative ideas can quickly become products, models can become businesses, and talents can maximize their value. Therefore, stronger connections between Vietnam and the Silicon Valley ecosystem will help shorten research and development time, expand technology applications, and effectively leverage resources from the Vietnamese intellectual and expert community in the USA.
From sharing ideas to policy recommendations
This year's event witnessed in-depth and substantive exchanges from four main speakers and numerous discussions from participating Vietnamese intellectuals, experts, and entrepreneurs.
Dr. Tran Viet Hung, a computer science expert and founder of GotIt, shared insights on cooperation in strategic technologies, emphasizing that Vietnam has a golden opportunity to break through if the right policies and support measures for research and development are built and implemented. He analyzed that Vietnam has the advantage of a young and large workforce but needs mechanisms for Vietnamese experts working abroad to participate more deeply in major science and technology projects.
Mr. Hung also highlighted the crucial role of the technology application market: "If Vietnam expands its testing space and creates an environment for innovative businesses, we can develop technology products with global competitiveness."
Ms. To Dieu Lien, a member of the AI for Vietnam initiative in Silicon Valley, emphasized the need for increased cooperation at both central and provincial levels, as many localities in Vietnam have significant needs for digital transformation, data management, cybersecurity, digital healthcare, and digital education but lack strong connection channels with Vietnamese experts in the USA or other countries.
Ms. Dieu Lien recommended expanding cooperation not only at the ministry and central agency level but also to provinces and cities – where digital transformation needs are most direct and intense.
"Connections must be implemented in depth, spread to localities, and have clear mechanisms for receiving initiatives," she emphasized.
Dr. Le Ba Tiep, an expert working at Oracle Corporation, proposed that Vietnam needs to build a strategic website for attracting talent, transparently announcing resource needs, cooperation programs, working conditions, reception roadmaps, and remuneration policies.
According to him, a synchronized database helps Vietnamese experts abroad clearly understand how they can contribute, thereby increasing the effectiveness of connections between the State and the intellectual community.
Ms. Nguyen Hanh from AutSmartAI shared about the global transformation trend in AI applications and offered opinions on how Vietnam can leverage software, data, and AI engineering capabilities to participate more deeply in the value chain. She believes that Vietnamese startups can gain competitive advantages by combining domestic resources with international experts in a "distributed R&D" model.
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| Dr. Tran Viet Hung, a computer science expert and founder of the technology company GotIt in Silicon Valley, speaking at the event (Source: Vietnam Consulate General in San Francisco) |
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Vietnam: A model of effective cooperation
One of the highlights of the program was the presentation by Dr. Tran Viet Hung, one of the founders of the AI for Vietnam (AIV - a non-profit organization in Silicon Valley, with the participation of a group of Vietnamese experts working at leading global technology corporations and universities), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam to provide free AI education to hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese teachers. This initiative is highly regarded as a typical example of effective connection between overseas Vietnamese experts and domestic agencies.
It is known that the goal of this initiative is to bring AI closer to the Vietnamese people as a tool to accelerate learning, working, business, and creativity; aiming to build a comprehensive AI ecosystem for Vietnam, from education and research to practical applications. AIV's first project is ViGen, a collaborative initiative with Meta to build the largest open-source Vietnamese language dataset to date.
Mr. Hung stated that the team implementing this initiative is expanding the program to many areas, from education to businesses and communities, thereby making a practical contribution to Vietnam's national strategy on AI popularization.
Deeper connections, more concrete actions
The exchanges and discussions at this year's event show that the connection between Vietnam and Silicon Valley is deepening, producing tangible results.
In his closing remarks, Consul General Tuan outlined three action directions for the coming time: First, the Consul General proposed that all recommendations and initiatives raised at this event will continue to be discussed and concretized, implemented by working groups.
Second, in January of the new year 2026, the Consul General will chair a closed meeting with the Visemi, Viet Spark, Viet AI Star groups, and some pioneering Vietnamese technology experts in the Silicon Valley area to discuss detailed action plans for the coming year.
Third, the Consul General welcomed Viettel Group's announcement to sponsor two connection events next year. Along with the annual event organized by the Consulate General, the Silicon Valley and Vietnam connection ecosystem will have at least three major activities next year, contributing to continuously maintaining and deepening the linkage between the two sides.
"Every idea today, if nurtured and supported, can become a substantial contribution to the country," Consul General Hoang Anh Tuan affirmed.
Building a long-term foundation for technology cooperation
The Vietnam Innovation Connection event – San Francisco Bay Area 2025 not only created a forum for professional exchange but also laid the groundwork for many strategic cooperation components in the coming phase, such as: Connecting the global Vietnamese intellectual network; Enhancing direct dialogue with Vietnamese experts in the USA; Identifying priority cooperation areas including AI, semiconductors, digital technology, cybersecurity, clean energy, and educational technology (EdTech); Creating mechanisms for large Vietnamese technology companies – like Viettel Group, to connect and collaborate long-term with Vietnamese intellectuals and technology experts in Silicon Valley.
Notably, linking discussions at the event with national policies on science – technology, innovation, and attracting global Vietnamese talent clearly shows Vietnam's clear strategy and strong determination to leverage global intellectual resources to contribute to the country's new development phase.
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| A group of delegates taking a commemorative photo after the event's conclusion on December 7. (Source: Vietnam Consulate General in San Francisco) |
Towards a deeper and more substantive cooperation phase
The lively exchanges and discussions at the Vietnam Innovation Connection event – San Francisco Bay Area affirm the consensus and determination of Vietnamese intellectuals in this area to continue accompanying their homeland Vietnam in making science – technology truly a pillar to promote sustainable development, while expanding the cooperation bridge between Vietnam and Silicon Valley – a leading innovation and creativity center in the USA and the world.
With the companionship of the Vietnam Consulate General in San Francisco, the Vietnamese intellectual and expert community in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Vietnamese technology companies like Viettel Group, the connection and cooperation between Vietnam and Silicon Valley are expected to continue to deepen, become more substantive and effective, making a practical contribution to further developing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the United States, while positively promoting innovation, acceleration, and leading Vietnam to higher and more sustainable development in the new phase.
(Source: Vietnam Consulate General in San Francisco)
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