Qualcomm Reveals Shortlisted Teams for Vietnam Innovation Challenge

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, has announced the shortlisted companies for the Qualcomm® Vietnam Innovation Challenge 2023 (QVIC) program.

Ten startup teams in technology areas such as smart cities, robotics, automotive, Internet of Things (IoT), AgriTech, and more, will each receive a grant of US$10,000 in cash prizes to further develop their proposals during the 8-month incubation period, including technical support, business coaching and intellectual property training. Each startup team may be eligible to receive patent filing financial incentives and may be eligible to compete for cash prizes of US$100,000, US$75,000, and US$50,000 in the finale.

The shortlisted companies were selected based on a variety of qualifications including technical capabilities, innovative products, and patentable technologies, as well as relevancy to Vietnam’s digital transformation and Industry 4.0.

The shortlisted companies and their technology solutions are (sorted by alphabetical order):

· Alpha Asimov Robotics Company Limited – autonomous delivery robot

· Alternō Vietnam Company Limited – low-cost zero emission thermal energy storage

· Bach Khoa HCMC Science Technology JSC. – smart water meter

· Benkon Corp.– energy saving solution for air conditioners

· EyeQ Tech – smart key panel for hotel check-in/check-out

· Next Robotics JSC. –autonomous mobile robot

· NextVision JSC. –open platform smart farming ecosystem

· RYNAN Technologies JSC. – smart insect monitoring system

· Wiibike Viet Nam Technology Joint Stock Company – electric micro-mobility as a service

· XB Technology Company Limited – drone delivery based on cellular connectivity

Qualcomm Vietnam Innovation Challenge

Launched in December 2019, the Qualcomm Vietnam Innovation Challenge is designed to identify and nurture innovative startups in promising new technology areas in Vietnam. This Challenge, which involves the support of Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), is designed to enable the development of Vietnam’s rising technology ecosystem by identifying and nurturing innovative small- and medium-sized companies who are designing products in 5G, IoT, machine learning, smart cities, wearable devices, and multimedia utilizing mobile platforms and technologies from Qualcomm Technologies, and can benefit from Qualcomm Technologies’ expertise.

The shortlisted companies will be offered incubation support including business and technical guidance, access to Qualcomm Vietnam’s R&D lab in Hanoi, as well as problem-solving support from our local teams. Lab capabilities include ML/AI enablement, camera lab, audio lab, RF chamber, thermal, and modem troubleshooting.

“I’m so excited to welcome these shortlisted companies to the Qualcomm Vietnam Innovation Challenge 2023,” said Dr. An Chen (TS Trần Mỹ An) Vice President, Engineering, Qualcomm Incorporated. “I am delighted that this is the first year we have received several applications from central Vietnam. Two companies from the area were selected to join our 2023 cohort. We also received the largest number of applications this year compared to previous years. This clearly demonstrates the increasing strength of Vietnam’s startup ecosystem and the success of our program in supporting Vietnam’s digital transformation initiative.”

“We are pleased to see the continued efforts of Qualcomm Vietnam Innovation Challenge so that more of our local startups can take advantage of Qualcomm Technologies’ expertise and support to bring innovative technology solutions across Vietnam and beyond,” said Pham Hong Quat, Head of Vietnam’s National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Development (NATEC), MoST, “Congratulations to the shortlisted companies of QVIC 2023 for all their hard work and we encourage them in developing and deploying their technologies.”

In addition to the US$10,000 cash grant awarded to each startup team, Qualcomm Technologies will offer each company business coaching, technical support, IP training, and financial incentives for filing patents as part of the challenge. The finale of the challenge will be held August 2023, where the top three finalists will be selected by a jury of industry leaders and will receive a share of the total cash prizes of US$225,000.