Better Choice Awards introduces Nation Builders category for first time
VOV.VN - The Better Choice Awards 2026 was launched on August 5 at Hanoi-based National Innovation Centre (NIC), with the introduction of the Nation Builders Awards, a new category honouring enterprises that have made outstanding contributions to national development.
Organised by VCCorp and the NIC, the annual awards programme aims to honour, encourage and promote innovation and creativity that deliver practical value and benefit consumers.
First launched in 2022, the Better Choice Awards seeks to foster a people-centred innovation ecosystem where products, services, technologies and business models with real-world impact are recognised and promoted.
This year's edition is organised in coordination with the Ministry of Science and Technology's State Agency for Technology Innovation, with the aim of making the awards a flagship activity of the Innovate Vietnam.
Through a judging process that combines assessments by an expert panel with public voting, the awards encourage businesses to continuously innovate, improve competitiveness, strengthen links between innovation, the market and consumers, and contribute to a sustainable innovation ecosystem.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, NIC Deputy Director Kim Ngoc Thanh Nga shared that the awards not only recognise outstanding products, services and innovative solutions but also provide a platform connecting businesses with consumers, experts with the market, and showcasing innovation stories with practical value.
The 2026 edition marks a new stage in the programme's development with year-round activities and the debut of the Nation Builders Awards. According to organisers, the new category reflects the belief that innovation should be measured not only by new products but also by businesses' long-term contributions to national development.
Better Choice Awards 2026 features four award groups. The Smart Choice Awards honour consumer technology products; the Car Choice Awards recognise vehicles and mobility ecosystems that meet practical needs; the Innovative Choice Awards celebrate solutions, initiatives and brands that improve user experience, while the Nation Builders Awards honour enterprises with outstanding contributions to Vietnam’s long-term development.
The Nation Builders Awards are based on six criteria, including national infrastructure and energy, the national financial system, strategic technology and industry, quality of life for Vietnamese people, foreign investors building global production hubs, and breakthrough startups. Each category corresponds to a national development priority and has its own evaluation criteria.
Pham Xuan Ha, director of Technology and Automobiles Division at VCCorp Corporation and chairman of the organising committee, said the programme's distinguishing features include the participation of government agencies, an evaluation process combining public voting with expert assessment, and the involvement of leading domestic and international specialists.
Organisers hoped the awards would continue to strengthen Vietnam's innovation ecosystem, encourage businesses to enhance their competitiveness and promote innovations that deliver tangible benefits to society.
The Better Choice Awards 2026 gala is scheduled to take place on October 2-3 at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi as part of the Innovate Vietnam.
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