The initiative marks an important milestone in enhancing digital competencies and creative thinking for teachers, students, startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the broader community of designers and content creators.

Addressing the signing ceremony on December 11, Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, emphasised that the collaboration with Canva will help build a robust digital innovation environment, thereby developing high-caliber workforce, accelerating digital transformation, and positioning Ho Chi Minh City as a regional innovation hub.

The hub is expected to offer greater opportunities for technology companies and startups to connect with global expertise and resources.

Sarah Hooper, Australia’s Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, highlighted that the country’s expertise in technology, the digital economy, and research and development forms the backbone of its international collaborations.

She said supporting science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation is one of the six key pillars of the Vietnam–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, adding that the partnership between Canva, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, Startup & Innovation Hub of Ho Chi Minh City (SIHUB), and Investment New South Wales reflects a shared commitment to enhancing knowledge exchange, trade, and technological cooperation between the two countries - an ambition that is now becoming a reality.

Meanwhile, Elle Liu, Canva Vietnam Country Director, explained that the company chose Ho Chi Minh City because of its highly dynamic innovation ecosystem. She noted that, with nearly 300 million users and more than 30 billion designs created on its platform, Canva plans to launch a training and creative capacity-building programme targeting three main groups including the education sector, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups, and content designers and creators.

The collaborative programme is part of a broader multilateral partnership between Ho Chi Minh City and New South Wales. Beyond its role in improving competitiveness and developing digital human resources, the cooperation framework also opens new opportunities for boosting trade, investment, and technology transfer.

Through such partnerships, Ho Chi Minh City continues to affirm its determination to cultivate a sustainable innovation ecosystem, thereby driving digital economic growth and generating long-term value for the community.

General Secretary To Lam calls for formation of Vietnamese tech unicorns

VOV.VN - Party General Secretary To Lam has urged universities and research institutes to speed up technology transfer and enable research teams to set up commercial enterprises to bring products to market, with the aim of creating a generation of fast-growing tech firms and, gradually, Vietnamese tech unicorns.