SURF 2026: THE ERA OF RISING – PIONEERING INNOVATION

The Da Nang Innovation Startup Festival - SURF 2026 took place on August 18 - 19, 2026, at the Furama Da Nang International Convention Palace under the theme “The Era of Rising – Pioneering Innovation.” As the city’s largest annual innovation startup event, SURF 2026 also served as a platform for connecting domestic and international resources in science, technology, investment, and innovation.

Overview of the event

Organized in the context of Da Nang’s accelerated implementation of Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthrough development in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, SURF 2026 continued to reaffirm its role as a bridge connecting government agencies, businesses, universities and research institutes, investors, and the startup community. The event contributed to realizing Da Nang’s vision of becoming a regional innovation city.

The event was held under the direction of the Da Nang People’s Committee, with the Da Nang Department of Science and Technology taking the lead. The Da Nang Innovation Startup Support Center co-organized the event in collaboration with Quest Ventures; Hub Network Da Nang; Junior Chamber International Vietnam (JCI Vietnam); BambuUP Joint Stock Company; Bac My An Tourism Joint Stock Company; and Giang Son Viet Media & Entertainment Joint Stock Company, with the support of numerous investment funds, international organizations, and startup communities from Vietnam and abroad.

A Meeting Point for the Domestic and International Innovation Community

SURF 2026 brought together more than 30 renowned speakers, experts, and investment funds from Singapore, South Korea, the United States, Japan, China, and other countries; more than 20 supporting organizations; over 150 startup projects registered for the Innovation Startup Competition; and more than 30 exhibition booths showcasing innovative technologies and products. The event attracted more than 3,000 registrations for both in-person and online participation.

Mr. Ho Quang Buu, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee, delivers the opening remarks.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Ho Quang Buu, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee, said that SURF is a meeting point where ideas connect with resources, technologies find markets, and Da Nang startups build connections to expand into regional and global markets.

Da Nang has consistently identified innovation as a core driver of the city’s development, rather than a responsibility limited to the science and technology sector. To realize this vision, the city is committed to building a comprehensive, sustainable, and deeply interconnected innovation ecosystem, with innovation becoming a key development capacity of the city as a whole, not merely a task of the science and technology sector.

Da Nang’s efforts to build a strong innovation ecosystem have been recognized through positive results on the international stage. According to StartupBlink’s 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index, Da Nang rose to 554th globally, climbing 212 places from 2025 and gaining 342 positions in just two years since it first entered the global Top 1,000 startup ecosystems.

The city was also recognized by StartupBlink as “Vietnam’s Fastest-Growing Startup Ecosystem” and ranked among the Top 20 Fastest-Growing Startup Ecosystems Worldwide in 2026.

Mr. Hoang Minh, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, delivers remarks at SURF 2026.

Highly appreciating Da Nang’s efforts to support innovative startups, Mr. Hoang Minh, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, noted that SURF 2026 has set ambitious goals: “Building a Technology Unicorn from Da Nang” and “Da Nang – A Launchpad for Unicorns.” These are highly encouraging signals.

He emphasized that the success of an innovation ecosystem should not be measured simply by the number of events, startups, or competitions. More importantly, it should be measured by how many technologies are successfully commercialized, how many businesses achieve sustainable growth, how many products succeed in the market, and how much they contribute to economic growth and social development. These are also the key challenges facing Da Nang in the coming period.

To help Da Nang truly become an innovation city and a leading center for innovation and entrepreneurship with influence across Vietnam and the region, the Ministry of Science and Technology recommended that the city focus on several key priorities: continuing to build a high-impact and effective innovation ecosystem; placing businesses at the center of the ecosystem; accelerating technology commercialization and innovation; developing investment capital and markets for startups; strengthening human resources and a culture of innovation; and positioning Da Nang as an international gateway connecting the innovation ecosystems of the region and the country.

A Convergence Hub for Technology, Investment, and Ambition for Growth

One of the highlights of SURF 2026 was the significant expansion of international cooperation activities. On the very first day of the event, Da Nang officially launched the Daegu (South Korea) Technology and Innovation Showcase Space in Da Nang. The space serves as a key hub connecting businesses, startup support organizations, and government agencies from the two cities, creating opportunities to promote technology transfer, investment, and the development of a more internationally connected innovation ecosystem.

Alongside technology networking activities, the event featured a series of in-depth seminars and forums focusing on artificial intelligence, technology startups, global business development, and the future of strategic technology sectors. Topics such as Agentic AI, blockchain, digital transformation, the digital economy, semiconductors, and green technology were explored, reflecting the emerging development priorities of Da Nang’s startup ecosystem.

The forums “Building a Technology Unicorn from Da Nang” and “Da Nang Goes Global” offered practical insights from businesses, investment funds, and international experts on building globally competitive technology companies, expanding into international markets, and strengthening the competitiveness of Vietnamese startups.

Fostering Collaboration and Mobilizing Resources for the Ecosystem

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Signing Ceremony

SURF 2026 featured a number of significant cooperation initiatives among domestic and international organizations. Throughout the event, 12 Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) were exchanged between government agencies, startup support organizations, technology companies, and international investment funds, with the aim of strengthening connections between Da Nang’s innovation ecosystem and innovation hubs around the world.

Launch Ceremony of SVentures Investment Fund in Da Nang

In addition, funding was awarded to support technology innovation for two enterprises, Mien Trung Industrial Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and EM AND AI Joint Stock Company. The SVentures Investment Fund was also officially launched in Da Nang, contributing additional financial resources to the local startup ecosystem.

On behalf of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh affirmed that the Ministry would continue to support Da Nang by connecting the city with experts, research institutes, universities, investment funds, and international partners. The Ministry will also assist the city in strengthening its institutional framework and infrastructure, as well as developing risk-tolerant regulatory mechanisms and sandbox frameworks to foster innovation.

He expressed his confidence that, with its tradition of dynamism, resilience, and creativity, together with the strong political determination of the Party Committee, authorities, and people of Da Nang, the city will successfully achieve its goal of becoming an Innovation City and emerge as a leading hub of innovation in Vietnam and the region.

Innovation Startup Competition – A Launchpad for the Seeds of Tomorrow

Student Category

Enterprise Category

The Da Nang Innovation Startup Competition - SURF 2026 continued to be a key highlight of the event. This year, for the first time, the competition was organized into two separate categories: the Enterprise Category and the Student Category, creating opportunities for projects at different stages of development to connect with experts, mentors, and investors.

From more than 150 applications, the Organizing Committee selected 67 projects to compete in the preliminary round. Following a rigorous evaluation process, the 20 outstanding projects advanced to the final round. The projects covered a wide range of fields, including artificial intelligence, digital transformation, biotechnology, education, environmental technology, high-tech agriculture, blockchain, and financial technology.

In the Enterprise Category, “Circular BioEnergy – Circular Waste Treatment” won First Prize. “MECHIVA – An AI-powered Marketing Automation and Optimization Platform for Cross-Border E-commerce Businesses” received Second Prize. “BÀ BA HỘI – Innovating the Value of Vietnamese Agricultural Products through Technology” won Third Prize, while “Solid Sky” received the Consolation Prize.

In the Student Category, “Augmented Reality Glasses to Support Communication for People with Hearing Impairments” won First Prize, while “GlucoScent” received Second Prize. “VSign” won Third Prize, and “EVIRA – An AI-Powered E-commerce Video Analytics Platform” received the Consolation Prize.

More than just a competitive platform, the competition provided startups with opportunities to refine their business models, connect with resources, and progressively develop into scalable businesses capable of expanding in both domestic and international markets.

Affirming Da Nang’s Position as a Regional Innovation Hub

After 10 years of development, SURF has become a flagship innovation startup event in Da Nang and the Central Vietnam region. SURF 2026 further reaffirmed its role as a platform connecting stakeholders across the ecosystem, promoting public - private partnerships, university - business collaboration, startup–investor connections, and international cooperation networks.

With an increasingly comprehensive policy framework, well-developed science and technology infrastructure, and strong support from businesses, investors, and domestic and international startup organizations, Da Nang is steadily turning its ambition into reality: becoming a leading science, technology, and innovation hub in Vietnam and the region.

According to Mr. Ho Quang Buu, as the city enters a new stage of development, the Da Nang government is committed to further transforming its governance approach — shifting decisively from “management” to “enabling and supporting”, with the practical performance of businesses and the success of the innovation ecosystem serving as the ultimate measures of effectiveness. The city stands ready to expand cooperation, embrace international knowledge, technologies, and capital, while creating the most favorable environment for investors and the startup community to confidently research, develop, and achieve breakthroughs.

SURF 2026 is more than a festival for the startup community; it is also a testament to Da Nang’s determination to build an open, dynamic, and globally connected innovation ecosystem capable of nurturing technology companies with global ambitions.