AMPED Vietnam: An afternoon of insights, inspiration, and influence

Summary:

• Vietnam’s startup ecosystem is growing rapidly and rising in global prominence.
• Tech in Asia’s AMPED Vietnam event provided hyperlocal insights and practical guidance for founders.
• The event featured discussions with prominent founders and business leaders, as well as hands-on workshops focusing on vibe coding and fundraising.
• AMPED Vietnam was organized in partnership with the Singapore Global Network (SGN) and Sunrate, whose insightful speakers helped fuel dynamic conversations.

Vietnam’s coming up in the startup world.

Its startup ecosystem ranked 55th globally in 2025, marking the third consecutive year that the country has gone up on the list.

In just the past five years, startups in Vietnam have also raised US$2.3 billion, which is three-quarters of the country’s all-time startup funding.

What this means is that all eyes are on Vietnam, and that’s why we chose it as the destination for the second edition of our new AMPED event series, which came hot off the heels of the inaugural event in Kuala Lumpur.

AMPED Vietnam took place on September 10 in Ho Chin Minh City / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

AMPED cuts through the fluff to provide hyperlocal tips and tricks to answer founders’ burning questions.

The four-hour event, which took place on September 10 in Ho Chi Minh City, was organized in partnership with the Singapore Global Network (SGN) and Sunrate. It aimed to explore the challenges involved with building in Vietnam, highlighting key lessons and best practices on navigating this exciting market.

Didn’t make it to the event? Here’s what went down.

Insights, inspiration, and community

The event started with an opening address by Jade Koh, regional director (Southeast Asia) of Singapore’s Economic Development Board. She spoke on behalf of SGN and the work it does.

Learn more: SGN and its mission to build a global community with Singapore as its heart

Jade Koh, regional director (Southeast Asia) of Singapore’s Economic Development Board / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

Attendees then had the opportunity to hear from notable founders and business leaders operating in Vietnam.

In the first session, Binh Tran, general partner at Ascend Vietnam Ventures, moderated a fireside chat with Otohiko Kozutsumi, chief commercial officer and co-founder of AnyMind Group. Kozutsumi shared his thoughts on how AnyMind successfully built and scaled local teams in markets such as Vietnam, as well as how it navigated other challenges such as funding and emerging technologies.

Otohiko Kozutsumi, chief commercial officer and co-founder of AnyMind Group, with Binh Tran, general partner at AVV / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

The second session was a panel discussion featuring Joshua Bao, co-founder at Sunrate, and Vu Hoang Yen, CEO of Be Group. Moderated by Chrystie Dao, managing partner at Resu Consulting, the panel explored what it really takes to win in Vietnam and beyond.

Learn more: Sunrate is a global payment and treasury management platform empowering companies worldwide

This session brought together two operators at opposite ends of the spectrum – Sunrate, a regional scale-up expanding into Vietnam, and Be Group, a local challenger with global ambition. The discussion explored topics such as navigating uncertainty, building customer trust, and how to scale for the long-term.

From left to right: Joshua Bao, co-founder at Sunrate, Vu Hoang Yen, CEO of Be Group, and Chrystie Dao, managing partner at Resu Consulting / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

After the stage sessions, guests had the opportunity to attend two hands-on workshops that dove deep into the world of vibe coding and fundraising.

Andy Nguyen, CEO of Byterover, led a workshop on vibe coding. The hour-long session covered the AI tools and platforms every founder should know, how AI and vibe coding is changing the way early-stage startups are built, and the basics of coding with AI.

Arun Pai, principal at Monk’s Hill Ventures, conducted a dynamic session that connected startups and VCs. Through group discussion activities and “lightning” one-minute pitch sessions, founders gained insights into the fundraising experience and received valuable feedback on how to improve their pitches.

The afternoon closed with a networking session, where speakers and attendees could mingle and interact, reflecting on their takeaways from the day and connecting for future opportunities.

Get AMPED

From mastering AI and understanding investor psychology, to hearing firsthand how Southeast Asia’s most successful brands scaled up, AMPED Vietnam tackled today’s startup realities. It also provided founders with actionable insights to scale and grow.

Networking in session / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

The support of partners such as SGN and Sunrate highlights the regional synergies at play – and the available opportunities – in Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem.

Vietnam’s on the rise, but it’s also just one part of the larger regional story. Tech in Asia will continue to drive the growth of Southeast Asia’s tech and startup community, providing valuable insights and connections to power the future of our ecosystem.

Thank you to our partners Singapore Global Network and Sunrate for making AMPED Vietnam a success.

The Singapore Global Network is a division under Singapore’s Economic Development Board that aims to broaden and deepen Singapore’s network of family, friends, and fans. Learn more about SGN here.

Sunrate is a global payment and treasury management platform empowering companies worldwide. Learn more about Sunrate on its website here.

This content was produced by Tech in Asia Studios, which connects brands with Asia’s tech community. Learn more about partnering with Tech in Asia Studios.