The Swiss Government has provided significant support to build startup ecosystems in developing countries. One of its key initiatives is the Swiss Entrepreneurship Program (Swiss EP), which is currently implemented in seven countries, including Vietnam, Peru, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia. In Vietnam, Swiss EP focuses on developing three ecosystems in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City.
With a systemic approach, Swiss EP builds the capacity of organizations that provide support services to innovative startups. Its partners include business incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurship mentors, angel investors, and venture capital (VC) funds. By enhancing the capacity of support organizations, Swiss EP believes that startups will receive higher-quality services, leading to higher success rates, more job creation, and increased investment.
Swiss EP does not provide direct financial support. Instead, it works with partners to identify areas that need strengthening and prioritize actions. Partners lead the implementation, with Swiss EP acting as a facilitator, connecting resources and driving execution. To support its partners, Swiss EP provides expert knowledge from its international network and its in-house team.
International experts provided by Swiss EP include successful entrepreneurs, reputable investors, and founders or managers of innovative startup support organizations from developed ecosystems like the United States, Europe, or Israel. These experts typically work on-site with partners for two to four weeks, with living and international travel costs covered by Swiss EP. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Swiss EP adapted by deploying remote expert missions, as international or even domestic travel became impractical. Since 2021, combined in-person and remote missions have been increasingly effective, facilitating more extensive collaboration and understanding between parties.
From 2024 to 2027, as the Vietnamese startup ecosystem shifts focus from quantity to quality and greater specialization, Swiss EP will focus on three main pillars:
- Accelerating Ecosystem Development through strengthening the capacity of partner organizations.
- Mobilizing Capital by building the capacity of both investors and startups.
- Promoting Internationalization by fostering a global mindset among founders and helping connect Vietnamese startups to the global ecosystem.
Additionally, Swiss EP emphasizes the promotion of female entrepreneurship, public-private policy dialogues, and efforts supporting climate-positive innovation startups. The program is also focused on building the capacity of organizations that support growing (scale-up) startups and those commercializing scientific and technological achievements or research outcomes.
After 10 years of contributing to the development of Vietnam’s startup ecosystem, Swiss EP is proud to be a trusted partner to over 15 leading startup support organizations in Vietnam. It is also recognized by central agencies such as the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Education and Training, as well as local authorities in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, for policy consultation and program design in the national and local innovation ecosystem development.
From 2019 to 2023, Swiss EP Vietnam carried out 70 expert missions, supporting over 2,000 startups (with more than 38% led by female entrepreneurs), creating over 12,000 jobs, and mobilizing over 123 million CHF through three main activity groups:
- Knowledge Sharing: Swiss EP identifies seasoned entrepreneurs globally who share their expertise, experience, and passion for business. These experts provide insights on management, marketing, branding, finance, investment, and more, often through workshops, talks, inspirational lectures, and one-on-one meetings.
- Networking: Swiss EP’s Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) often introduces partners to their networks, offering growth strategies, advice on scaling globally, and insights into fundraising.
- Community Building: Early-stage startup ecosystems often lack resources or expertise to serve entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey. Swiss EP identifies gaps and proposes collaboration opportunities to support the entire startup environment, ensuring a holistic approach to entrepreneurship development.
Swiss EP’s contributions to Vietnam’s startup ecosystem have proven pivotal, creating synergies among local entrepreneurs, investors, and support organizations to foster long-term innovation and sustainable growth.
