Ten years of working with startups, universities, and businesses have given us a clearer view of the gap between smart technological ideas and meeting real-world needs. We have witnessed the struggles and uncertainties of scientists along this path.
Through technology-scouting projects for corporations and enterprises, we identified a key issue: although Vietnamese scientists possess strong research foundations and the ability to develop advanced technologies, the commercialization of these technologies into practical market-ready products often lacks the right orientation. The main reason lies in limited experience applying technology to production, building viable business strategies, and understanding customer needs. These are essential factors in turning research into useful solutions that can compete with existing products.
The core issue is the lack of connection.
Within Vietnam’s startup ecosystem, KisStartup believes innovation struggles to thrive when confined to narrow frameworks without strong community linkages. The world is facing major environmental, economic, and social challenges, and solutions cannot come from a single country or region alone. Connecting with and learning from global technology hubs and innovation platforms is critical to enable Vietnamese researchers to access advanced methods, technologies, and models. This, in turn, helps refine and expand their solutions, effectively addressing local problems while gradually creating opportunities for Vietnamese technologies to reach international markets with shared characteristics.
LIF Global: Why We Became the National Partner of the Royal Academy of Engineering
We chose to join the Leaders in Innovation Fellowships (LIF) program for three main reasons:
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The program functions like a comprehensive commercialization accelerator, enabling scientists to fully focus on developing their ideas.
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The Royal Academy of Engineering’s network opens doors to experts, investors, and leading policymakers.
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With over 1,500 alumni worldwide, LIF offers a global community and ecosystem that, if leveraged, provides powerful mutual support.
What impressed us most is LIF Global’s emphasis on developing scientists’ business mindset and entrepreneurial skills, guiding them to find pathways for technical solutions to address real-world challenges. When learning about UK innovations in sustainable production and circular economy models, we saw their potential application for Vietnam’s small and medium enterprises—a business segment common across developing countries.
The program also encourages women’s participation, aligning with our philosophy of inclusive innovation. We believe diversity of perspectives leads to more effective and creative solutions.
Lessons from LIF Global 2025
In 2025, ten Vietnamese projects were selected for LIF Global, and seven scientists successfully completed training in the UK. This result demonstrates the systemic potential of international collaboration that we have been building.
Upon returning to Vietnam, these scientists brought not only technical expertise but also new methods, fresh perspectives, and essential networks. These resources will help them implement and refine projects locally, delivering real-world impact.
However, successful technology transfer still requires deep understanding of local contexts. While UK approaches are effective, applying them in Vietnam demands knowledge of customer needs, legal frameworks, and cultural factors. This is where KisStartup’s long-standing experience becomes the key to bridging international innovations with local realities.
These seven scientists have become ambassadors of Vietnam’s innovation capacity, not only for their own projects but also for the broader research community. Their stories create ripple effects, inspiring more researchers to pursue international collaboration opportunities.
That is why continuing to support LIF Global 2026 is a long-term strategy for KisStartup, built on our deep understanding of the innovation ecosystem. We believe sustainable social impact comes not just from funding projects, but from equipping scientists with professional capacity and deep strategic thinking.
KisStartup recognizes that the journey of innovation does not end with initial achievements. Therefore, we are committed to supporting projects during and even after the program—helping refine business models, craft market-entry strategies, and ensure that innovations not only bloom but grow sustainably. This is our promise to Vietnam’s scientific community: to stand alongside them not only at the starting line of entrepreneurship but throughout their long journey of building the future.
In 2021, Ms. Nguyen Đang Tuan Minh, Founder of KisStartup, was a member of LIF7 and a direct beneficiary of the program. Four years later, KisStartup has used its resources to fund and implement one of the world’s most prestigious commercialization programs. This is not only proof of our ecosystem-connecting capacity but also a statement of our commitment to proactively advancing the international commercialization of Vietnam’s research. With the ambition of bringing Vietnamese technology and intelligence beyond national borders, KisStartup will continue striving so that more global markets carry the imprint of Vietnam—using technology to tackle grand global challenges and contribute to the development of society at large.