On August 14, 2026, Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology convened the National Productivity and Quality Forum 2026, in coordination with the Central Policy and Strategy Commission and the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), bringing together policymakers, experts, and enterprise representatives to discuss the country's path toward higher national productivity.
Mr. Tran Phuc Hong, Deputy General Director of TMA, CEO of TMA Innovation, and Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Digital Technology Enterprise Alliance (VNITO), was the only enterprise representative invited to speak at the forum's plenary panel, themed "Breaking Through Productivity Based on Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation to Fast-Track Vietnam Toward the 2045 Vision."
During the discussion, he raised a notable observation about Vietnam's domestic technology landscape: while the country now counts roughly 18,000 software enterprises, the adoption of software and AI across manufacturing sectors remains comparatively low. He attributed this largely to the fact that most manufacturing businesses are SMEs that still lack the resources needed to invest in technology and process innovation.
He also pointed to several structural bottlenecks that need addressing, ranging from infrastructure limitations to delays in policy rollout and administrative procedures. Building on these observations, he put forward four groups of proposed solutions:
- The government and industry associations should help bridge technology enterprises with traditional manufacturing sectors, enabling "Make in Vietnam" products to move into real-world application
- Establish a mechanism for valuing intellectual property, allowing startups to use patents as a form of financial asset
- Simplify and shorten customs procedures for testing equipment used in R&D and semiconductor activities
- Shorten policy implementation timelines and streamline sandbox mechanisms for emerging technology models
Mr. Tran Phuc Hong also shared TMA's hands-on experience applying AI to improve productivity and service quality, offering his perspective on the impact of current policies and calling for faster implementation, creating stronger incentives for enterprises to invest in science, technology, and innovation, and to strengthen their competitiveness both domestically and internationally.
TMA's presence at the forum reflects the growing role technology enterprises play in translating AI and innovation into practical impact, in line with the broader goal of raising the productivity and competitiveness of Vietnamese businesses.
