Having advanced through the Preliminary and Semi-final Rounds, an intensive training program (Bootcamp), and real-world data testing, the 10 outstanding projects secured their places in the Final Round out of 41 submitted applications. The competing teams presented their solutions in person, clarifying their novelty, feasibility, practical applicability, and development models before a Jury comprising experts, management officials, business representatives, and investment fund representatives.
This year’s projects focused on three key areas: Smart Urban Governance; Smart Port Operations and Logistics; and Smart Industrial Park and Factory Operations. Many solutions applied technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous robots, digital platforms, real-time monitoring systems, and new materials technologies, with the aim of optimizing production, transportation, logistics, urban infrastructure management, and environmental protection.
In the decisive round, each team had five minutes to present its project and 10 minutes to discuss and defend its proposals with the Jury. In addition to evaluating the ideas and level of technological maturity, the Jury focused on assessing each project’s ability to address specific challenges facing Hai Phong, readiness for real-world implementation, business model, and potential for commercialization and scalability.
Honoring Outstanding Projects
Based on the Jury’s evaluation results, the Organizing Committee presented 10 official awards to the outstanding projects:
First Prize (worth VND 70 million):
DA49 – Development of Fe₃O₄/C Nanocomposite Materials from Recycled Industrial Iron Rust for Treating Wastewater Containing Recalcitrant Organic Compounds and High Color Levels, in Line with the Circular Economy, Green Growth, and Net Zero Goals.
Second Prize (VND 30 million each):
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DA42 – HPMotion – A Multi-Purpose Autonomous Robot Ecosystem for Smart Factory and Smart City Operations.
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DA32 – MESA LEARNING BOX.
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DA03 – Mailan – Logistics AI ERP.
Third Prize (VND 10 million each):
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DA10 – TTransport – Transport Operations Management Software.
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DA25 – Smart Container Depot Management and Operations Platform (Container Depot Management System – CDMS).
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DA28 – Real-Time Flood Monitoring and Automatic Pump Station Control System.
Consolation Prize (VND 5 million each):
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DA16 – Factory Vision AI.
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DA18 – Thuy Ve: A Digital Platform-Based Intelligent Urban Flood Monitoring and Early Warning System.
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DA37 – TIDE – Trade Intelligence and Deal Engine for Customer Success.
In addition to the official prizes, the Most Popular Team Award went to DA28 – Real-Time Flood Monitoring and Automatic Pump Station Control System. The award was determined based on the combined voting results from Facebook and on-site voting at the venue, with each voting method accounting for 50% of the total score.
From a Startup Competition to the Journey of Turning Projects into Reality
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Teams present their projects and answer questions from the Final Round Jury.
A key highlight of the 2026 Competition was not only the number and quality of participating projects but also its strong focus on aligning innovative startup activities with the practical needs of the city and local businesses.
Immediately after the Semi-final Round, ThinkZone Venture Capital directly approached and engaged with two promising projects, initiating investment due diligence processes. This is a positive sign that solutions developed through the Competition have begun to attract the attention of investment organizations, opening up opportunities to connect resources and develop markets.
Speaking at the event, leaders of the Department of Science and Technology emphasized the vision of making the Competition a bridge connecting local authorities, educational institutions, scientists, businesses, and the startup community. Accordingly, promising projects will continue to receive support in connecting with networks of experts, businesses, and investors; accessing data and testing environments; expanding policy sandbox mechanisms; commercializing products; and protecting intellectual property rights. In particular, high-ranking projects will be prioritized for consideration for funding support from the city's Venture Capital Fund in the coming period.
Under the theme “Smart City Operations”, the Competition helped inspire the spirit of innovation and promote research and development of technological solutions driven by Hai Phong's actual needs. The results achieved not only recognize the efforts of the participating teams but also open up prospects for developing technological products and services with the potential for practical application, commercialization, and scalability.
The Final Round of the 2026 Hai Phong City Innovative Startup Talent Search Competition has come to a close, but the journey of developing innovative ideas and solutions continues. This will serve as an important foundation for connecting resources, promoting collaboration, and gradually bringing technological innovations into practice, making practical contributions to the goal of transforming Hai Phong into an innovative, smart, and sustainable city.
Startup HaiPhong
