August 23, 2025
At InnoEx 2025, taking place on August 21–22, the public will, for the first time, witness a special panel discussion titled ‘From University to Market – The Journey from Lab to Market’, bringing together experts, scientists, and business leaders from Vietnam and abroad.
This is not merely an academic discussion, but a milestone that signals a shift in Vietnam’s research model with the Lab2Market initiative pioneered by InnoEx – where the pulse of the market is brought directly into the laboratories, and in return, scientific knowledge is given a shorter pathway to reach the marketplace.
Intellectual Property (IP) Protection – The Foundation for Innovation
In today’s knowledge economy, intellectual property is the fuel that drives innovation and strengthens national competitiveness. The world’s leading technology corporations owe much of their success to turning inventions into exclusive advantages through robust IP strategies.
For Vietnam, amid its strong transformation toward innovation, raising awareness and building capabilities in IP protection is a prerequisite for deeper integration into global value chains.
Mr. Sudeepto Roy, Vice President of Engineering at Qualcomm, emphasized: “Every economy must go through four stages of development – consumption, production, design, and innovation. Only by mastering and protecting intellectual property can a nation truly leap forward.”
From this perspective, Qualcomm announced the “Learn to Protect Vietnam” program – a free online course covering the four types of intellectual property (patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets). The course, available in both Vietnamese and English, is set to launch in October 2025.
Experience in Patent Commercialization
Commercializing patents not only generates profits but also strengthens a company’s position in the global market. In Vietnam, many innovative technologies remain underutilized, leading to wasted resources. Successful case studies from local entrepreneurs provide clear evidence of the power of effectively managing and leveraging intellectual property (IP).
Dr. Nguyen Thanh My, Chairman of RYNAN Technology Vietnam, shared that by licensing just two patents to a Chinese enterprise, he generated nearly USD 300 million in revenue. From this experience, he emphasized: “The best way to secure product exclusivity is through IP. Without IP, it is extremely difficult for businesses to expand into international markets.”
Research and Social Value
Innovation is not only tied to economic profit, but also carries a social mission: generating new knowledge, addressing community challenges, and improving quality of life. Many early-stage studies may not be immediately commercialized, yet they serve as the foundation for future technological breakthroughs.
Prof. Vu Nguyen Duong, Vice Provost of VinUniversity, emphasized: “Not every research project can—or should—be commercialized right away. The core value of research lies in generating new knowledge, which serves as the foundation for future inventions and solutions. Innovation is not solely about making money, but about driving positive change in society.”
The Role of University–Industry–Government Collaboration
Experience from advanced economies shows that the “triple helix” model of collaboration between universities, businesses, and government is the key to narrowing the gap between research and application. This synergy enables scientific breakthroughs to quickly evolve into products with real economic and social value.
At InnoEx, speakers agreed that only through strong connections between academia, industry, and government can research truly move beyond the laboratory and become practical solutions for the market.
Announcement of Strategic Collaboration
At the event, InnoEx announced strategic partnerships with numerous institutes and universities nationwide to build an integrated ecosystem connecting education, research, and practical application. This marks a significant step forward in Vietnam’s journey to foster a future of innovation.
Ms. Truong Ly Hoang Phi, Head of the InnoEx Organizing Committee, shared: “The Lab2Market initiative pioneered by InnoEx disrupts the traditional model—bringing market realities directly into the lab, while knowledge from the lab is fast-tracked to reach the market. This new mechanism creates strong connections and co-creation between research, education, and practical application.”
Within the framework of the event, institutes and universities signed strategic partnership agreements with InnoEx to advance the Lab2Market initiative, ushering in a new phase in the effort to co-create a national innovation ecosystem.
Representatives from participating universities included:
Dr. Tran Thi Hong – Vice Rector, Nguyen Tat Thanh University
Dr. Dang Xuan Cuong – Deputy Director, Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade
Do Hoang Thang – Deputy Director, Technology Business Incubation Center, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology – VNU HCMC
Pham Thi Hong Phuong – Head of Department of Chemical Technology and Materials, Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City
Nguyen Ngoc Dan Thuy – Center for Innovation & Technology Transfer, International University – VNU HCMC
“Lab2Market – From Lab to Market” is not only a journey to shorten the gap between research and commercialization but also a co-creation process, ushering Vietnam into an era of sustainable innovation.
“Research only truly holds value when it creates social impact,” emphasized Ms. Truong Ly Hoang Phi, adding that the initiative aims to foster a resilient Vietnamese startup ecosystem capable of navigating the unpredictable dynamics of the market.
