If private enterprises are the engine of the economy, then entrepreneurs are the drivers at the wheel. Over the past three decades, Vietnamese entrepreneurs have played a pivotal role in the country’s integration and transformation—from handicraft production to industry, from the domestic market to exports. But as Vietnam enters a deeper stage of integration with ASEAN and global value chains, a critical question emerges: it is time not only to export goods, but also to export management know-how and the Vietnamese entrepreneurial brand to the world.
From 2025 onward, the world will enter a new cycle of competition—not just between economies, but between global entrepreneurial networks. In this new landscape, those who own broader networks of partners, information, and international knowledge will hold the advantage. Entrepreneurs will no longer be merely “business operators,” but “economic ambassadors”—connecting capital, technology, and opportunities across borders.
Across ASEAN, several countries have already recognized this trend and invested strategically in entrepreneur internationalization. Singapore operates the Global Trading Programme (GTP), which trains and sends business leaders abroad early in their careers to build a generation of “global entrepreneurs with Singaporean nationality.” Thailand runs the CEO ASEAN Network, a regional platform fostering cross-border executive training, internships, and collaboration. South Korea, through KOTRA’s Global Business Fellows, dispatches promising founders to the U.S., Japan, and Europe for six- to twelve-month market immersion programs.
In Vietnam, entrepreneur internationalization remains largely spontaneous. A few major corporations—such as FPT, THACO, Viettel, VinFast, and Trung Nguyên—have taken strong international steps, opening offices in the U.S., Japan, Korea, and Singapore, and joining global value chains. However, their numbers remain small relative to the economy’s scale. Hundreds of thousands of private enterprises still operate mainly within domestic markets, with little direct engagement with international standards, investors, or markets.
The reasons are not limited to finance or language barriers—they also stem from the absence of structured support for internationalization. Vietnam lacks a network of private-sector economic representatives abroad, a global entrepreneurship training framework, and a community of global Vietnamese entrepreneurs, such as those developed by South Korea, Singapore, or India.
As Vietnam pursues the goal of becoming a high-income economy by 2045, building a globally oriented generation of entrepreneurs—capable of cross-border management, international negotiation, ESG leadership, and promoting the Vietnamese brand in global value chains—has become more urgent than ever.
An inspiring example is FPT, one of the few Vietnamese technology groups to build a “global entrepreneur” model. Since 2008, FPT has sent young executives to Japan to learn local management and culture. After more than a decade, the group now operates in 29 countries with over 30,000 global employees, and international revenue accounts for over 40% of its total. FPT is not merely exporting IT services—it is exporting Vietnamese knowledge and talent, embodied in engineers, specialists, and managers with global competence.
FPT’s success stems from its understanding that globalization is not just about opening offices abroad, but globalizing mindset, skills, and management systems. From leaders to employees, everyone is trained to be global citizens—multicultural, internationally literate, and innovation-driven. This is the “knowledge passport”—the most vital passport for Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the age of integration.
To cultivate such a generation of globally capable entrepreneurs, Vietnam needs a comprehensive strategy, coordinated between the state, intermediary institutions, and the business community. Within this framework, VAPEDCO can serve as a nucleus and launchpad for international knowledge, guiding the private sector’s global expansion.
- Vietnam Global Biz Fellows. VAPEDCO could launch this program annually, selecting 50–100 high-potential young entrepreneurs nationwide to participate in an immersive journey of learning, networking, and market practice in key economic hubs such as Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Europe. Spanning 6–12 months, the program would combine on-the-job learning with mentorship from international experts, allowing Vietnamese entrepreneurs to directly experience global business environments.
- Vietnam Private Business Network (VPBN). VAPEDCO could establish a network of private-sector representatives abroad, comprising entrepreneurs, experts, overseas Vietnamese, and global partners. This network would act as a bridgehead for investment promotion, trade, and technology transfer, operating similarly to “business missions” in cooperation with Vietnam’s embassies, trade offices, and industry associations.
- Executive-in-Residence ASEAN. Partnering with international universities and institutes (such as NUS, INSEAD, Keio, and NTU), VAPEDCO could host international experts in Vietnam to teach and mentor local entrepreneurs, while sending Vietnamese business leaders abroad for short-term management residencies. This model—successfully adopted by Singapore—helps develop a new generation of “ASEAN CEOs.”
- Vietnam Executive Passport. VAPEDCO could design a certification system assessing entrepreneurs’ international readiness based on four pillars: global management skills, international legal knowledge, intercultural negotiation, and ESG mindset. Entrepreneurs achieving this certification could easily connect with investors, funds, and high-quality FDI projects, serving as ambassadors of Vietnamese enterprise abroad.
- Vietnam Global Entrepreneurs Network (VGEN). This online platform would connect Vietnamese entrepreneurs worldwide, facilitating collaboration in funding, talent, and market expansion. Members could share experiences, projects, and partnerships—forming a “knowledge network map” of Vietnamese entrepreneurship on a global scale.
If implemented systematically, these initiatives would help Vietnamese entrepreneurs expand their mental borders—from domestic management to cross-border leadership, from reactive adaptation to proactive anticipation. They would evolve from business operators to global value creators.
At the policy level, the state should also create mechanisms to incentivize and support entrepreneur internationalization. These could include training grants, “knowledge export credit,” and market-risk insurance programs for companies investing abroad or expanding regional supply chains. The role of entrepreneurs as “economic ambassadors” should be formally recognized—empowering them to represent and speak for Vietnam in international forums, embodying a dynamic, integrated national image.
The world is changing rapidly, and if Vietnamese entrepreneurs do not step out, they risk being left behind in the race for knowledge and technology. Yet, Vietnamese people inherently possess the adaptability, creativity, and perseverance most valued in this globalized era.
With strong networks, supportive ecosystems, and a shared vision, Vietnam can indeed cultivate its first generation of global entrepreneurs—as South Korea did in the 1990s and Singapore in the 2000s. These entrepreneurs will lead the reverse FDI wave, bringing Vietnamese capital, technology, and brands to the world.
VAPEDCO’s role in this journey is not merely as a connector, but as an architect of the ecosystem for entrepreneur internationalization—connecting, training, and accompanying. When every Vietnamese entrepreneur carries a “knowledge passport” and a global network, Vietnam will have not only strong enterprises but a “nation of entrepreneurs”—where Vietnamese intellect, resilience, and vision advance confidently alongside the world.
