Vietnam recently inaugurated two competitions looking for digital solutions and products from teams and companies around the world.
Viet Solutions 2020
The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and state-run Viettel Group has launched a contest looking for digital transformation solutions.
It aims to find innovative and feasible technological ideas and projects that can be used in various fields and social industries in the country’s National Digital Transformation programme.
It is open to individuals, teams, groups, organisations, and companies around the world; at least one of the members should present their ideas in English, a media report has noted.
The participants are invited to submit their products or solutions in nine fields, including mobile applications (game content, music, video, news, multimedia and utilities, OTT products, and social networks), medicine, education, finance and banking, agriculture, transport and logistics, energy, natural resources and the environment, and industrial production.
Addressing the launching ceremony, MIC’s Minister, Nguyen Manh Hung, stated that the contest will help to promote digital transformation for the building of a prosperous Vietnam.
The contest’s preliminary round will receive applications until 20 September, from which the 10 most outstanding teams will be selected for the final round, scheduled for mid-October.
Before entering the final round, the finalists will receive a short training course hosted by Vietnamese and international experts from leading economic universities.
The contest’s champion will receive a cash prize of VN₫ 200 million (US$ 8,630) while the second and third prize winners will bag VN₫ 100 million (US$ 4,315) and VN ₫50 million (US$ 2,157), respectively.
Additionally, the winning teams will have the opportunity to become a partner of Viettel, allowing them to provide services to nearly 100 million customers around the globe and enjoy profit-sharing of up to 75%.
AI-powered solutions contest
The HCM City People’s Committee has launched a competition to find solutions and products in artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
According to a press release, the contest has two categories: AI-Challenge and AI-Solution.
The AI-Challenge seeks AI-based solutions for existing traffic problems, serving smart traffic in the city.
The AI-Solution looks for outstanding solutions and products based on AI technologies in key socio-economic sectors such as production, transportation, finance, healthcare, education, tourism, and agriculture, among others.
A jury of experts and scientists from universities and associations will decide the winners.
All domestic and foreign individuals and organisations can register online by filling out a form at the official website or at the Department of Information and Communications.
They can register until 5 August for the AI-Challenge, and until the July-end for AI-Solution. The organisers are encouraging participants to attach files, photos, videos, and links related to their work.
There will be three prizes and extra prizes in each category. Each first prize is worth VN₫ 100 million (US$ 4,300) while the second prize is worth VN₫ 30 million (US$ 1,290), and third prize VN₫20 million (US$ 860).
The number of prizes will be decided by the organisation board and the judges. Funding for the prizes will be mobilised from various sources. The awards ceremony is expected to be held in September, the release noted.
The contest is organised by the city’s Department of Information and Communications, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology, Vietnam National University-HCM City, HCM City Informatics Association, and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.