Vice Chair of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association and CEO of FPT Nguyen Van Khoa says that if Vietnamese businesses want to grow, they can no longer operate in isolation but must build collaborative ecosystems.
At the Vietnam Private Sector Forum 2025 (VPSF) on September 15, Khoa pointed out that while the government is advancing rapidly in digital transformation, data infrastructure and national governance platforms, most businesses are lagging behind. Many, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), are still confused and struggling to keep up.
However, he noted that the government's early push in digitizing data and launching integrated platforms, especially the upcoming data-sharing roadmap starting January 1, 2026, is creating a "golden opportunity" for the private sector.
Enterprises that know how to leverage open data streams and integrate with national platforms will move faster than others.
"But moving fast isn't enough," Khoa said. "Vietnamese businesses must shift their mindset. We cannot grow sustainably if we keep going alone. This is the age of ecosystem-based development."
Citing real-world examples from FPT and its partners, he emphasized that strong businesses are not those that do everything themselves, but those that share capabilities, from technology and data to management and market access.
The formation of production-consumption alliances and sharing of technology networks will help SMEs avoid having to "start from scratch" each time they undergo transformation.
"Even specialized products like drones or medical data analysis systems cannot be built by a single company alone. We need collaboration, sharing, and mutual trust to go further. When we create an ecosystem together, we become not only stronger but also more secure," Khoa said.
FPT's CEO noted that the human factor "is the critical conduit determining the success or failure of innovation." Vietnam faces a serious challenge in developing a workforce capable of operating technology.
"It's not a shortage of people, but a shortage of those who can work with data, AI, and digital management systems. Without digital skills, technology becomes a burden rather than an advantage," he added.
Khoa called on businesses to invest in internal training and partner with universities and research institutes to design practical programs.
He urged the government to offer clear, accessible policies to support digital workforce development for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which account for more than 90 percent of all businesses nationwide.
A notable highlight of Khoa's speech was his completely new approach toward resolutions. "We often say we need to bring resolutions into life. But if resolutions don't stem from real-life realities, their implementation will always be flawed. I propose we do the opposite: start from life to craft resolutions," he said.
The Vietnam Private Sector Forum 2025 took place on September 15-16 in Hanoi, hosted by the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association.