The 4th season of VinFuture Prize, an annual international award that honours remarkable scientific breakthroughs and promotes innovations for humankind, officially commenced on January 9, calling for nominations worldwide.
VinFuture Prize laureates of the 2023 season (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - The 4th season of VinFuture Prize,an annual international award that honours remarkable scientific breakthroughs andpromotes innovations for humankind, officially commenced on January 9, callingfor nominations worldwide.
The prize is the core activity of the VinFuture Foundation,a non-profit organisation co-founded by Vietnam’s billionaire Pham Nhat Vuongand his spouse Pham Thu Huong.
To participate in its 2024 season, sci-tech inventions and solutionsmust meet the complete nomination criteria of the award. Accordingly, theyshould provide clear evidence of their impact on daily life or demonstratepotential based on real-world applications. They should have already benefitedmillions of people over the past 10 years for the Grand Prize or show potentialfor the next decade for the Special Prize. Moreover, the solutions should alignwith at least one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UnitedNations, alongside other criteria.
Projects nominated by reputable organisations andindividuals in the global scientific and technological community will undergoscreening and selection by the Pre-Screening Committee and Prize Council.
Prof. Sir Richard Henry Friend, Chair of the VinFuture PrizeCouncil, said that the award has recognised breakthrough advances in manydifferent areas, including agriculture, human health, climate science, globalinformation technology, and renewable energy systems.
“We are very gratefulto thousands who have responded to our invitations, and we have had a broad andrich set of innovations to consider. We do want to reach even more widely, tofind out about advances happening across the whole world, not just inwell-established research environments,” he said.
The nomination portal will remain open until 14:00 on April 17, 2024 withnominations submitted after this deadline automatically considered for the 2025season.
To provide information on the submission process tonominating partners, the VinFuture Foundation will organise two webinars in thefirst quarter, with the participation of representatives from the Prize Council,Pre-Screening Committee, and VinFuture Prize laureates.
The third season, themed "Boundless Unity," received 1,389nominations, more than tripling the number in the first season./.
Nine authors of four breakthrough science and technology achievements generating “Reviving and Reshaping” to humanity were among those awarded the 2022 VinFuture Prize at a ceremony in Hanoi on December 20.
A total of 1,389 nominations for the 2023 VinFuture Prize were submitted via the nomination portal for the third award season that officially concluded on May 15.
The 2023 VinFuture Sci-Tech Week kicked off on November 18, bringing together leading scientists and experts in key technological domains, including semiconductor technology, precision medicine, green transportation infrastructure, and artificial intelligence.
President Vo Van Thuong has highlighted the important mission of scientists in seeking global solutions for new, sustainable and humane development, amidst rapid changes and many risks and challenges facing the world.
The 3 million USD Grand Prize of the third season of the VinFuture Prize has been awarded to inventions in creating a sustainable platform for green energy through production with solar cells and storage with Lithium-ion batteries.
With its own capabilities and the close, experienced partnership of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vietnam is well-positioned to pursue its first nuclear power plant that meets the highest international safety standards. Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations and International Organisations in Vienna, Austria, talked to the Vietnam News Agency about the country’s deepening cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in applying nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
Vietnamese businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), must embrace digital and AI transformations to remain competitive and achieve sustainable growth, experts said.
Under the European Union (EU)’s global initiative on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence (CoE), Vietnam has implemented numerous projects aimed at strengthening national capacity in detecting, preventing, and preparing for CBRN-related threats.
The course aims to promote knowledge exchange between scientific and educational schools from different countries, while deepening participants’ expertise in modern technology and technical education. It comprises two main specialisations of electronics-automation and nuclear technology.
ANTARA and VNA can design global-scale cooperation programmes or joint media campaigns, demonstrating the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as the cooperation between the two national news agencies.
As Vietnam’s digital transformation accelerates, both the frequency and severity of cyberattacks are growing. The National Cybersecurity Association (NCA) reported that in 2024 alone, there were some 659,000 separate cybersecurity incidents, impacting around 46.15% of government agencies and businesses.
A key highlight will be the technology cluster pavilion, showcasing top enterprises selected for their innovation, market potential, and practical applications. These firms will display flagship products and solutions, supported by government policies to strengthen the tech sector.
Since 2022, more than 500 Vietnamese startups have engaged in Google’s Startup Academy, Google for Startups Accelerator, and Google Startup Masterclass. Nearly 100 of these firms received support to develop and improve their products, benefiting more than 300,000 customers and creating over 300 new jobs through successful fundraising and team expansion amidst Vietnam’s competitive economy.
Over the past three decades, Binh Duong has cemented its status as one of Vietnam’s most dynamic industrial hubs, building a robust foundation in manufacturing, exports, and investment. The province now has 30 operational industrial parks spanning over 13,000 hectares, with an occupancy rate exceeding 90%.
The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam places the highest priority on the development of science, technology, and innovation, viewing them as critical drivers for the country’s advancement in the new development era.
The PM revealed Vietnam’s plan to develop nuclear power in the near future, and called on the Swedish side to assist Vietnam in developing and refining legal and policy frameworks for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; training and developing human resources; ensuring nuclear safety; and conducting training and drills to improve incident management capabilities.
More than an art showcase, the second “Technology with heart” contest seeks to inspire innovation and spotlight the humanistic values that technology can bring into daily life, expected to contribute to a sustainable digital future.
The average speed of the national mobile broadband network remained stable, with download speeds reaching 76.86 Mbps and upload speeds reaching 26.98 Mbps.
Under the MoU, AMD will support several key initiatives spearheaded by HCM City’s authorities, including piloting policies, co-hosting innovation events, and evaluating the investment environment within the Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
The centre is a joint initiative between Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, with PTIT and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) serving as co-leads, and global telecommunications giant Nokia as founding industry partner.
The new centre, staffed by a team of scientists, researchers, and AI specialists working in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, forms part of Qualcomm’s global AI research group.
As a flagship initiative of the community project “Digital Literacy for All”, the programme forms part of a national scheme to equip 20 million young people with digital business skills.
The organisers hope the competition will help shape a generation of exceptional engineers who will make significant contributions to Vietnam’s scientific and technological progress in this era of transformation.
VinFuture Prize laureates of the 2023 season (Photo: VNA) 
