Ho Chi Minh City wants smart city ideas from startups
By GovInsider
How can sensors be used for traffic, pollution and smart farming?
Ho Chi Minh City Government is calling for ideas from startups on transport, pollution, and smart farming.
The IoT Startup Competition was launched by the government’s Saigon Hi-Tech Park Incubation Centre. In particular, it wants ideas on how sensors can be used for traffic safety, air and water pollution, and air and water monitoring in farms.
Ideas will be judged on their potential to become commercial products, the competition website says.
Five winning projects will get assistance to take their products to market, according to Tuoi Tre News. The government will provide training, technical consultations, and financial support to make the products viable for markets. There is a total prize pool of VND100 million (US$4,490).
Participants will have “access to assistance and professional training from experts in the field to develop, complete, and commercialize the product from its very inception,” said Le Hoai Quoc, management board chief of Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
The competition, running till 31 May, is targeted at startups and universities, but is open to all Vietnamese citizens below 45 years of age.
The incubation center plans to make this an annual event to get fresh ideas for the city from entrepreneurs.