Science, technology and innovation as drivers of economic growth

According to the 2026 Provincial Innovation Index (PII) released by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Hai Phong scored 56.33 points, placing third nationwide, behind Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The city improved by one place compared with its 2025 ranking.

Hai Phong’s strong performance in the 2026 PII also demonstrates the effectiveness of its implementation of Politburo Resolution No. 57 on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation, and national digital transformation. According to StartupBlink’s 2026 startup ecosystem rankings, Hai Phong entered the world’s top 1,000 startup ecosystems for the first time, ranking 765th globally.

In Vietnam, Hai Phong is one of only four localities included in this prestigious ranking. The city currently has approximately 200 innovative startups, 71 science and technology enterprises, and nearly 9,000 small and medium-sized enterprises using digital platforms. The digital economy contributes around 30% of the city’s GRDP.

Hai Phong’s startup ecosystem is also attracting interest thanks to its competitive institutional advantages. Under the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 226/2025 on special mechanisms and policies for the city, Hai Phong is rolling out three major policy initiatives that are among the country’s most ambitious. These include income tax exemptions for up to five years for innovative startups, experts, and scientists; the operation of the Hai Phong Venture Capital Fund, financed by the state budget and mobilized social resources, with a pioneering approach to accepting net investment risks to support startups from their early stages; and the introduction of regulatory sandboxes for strategic technologies such as semiconductor chips, artificial intelligence (AI), and sustainable net-zero solutions.

At its recent fifth session, the 17th-term Hai Phong People’s Council officially adopted Resolution No. 26, stipulating the management and implementation costs and spending levels for science, technology, and innovation activities funded by the city’s state budget. The resolution provides a legal basis for agencies, organizations, and businesses to implement, manage, and use budgetary resources for science, technology, and innovation activities across the city. At the same time, Hai Phong is rapidly developing and upgrading its integrated digital infrastructure.

The city’s rise in the PII rankings is a notable achievement. However, the index is more than just a ranking or a set of figures. More importantly, it serves as a roadmap illustrating Hai Phong’s science-, technology-, and innovation-driven model of socioeconomic development. It enables the city to identify its strengths and weaknesses, determine which pillars should be prioritized for investment and improvement, and design appropriate policies and support programs.

As Hai Phong’s entire political system works toward the target of achieving average annual GRDP growth of at least 13% during 2026–2030, upgrading the city’s development model through science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation will help drive rapid, substantive, and sustainable growth.

The new model’s strategic pillars should focus on restructuring the economy around high technology; developing the digital economy and smart logistics; and advancing data-driven urban governance. The city should also expand pilot applications of scientific and technological advances, emerging technologies, and smart solutions to ensure residents benefit from the best possible healthcare, education, and cultural services. These efforts will expand development opportunities, preserve and promote heritage values, and help build an internationally recognized, livable city.

To achieve these goals, Hai Phong needs to continue leveraging its special mechanisms and policies, accelerate digital transformation, and develop a highly skilled workforce, particularly in science, technology, and innovation. The city must also strengthen connections and effectively mobilize resources from both domestic and international sources.

With its existing advantages, potential, and opportunities, Hai Phong has a solid foundation to become a dynamic growth pole and a modern innovation and development hub, playing a leading role in the development of the Red River Delta region.

Hoang Hue