Decree No. 268/2025/ND-CP details and guides the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation (S&I). In particular, Chapter III of the Decree clearly defines the criteria for recognizing innovative organizations and individuals, supporting innovation and creative startups, creating a legal basis for the development of a network of innovation centers from central to local levels.

According to the Decree, an innovation center is an organization with the function of supporting, connecting and promoting innovation activities, technology transfer, developing new products, exploiting and commercializing intellectual property rights, supporting startups and digital transformation. Innovation centers need to have appropriate technical infrastructure; a team of specialized human resources (at least 7 people, of which 50% have university degrees or higher); a network of cooperation with experts, institutes, schools, and enterprises; and achieve specific annual performance results such as supporting at least 10 enterprises with revenue of VND 5 billion or more.

For the Provincial Innovation Center, it must meet similar criteria, but require higher resources, have at least 15 permanent employees, the ability to connect and cooperate with enterprises, associations, and innovation networks in the province and region; support at least 30 enterprises each year, achieving revenue of VND 10 billion or more.

The provincial innovation center supports at least 30 businesses each year. Illustrative photo.

National-level centers require a larger scale: at least 30 employees, a wide network of connections at home and abroad, the ability to create new technologies, products, and business models that have a great impact on socio-economic development. Annual revenue of VND 50 billion, supporting at least 50 businesses and 30 creative startup projects.

The Decree also specifies criteria for creative startup support centers - organizations that aim to support startups in developing new business models, connecting investments, providing infrastructure, services, legal, financial, and technological advice.

These centers need to have a shared workspace, digital infrastructure, a team of at least 7 people (of which 4 have university degrees or higher) and a network of at least 10 support experts. Each year, the center must support at least 3 projects, 10 individuals or 4 creative startups, with a total investment connection value of at least 3 billion VND in the last 2 years.

According to the Decree, the provincial creative startup support center must have at least 15 people working directly to support creative startups, of which at least 8 people have a university degree or higher appropriate to the field of operation.

The center needs to have a list of at least 20 experts who regularly cooperate in the fields of technology, business, investment, intellectual property, law, finance, marketing; have the capacity to connect, support and cooperate with domestic creative startup organizations and networks; and have the ability to mobilize and manage funding sources from the State and the private sector.

Each year, the center must support at least 10 innovative startup projects, 30 individuals or 15 groups, or 10 businesses through training, incubation, startup acceleration, providing legal, financial, marketing, communication or investment connection services with a total committed value of at least VND 10 billion in the last two years.

The national-level innovative startup support center has higher requirements, with at least 30 direct employees, of which at least 15 have university degrees or higher.

The center needs to have at least 30 experts who regularly cooperate, the ability to connect and cooperate with domestic and international startup networks; the ability to support the development of technologies, products, and business models that have a great impact on socio-economic development, national defense and security; and the ability to mobilize and manage domestic and foreign funding sources.

Every year, the national center must support at least 40 innovative startup projects, 100 individuals or 40 groups, or 30 businesses; and achieve a total committed investment value of at least VND30 billion in the last two years.

The Decree also specifies criteria for identifying individuals, groups of individuals and innovative start-up businesses. Illustrative photo.

The Decree also specifies criteria for identifying individuals, groups of individuals and innovative start-up enterprises. Accordingly, individuals must be Vietnamese citizens with full civil act capacity and permanent residence in Vietnam; foreigners must have confirmation of legal residence. Enterprises must be established under the Law on Enterprises and have a start-up project that has been invested in or has an investment commitment from an innovative start-up investment fund, venture capital fund or individual investor. Recognized start-up enterprises and projects must have a minimum revenue growth rate of 20% for two consecutive years, demonstrated through market share, product and service development capacity and competitiveness.

For experts supporting innovative start-ups, the Decree requires individuals to have at least three years of experience in activities such as training and capacity building for individuals and start-up enterprises; consulting on marketing, product promotion, valuation of scientific research results, intellectual property, investment, product commercialization; or building communication programs, connecting startup and investor networks. Experts must demonstrate that they have supported at least 20 individuals or 10 groups or 10 innovative startups in the last two years.

Individual investors in innovative startups are identified according to three criteria: having full civil act capacity, legally residing in Vietnam; having a minimum taxable income of VND 1 billion per year in the last two years and the ability to maintain this income level in the current year; having at least five years of experience in the fields of technology, marketing, finance, business or investment; and having directly invested in at least 5 individuals or 2 groups or 2 innovative startups in the last two years.

The specific regulations on criteria for identifying and recognizing organizations, individuals, businesses, experts and investors in creative startups in Decree 268/2025/ND-CP contribute to standardizing the system of supporting innovation and creative startups in Vietnam. This is an important step to ensure transparency, consistency and efficiency in mobilizing social resources, connecting domestic and foreign innovation networks, thereby promoting the formation and development of the national innovation ecosystem - an important foundation for the development of a knowledge-based economy and international integration.

                                                                                            Center for Science and Technology Communication