Green & Bio · Sector hub

Biotechnology & Medicine

HCM VIF advocates accompanying from a very early stage with research teams of pharmaceuticals, biological products, cell technology and high-tech medical equipment - accepting long testing cycles so that the City has biomedical products developed by Vietnamese people.

Scientist conducting experiments in a biotechnology lab

Why now?

Vietnamese biomedicine is shifting from outsourcing to autonomy

Domestic demand for health care increases rapidly with the aging population, while most invented drugs and high-tech medical equipment still have to be imported. This is a gap that policy and the market are simultaneously pushing to narrow.

The National Strategy for developing Vietnam's Pharmaceutical Industry to 2030, with a vision to 2045 (Decision 1165/QD-TTg dated October 9, 2023) sets the direction to turn the pharmaceutical industry into a high-tech industry, proactively producing drugs and domestic medical biological products. In parallel, the Master Plan for Bioindustry Development to 2030 prioritizes biotechnology in the field of medicine and pharmacy, especially the production of vaccines and biological products.

Biomedical investment requires a different kind of patience. We calculate by trial cycle and registration dossier, not by quarter.

This is the moment HCM VIF wants to accompany: when the research capacity is there, the policy corridor is clear, but the capital for the pre-clinical phase and early testing has almost no commercial sources willing to shoulder it.

2030 – 2045

Time frame of National Pharmaceutical Industry Development Strategy

Source: Decision 1165/QD-TTg dated October 9, 2023 of the Prime Minister

Vắc-xin & sinh phẩm

Biotechnology focus in the field of medicine and pharmacy

Source: Decision 553/QD-TTg – Master plan for bioindustry development until 2030

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Priority group of biomedical problems HCM VIF: biopharmaceuticals - diagnostics - medical devices

Source: Investment field orientation HCM VIF

Ho Chi Minh City Chance

Advantages only City funds have

Institute – school of medicine and pharmacy

The network of medical universities and research institutes at Ho Chi Minh City is a source of technology, project leaders and professional personnel for biomedical startup groups.

Industry-leading hospital network

The City's tertiary hospital system facilitates clinical trials, real-world data collection and access to a team of expert reviewers.

Lab and production infrastructure

The High-Tech Park and biotechnology centres provide standard laboratories and pilot-scale production capacity.

Companion policy

The City's priority orientation for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries creates a policy fulcrum throughout the long research cycle.

HCM VIF what to look for in the industry

Four signals in the biomedical record

  1. Independent scientific evidence

    Preclinical results or third-party testing, peer-reviewed scientific publications, or filed patents.

  2. Planned legal roadmap

    The team clearly understands the path to registration for circulation, the documents that need to be prepared and the actual timeline for each stage.

  3. Production transfer capacity

    Plan to scale up from the lab to standard production, with a processing partner or a feasible line investment plan.

  4. The team has depth of expertise

    Incorporate a lead scientist who understands clinical operations and who is responsible for commercialisation.

The central problem

Biomedical problems we are interested in

Biopharmaceuticals and biological products

Similar biological drugs, vaccines and diagnostic biological products are produced domestically, reducing dependence on imports.

Molecular diagnosis and testing

The testing kit and process are accurate, reasonably priced, and suitable for the implementation capacity of the Vietnamese health system.

High-tech medical equipment

Diagnostic, monitoring and intervention equipment is designed by a domestic team and meets international quality standards.

Cell and tissue technology

Applying stem cells and tissue engineering in treatment, with quality control processes and a clear legal framework.

Digital platform for biomedical research

Experimental data management tools, bioinformatics, and compound screening support — infrastructure accelerating the industry.

And other breakthrough technologies

The above list is the direction the Fund is interested in, not a limit. If your business pursues a disruptive new technology that falls outside of the above categories, we'd love to hear.

Priority areas

Areas of interest to the Fund

List of priority fields according to the Fund establishment project — where the Fund actively searches and receives investment applications.

The Foundation seeks teams to bring biomedical research to market

Submit your application online for the Fund to consider according to the investment criteria of the biotechnology & medical pharmaceutical sector, or learn in advance about the Fund's investment strategy.