Vietnam Innovative Startup Accelerator

What Vietnam Innovative Startup Accelerator does

Vietnam Innovative Startup Accelerator (VIISA) is a Ho Chi Minh City-based private accelerator and seed-stage investment holding established in January 2017 as a joint venture between FPT Ventures and Dragon Capital. The organization runs a 3-month cohort-based acceleration program for early-stage Vietnamese tech startups, providing up to $15,000 in cash plus in-kind services valued at over $100,000 (cloud servers, office space, IT consultancy, accounting, and administration) in exchange for transferable equity. Promising graduates can secure follow-on funding of up to $200,000 from VIISA when they raise new rounds from external investors, with the firm targeting deployment of a $6M fund across 100 global-ready startups from Vietnam.

The core product is a four-phase structured curriculum: Pre-Acceleration (customer discovery and problem-solution validation), followed by three Acceleration phases covering vision/ pitching/legal/MVP building, OKRs/Pirate Metrics/B2B-B2C sales/user testing, and traction channels/brand building/fundraising mechanics, culminating in an Investment Day showcase attended by 100+ investors and corporate partners. Supplementary offerings include a specialized FinTech Lab vertical program, Market Access Acceleration services for overseas expansion into South Korea and Singapore, Talks and Workshops for universities and government agencies, and a 1-on-1 Morning Coffee Meetup advisory service. VIISA has built a partner ecosystem spanning AWS (Portfolio Plus), Google Cloud for Startups, DigitalOcean HATCH, HubSpot, Zendesk, Mapbox, Holistics, Asia Counsel, Payoo, Amadeus NEXT, KVision (Kasikornbank), MoonLab, and Startup Grind Vietnam.

VIISA's business model is fund-based rather than subscription-based. Revenue is generated through equity ownership in portfolio companies (40 investments to date across 8 cohorts and direct deals), with returns realized via participation in follow-on rounds (e.g., Base.vn pre-Series A co-investment with Beenext, Alpha JWC, and 500Startups) and exits (Base.vn acquired by FPT Corporation, May 2021). Portfolio companies have collectively raised approximately $5M from external investors and created 450+ jobs. Across its 8 documented batches (2017-2020), VIISA has graduated 35+ startups and built a network of 150+ global mentors. Operations are run by a core team of 1-10 employees led by CEO/Chairman Tran Huu Duc and CFO/Program Director Hieu Vo.

Name

Vietnam Innovative Startup Accelerator

Legal name

Vietnam Innovative Startups Accelerator

Website

https://viisa.vn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VIISA (Vietnam Innovative Startup Accelerator) is a Ho Chi Minh City-based private accelerator and seed-stage fund established in January 2017 by FPT Ventures and Dragon Capital, running 3-month cohort-based acceleration programs and providing equity-based seed plus follow-on funding to early-stage Vietnamese tech startups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Accelerator & Seed Investment

NAICS

Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)

Keywords

• Startup acceleration program
• Seed stage investment
• Venture capital funding
• Entrepreneurship mentorship
• Startup incubation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ho Chi Minh City

HQ country

Vietnam

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equity Investment Returns: VIISA invests seed capital (up to $15,000 cash plus in-kind services) into early-stage startups in exchange for transferable equity. Returns are realized through follow-on funding rounds and exits.
2. Follow-on Investment Capital: Promising graduates receive follow-on funding of up to $200,000 from VIISA when they secure new rounds from other investors, maintaining equity stakes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Vietnam Innovative Startup Accelerator (VIISA) operates a 3-month cohort-based business acceleration program for early-stage Vietnamese startups, providing up to $15,000 in seed cash plus over $100,000 in in-kind services (cloud servers, office space, IT consultancy) in exchange for transferable equity. The program combines a structured curriculum covering customer discovery, MVP building, OKRs, B2C/B2B sales, and fundraising mechanics with mentorship from 150+ global entrepreneurs and investors, culminating in an Investment Day showcase to 100+ investors. Follow-on funding of up to $200,000 is available for promising graduates.

Product overview

VIISA (Vietnam Innovative Startups Accelerator) operates as a business acceleration program and seed-stage investment holding. Its core offerings include a 3-month intensive acceleration program providing up to $15,000 in seed funding plus in-kind services (cloud servers, office space, and technical resources worth over $100,000) in exchange for equity, alongside a follow-on funding mechanism of up to $200,000 for promising graduates. The program is structured into Pre-Acceleration (customer discovery and problem-solution validation) and a full Acceleration phase in Ho Chi Minh City covering vision setting, MVP building, OKRs, B2C/B2B sales, and traction testing, culminating in an Investment Day. VIISA also offers Market Access Acceleration for Vietnam expansion, Talks and Workshops on entrepreneurship topics, a specialized FinTech Lab, and maintains a portfolio of invested startups including UrBox, WisePass, Base.vn, WeFit, Medigo, TheBank, and others. The Morning Coffee Meetup service provides 1:1 mentoring and strategic introductions. Established in January 2017 by FPT Ventures and Dragon Capital, VIISA has graduated over 35 startups across 8 batches and invested in 40 companies total.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FinTech Lab: A specialized acceleration track focusing on fintech startups and financial technology solutions.

Products and services

• VIISA Acceleration Program A 3-month intensive cohort-based business acceleration program located in Ho Chi Minh City, providing seed funding, mentorship from 150+ global entrepreneurs and investors, and access to over US$100,000 worth of technical resources. The program covers pre-acceleration (customer discovery, problem-solution fit) and acceleration phases (vision setting, MVP building, OKRs, B2C/B2B sales, fundraising mechanics), culminating in an Investment Day where startups pitch to investors.
• FinTech Lab A specialized lab focused on fintech startups, providing targeted support, mentorship, and resources for financial technology ventures within the VIISA ecosystem.
• Market Access Acceleration A program helping startups expand their business in Vietnam through market access support, strategic introductions, and connections to corporate networks and key decision makers.
• Talks and Workshops Educational programs conducted for universities, corporations, and government agencies covering entrepreneurship, design-thinking, lean startup methodology, and related topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 450+ jobs created by portfolio companies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• MoonLabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing co-working space, community building and engagement. VIISA's headquarters and program activities are hosted at MoonLab location in Ho Chi Minh City.
• Amazon Web ServicesmajorTechnology or IntegrationStrategic technology partner through AWS Portfolio Plus program providing cloud infrastructure and technical mentorship to portfolio startups. AWS offers cloud servers and technical support.
• Asia CounselmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic legal partner providing practical and commercial legal services to portfolio companies including corporate, contractual, and regulatory matters.
• Google Cloud PlatformmajorTechnology or IntegrationStartup partner providing cloud server and enterprise solutions through Google Cloud for Startups program, offering technical infrastructure and credits to portfolio companies.
• HubSpot for StartupsmajorTechnology or IntegrationStartup partner providing dedicated sales and marketing software, and customer service tools to help startups manage their growth and customer relationships.
• ZenDesksupportingTechnology or IntegrationStartup partner providing customer satisfaction tools through the Zendesk Startup Program, helping startups deliver better customer support experiences.
• MapboxsupportingTechnology or IntegrationStartup partner providing mapping technologies through the Mapbox Developer Program, supporting location-based services for portfolio companies.
• DigitalOceansupportingTechnology or IntegrationStartup partner providing cloud server and enterprise solutions through the DigitalOcean HATCH program, offering infrastructure credits for early-stage startups.
• PayoosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing e-payment solutions with dedicated payment packages for portfolio companies operating in Vietnam's digital payments market.
• Holistics SoftwaresupportingTechnology or IntegrationStartup partner providing cloud-based business intelligence and data analytics through the Holistics Power-Up program, helping startups with data-driven decision making.
• Amadeus NEXTsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem partner in the Travel & Tourism industry through the Amadeus NEXT program, providing industry expertise and connections for travel-tech startups.
• Startup Grind VietnamsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerEcosystem partner for startup events and community-engaging activities, expanding VIISA's reach within the Vietnamese startup ecosystem.
• KVision (Kasikornbank)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-innovation partnership with KASIKORN Bank's CVC arm. Joint hackathon programs to drive fintech and consumer lifestyle solutions. KVision has $245M funding commitment for regional innovation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• East Ventures: East Ventures is a Southeast Asia-focused seed and early-stage venture capital firm with deep presence in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore. Comparable as a seed-stage regional investor participating in the same Southeast Asian deal flow, often co-investing with or alongside Vietnam-based accelerators like VIISA.
• CyberAgent Capital: CyberAgent Capital is the venture arm of Japan's CyberAgent and has invested in VIISA alumni such as WeFit. While Japan-headquartered, it is an active regional investor in Vietnamese startups at seed and pre-Series A stages, making it a comparable cross-border investor and program partner candidate.
• Quest Ventures: Quest Ventures is a Singapore-based venture capital fund focused on Southeast Asia, operating accelerator-style support programs for early-stage startups. Comparable in its accelerator-and-investment model and regional Southeast Asian focus, though with broader geographic reach than VIISA's Vietnam-centric model.

Broad incumbents

• Mekong Capital: Mekong Capital is one of Vietnam's most established venture capital firms investing across growth stages in Vietnamese tech-enabled businesses. While larger and later-stage than VIISA, it competes for the same founder pool and limited follow-on capital, and is a likely participant in VIISA graduates' later rounds.
• SOSV: SOSV is a global multi-stage venture fund operating vertical-specific accelerator programs (HAX, IndieBio, Chinaccelerator, etc.) with extensive mentor and corporate partner networks. Comparable to VIISA in accelerator-plus-early-stage-investment model, though operating at significantly larger scale and across multiple geographies.
• Startupbootcamp: Startupbootcamp is a global network of industry-specific accelerator programs offering seed funding, mentorship, and corporate partnerships. Comparable to VIISA in accelerator model and corporate-partner-driven value proposition, though typically at larger cohort scale and with multi-region operations.
• VinaCapital Ventures: VinaCapital Ventures is the venture arm of VinaCapital, a major Vietnam-focused asset manager, and has led seed rounds in VIISA alumni such as UrBox. Comparable as a Vietnam-domiciled institutional investor participating in the same deal flow at seed and pre-Series A stages.

Direct peers

• ThinkZone Ventures: ThinkZone is a Vietnam-based seed-stage venture fund and accelerator backing early-stage tech startups with mentorship and capital. Closely comparable to VIISA in geography, stage focus, and program model, making it one of the most direct head-to-head competitors for Vietnamese seed deals.
• Do Ventures: Do Ventures is a Vietnam-focused seed-stage VC and accelerator founded by ex-500 Startups staff, operating programs and seed investments similar to VIISA. Direct peer in geography, stage, and program structure, frequently co-investing or competing in the same Vietnamese seed cohort.
• 500 Startups Vietnam: 500 Startups operates one of the most globally recognized accelerator programs and runs an active Vietnam program with seed-stage investments and mentorship. Directly competes with VIISA for Vietnamese seed-stage founders, applications, and follow-on investor attention, with substantially larger global brand and fund size.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ViisaVN
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4I-TRQbiWfEdDvldAXg5ew
• Facebookfacebook.com/viisavn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/13218118

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments19 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vietnam Innovative Startup Accelerator