Vietnam - Korea Institute of Science and Technology

What Vietnam - Korea Institute of Science and Technology does

Vietnam - Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST) is a public applied research institute established under Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) via Decree 50/2015/ND-CP and operational since 2017, headquartered at the Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park in Hanoi. It was created as the largest non-refundable ODA project of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in Vietnam and is explicitly modeled after Korea's KIST, serving as the bilateral bridge for Vietnam-Korea science and technology cooperation.

The institute is organized into eight research divisions spanning Biotechnology, Mechatronics, Energy and Environmental Technology, Information Technology, IT-BT Convergence Technology, Advanced Materials, Biomedical Engineering, and Food Technology. Its work spans rapid diagnostic testing platforms (detecting viruses, bacteria, cancer markers), electric vehicle power electronics and fast-charging systems, smart city IT solutions, Vietnamese medicinal plant bioactives, advanced materials/nanotechnology, and, most recently, next-generation nuclear power research with SK Group. Outputs include commissioned research, technology transfer agreements, and applied R&D aimed at shortening Vietnam's industrial technology gap.

VKIST does not operate a commercial revenue model. Funding flows from Vietnamese state budget allocations via MOST and Korean ODA via KOICA, supplemented by selective grants (e.g., VinIF in 2022) and bilateral research contracts with enterprises such as Traphaco JSC, VNPT Technology, and SK Group. Go-to-market is institutional: direct partnerships with Vietnamese industrial firms, Korean companies seeking Vietnam market entry, and government agencies rather than commercial sales channels. Pricing is not commercially disclosed.

Name

Vietnam - Korea Institute of Science and Technology

Legal name

Viện Khoa học và Công nghệ Việt Nam - Hàn Quốc (VKIST)

Website

https://vkist.gov.vn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vietnam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST) is a Hanoi-based public applied research institute under Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology, modeled after Korea's KIST and funded by KOICA, conducting multi-disciplinary R&D and technology transfer across eight domains for Vietnamese industry and Korean market entrants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Research and Technology Transfer

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Applied research services
• Technology transfer
• Biotechnology research
• Advanced materials research
• Biomedical engineering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanoi

HQ country

Vietnam

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding: VKIST operates primarily through government budget allocations from Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology and Korean government ODA (Official Development Assistance) funding. The institute conducts commissioned research projects funded by various government agencies.
2. Research Services and Technology Transfer: Revenue generated from research services, technology transfer agreements, and contract research for industrial partners seeking to advance Vietnamese industrial technology capabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

VKIST is a public applied research institute that conducts market-driven scientific research across 8 research divisions spanning Biotechnology, Mechatronics, Energy and Environmental Technology, Information Technology, IT-BT Convergence Technology, Advanced Materials, Biomedical Engineering, and Food Technology. It delivers commissioned research, technology transfer, and capacity-building programs to Vietnamese enterprises, Korean partners, and Vietnamese government agencies, with the goal of shortening Vietnam's technology gap with developed countries. Primary outputs include research outcomes, technology transfer agreements, and joint development projects with industrial partners.

Product overview

VKIST operates as a multi-disciplinary applied research institute organized into eight distinct research divisions covering Biotechnology, Mechatronics, Energy and Environmental Technology, Information Technology, IT-BT Convergence Technology, Advanced Materials, Biomedical Engineering, and Food Technology. The institute focuses on translating research into industrial applications, with a mission to boost national industrialization by serving as a technology and solution provider for Vietnamese businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biotechnology Research Research and development of biological compounds with bioactive properties from Vietnamese medicinal sources to develop health care products, for industrial partners and government agencies.
• Mechatronics Research Research and development of power electronics systems including powertrain for electric vehicles, fast charging stations, and industrial inverters, for industrial partners and government agencies.
• Energy and Environmental Technology Research Research in energy and environmental technologies for sustainable development applications, for industrial partners, government agencies, and Korean collaborators.
• Information Technology Research Research and development of information technology, electronics, and telecommunications solutions for smart cities and urban applications, for industrial partners and government agencies.
• IT-BT Convergence Technology Research Research on sensors integrated with mobile devices, forecasting development trends, and application potential in various sectors, for industrial partners and government agencies.
• Advanced Materials Research Research and development of advanced materials and nanotechnologies for industrial applications, for industrial partners and government agencies.
• Biomedical Engineering Research Research in biomedical engineering for healthcare technology development, for industrial partners and government agencies.
• Food Technology Research Research on processing and preserving agricultural products to increase added value and improve marketability for domestic and international markets, for industrial partners and government agencies.
• Technology Transfer and Contract Research Services Commissioned research, technology transfer agreements, and contract research services for Vietnamese industrial partners and Korean companies seeking to enter the Vietnamese market.

Quantifiable outcome

• Positioned to contribute to Vietnam's goal of shortening technology gap with developed countries

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, minor and core.

• SK GroupstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Cooperation on next-generation nuclear power technology research. The partnership leverages SK Group's expertise and VKIST's research capabilities for advanced energy technology development.
• VNPT TechnologystrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026Strategic partnership for AI solution development, focusing on bringing technologies from laboratory research to market application. The collaboration aims to accelerate technology commercialization through joint development efforts.
• Hai Phong Department of Science and TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2024Cooperation agreement signed for local science and technology collaboration, supporting regional development through joint research and technology transfer initiatives.
• Geumsan Ginseng & Herb Development Agency (GGHDA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2022MoU signing to promote cooperation between Vietnamese and Korean businesses in the pharmaceutical and herbal sectors. Partnership aims to leverage Vietnamese medicinal resources and Korean expertise.
• Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIST serves as the founding model and primary technical partner for VKIST. The relationship includes expert deployment to VKIST, joint research projects, capacity building programs for VKIST staff, and ongoing technology transfer support. KIST President Yoon Seok Jin has emphasized VKIST as the 'golden partner' of Korea in science and technology.
• Traphaco JSCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on screening Vietnamese Polyscias species for biological activities and identifying active constituents for pharmaceutical applications.
• Dewey SchoolsminorOthersEducational partnership hosting field trips for students to visit VKIST research laboratories, supporting science education and youth engagement.
• Hanoi University (HANU)minorOthersCooperation with university to welcome students and faculty for research facility visits and potential collaborative programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer Society: Fraunhofer is a leading European applied research network focused on contract research and technology transfer for industry, with a similar industry-oriented applied science mandate as VKIST.
• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO): CSIRO is Australia's national science agency conducting applied research across energy, materials, biotechnology, and digital technologies, providing a comparable government-funded multi-domain applied research model.
• Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR): A*STAR is Singapore's public-sector R&D agency driving industrial innovation across biomedical, electronics, and advanced manufacturing — closely comparable in mission and government-backed applied research focus.
• National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST): AIST is Japan's largest public applied research organization spanning materials, energy, electronics, life sciences, and information technology — directly analogous in mission and breadth to VKIST.

Direct peers

• Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST): KIST is VKIST's founding model and primary technical partner. It is a Korean government-funded multi-disciplinary applied research institute covering similar domains (biotech, materials, energy, IT), making it the most direct comparable.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vkist

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Vietnam - Korea Institute of Science and Technology