University of Auckland students explore Vietnam’s start-up ecosystem

For Vincent Tao, two weeks in Ho Chi Minh changed his thinking about entrepreneurship.

“The biggest lesson I took away from the experience was that an idea doesn’t need to be perfect,” he says. “Speaking to people, getting feedback and being willing to change your approach is often more valuable than trying to perfect something alone. Ultimately, progress will always be more important than perfection.”

Vincent, who’s studying, was among a cohort of students and early-stage founders from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland who travelled to Vietnam for a two-week Global Internship programme.

Based in Ho Chi Minh City, the programme introduced participants to the city’s entrepreneurial environment while taking them through practical sessions covering business structures, market research, branding, leadership, technology, scaling and public speaking. The programme culminated in a pitch day before concluding with a ‘pay it forward’ session and farewell.

It was Vincent’s first visit to Vietnam, and experiencing a new country alongside the programme proved an important part of the learning.

“The trip made me realise how much the environment can influence entrepreneurship,” he says. “Ho Chi Minh City has a very different business ecosystem from Auckland, with its own challenges, opportunities, networks and resources.”

Seeing that environment first-hand highlighted how access to talent, investors, mentors, customers and other founders can shape what is possible. It also challenged the notion that there is one environment for entrepreneurship, with different places creating different opportunities and ways of approaching problems.

For Vincent, a previous participant in Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) activities through the Unleash Space makerspace, the experience extended his exposure to entrepreneurship beyond the University’s campus. Just as importantly, it placed him among people approaching problems from different industries and backgrounds.

“I believe with programmes like these, the people you meet can shape how meaningful and memorable the experience becomes,” he says. “While the programme provides the technical structure and opens opportunities, it’s the human connections and conversations that bring it to life.”

Vincent says the programme helped him become more comfortable making informed decisions amid uncertainty, listening to feedback and adapting when things didn’t go as planned.

That experience has influenced how he’s thinking about life after university. Before travelling to Vietnam, Vincent saw entrepreneurship as something he might pursue further down the line. Now, he is increasingly interested in careers that give him opportunities to build things, solve problems and work with people who bring different perspectives, whether through a start-up or within an established organisation.

“Experiences like this give students the opportunity to learn in a completely different context, build relationships across cultures and develop the confidence to navigate unfamiliar environments. Those capabilities are increasingly important for graduates, and they are central to the kind of globally connected learning experiences we want to enable at the University,” says Natasha Ager, Associate Director Global Partnerships and Development at the University of Auckland.

Back in Auckland, Vincent is finishing his studies and exploring opportunities across technology and business. He is comfortable not knowing exactly where those opportunities will lead.

“I don’t have my entire career mapped out yet, but that’s one of the biggest takeaways from the trip: some of the best experiences come from being willing to leap before you feel ready.”