In the early startup era, women often took on roles in HR or marketing. However, in today’s wave, many are stepping into positions as co-founders, CEOs, and direct developers of tech products.
Văn Đinh Hồng Vũ – ELSA: From “Pronunciation Pain” to a Global AI Startup
Hồng Vũ founded ELSA Speak, an AI-powered app that helps English learners improve their pronunciation. The idea stemmed from her personal experience studying in the U.S., where she felt self-conscious about her Vietnamese accent. Turning her “personal pain” into a global opportunity, ELSA has grown exponentially.
By 2024, the platform boasts tens of millions of users worldwide, with over 90% reporting significant pronunciation improvements. The startup secured a $15 million Series C funding in 2021, bringing total funding to over $40 million. Its business model has expanded from B2C to B2B, partnering with large organizations and schools for stable revenue streams.
Phạm Khánh Linh – Logivan: “Uber for Trucks”
Leaving her finance career in London, Linh returned to Vietnam to found Logivan, a platform connecting shippers with truck drivers to reduce empty runs. Recognized by Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 30, she’s a leading figure among Vietnamese female founders in the male-dominated logistics sector.
Logivan experienced rapid expansion followed by restructuring to focus on operational efficiency, especially in a volatile and competitive logistics market. The company now prioritizes B2B supply chain digitization and profit optimization over scale alone. It serves over 70,000 shippers and manages 100,000+ trucks.
Nguyễn Thị Thu Hà (Hà San) — MindX: Building a ‘Mini Silicon Valley’
Known as Hà San, this Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree is the CEO and Co-founder of MindX, an EdTech startup training students and professionals in technology. Her vision? To create a “Little Silicon Valley” in Vietnam.
As of 2024, MindX operates nearly 40 training centers nationwide, graduating over 40,000 students. Graduates earn competitive salaries and work in 12+ countries. The startup raised $15 million in Series B funding (2023) to expand domestically and target international markets like Indonesia and Thailand.
Trịnh Khánh Hạ (Ella Trinh) – Co-founder of Vulcan Augmetics: Transforming Lives for the Disabled
Starting in London, Ella won the She Loves Tech competition with her first venture, Boss Lady, a fashion platform for modern women. She later joined Vulcan Augmetics, a HCMC-based biotech firm producing affordable, intelligent prosthetics.
Vulcan aims to serve 38 million underserved disabled individuals in developing nations. Its products are available across Vietnam through 20+ hospital partnerships. By early 2023, over 140 users had adopted their robotic arms.
After raising $180,000 domestically, Vulcan secured Seed funding from Quest Ventures and raiSE in October 2023, totaling $120,000–$1.96 million to scale production and technology.
Đỗ Minh Thu – Co-founder of Vuihoc: Pioneering Vietnamese EdTech
As COO and Co-founder of Vuihoc, Đỗ Minh Thu leads an EdTech platform focused on K-12 students. Vuihoc aims to bridge urban-rural education gaps with high-quality online courses, leveraging AI for personalized learning via the VSA (Visual, Self-Practice, Analysis) method.
By mid-2024, it had 1.1 million users, 300,000+ active students (80% from non-metro areas), and was named a Top 3 “Rising Star” by TIME and Statista—the only Southeast Asian EdTech on the list.
Vuihoc raised $6 million in Series A funding (2023) led by TNB Aura, with Bace Capital and Do Ventures participating. It’s expanding its ecosystem, including a strategic investment in The IELTS Workshop (TIW).
Young Entrepreneurs Host Event to Support Fledgling Vietnamese Startups in the UK
The GVB Festival 2025, a landmark event for the Vietnamese startup community in the UK, was a resounding success. With a focus on innovation and global connectivity, the festival, organized by Hamy Academy and HUB Network UK, provided a dynamic and specialized platform for young Vietnamese entrepreneurs to connect and thrive.
“Renowned Expert Pham Chi Lan Unveils Four Common Weaknesses of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs: The Misguided Belief that Exporting is Superior to Domestic Market Conquest.”
The vast openness of the market has turned Vietnam into a ‘red ocean’ in numerous industries. Renowned economist Pham Chi Lan asserts that domestic competition is now fiercer than ever, even more so than international competition.
FPT IS Partners with the World’s Leading University Press
FPT IS has recently forged a strategic partnership with Oxford University Press, one of the largest university presses in the world. This collaboration aims to create a ‘Make in Vietnam’ educational product with Oxford-standard international content, gamified to meet the learning needs of Vietnamese and global students.
Vietnamese Edtech Platform Among ‘Rising Stars’ in Global Edtech Rankings
This is the only Southeast Asian representative ranked as a “rising star” in Edtech industry worldwide.
