The Saigon High-Tech Park Aims to Attract Semiconductor Companies

Thanks to the investment from the Government and the Management Board of Saigon High-Tech Park (SHTP) recently, leading Dutch semiconductor company BESI has confirmed its investment in installing machinery and is expected to commence operations in 2025 at SHTP. Ho Chi Minh City is actively investing and planning to transform the East Saigon area into the tech hub of Thu Duc City in the future.

Saigon High-Tech Park – becoming a new semiconductor center in Vietnam

On September 6, 2023, Saigon High-Tech Park (SHTP) launched the Electronics and Semiconductor Center (ESC). The center was established by the merger of two semiconductor design training centers (SCDC) and the International Electronics Training Center (IETC). The purpose of merging the two centers is to create a large-scale and highly specialized unit in semiconductor technology training to meet the requirements and attract the attention of international investors in Ho Chi Minh City.

This is a clear initiative to attract more semiconductor businesses for investment in Vietnam in the coming time. Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Anh Thi, Head of the Management Board of Saigon High-Tech Park, stated that Vietnam has a golden opportunity to enter the semiconductor playground along with major players such as the United States, China, Taiwan, Germany, etc. With advantages in geographical and political aspects, open diplomatic policies, and integration with many countries, especially in the context where the world’s top two economic powers, the U.S. and China, are competing in the development and protection of technology secrets.

The launch event of the Electronics and Semiconductor Center (ESC) at Saigon High-Tech Park on September 6, 2023

The initiative to attract semiconductor businesses by Saigon High-Tech Park quickly yielded results. In early November 2023, the Dutch company BE Semiconductor Industries N.V (BESI) invested 4.9 million USD in SHTP to install machinery and equipment. It is expected that the workshop and machinery will be completed by the end of 2024, and the plant will commence operations in 2025. BESI was awarded the investment certificate by SHTP on November 2 in Hanoi during the Vietnam-Netherlands High-tech Business Forum on the occasion of the official visit of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to Vietnam.

BE Semiconductor Industries N.V, or BESI, is a company headquartered in the Netherlands, with seven operating bases in Asia and Europe. BESI specializes in providing semiconductor equipment for the global semiconductor and electronics industries, with major customers being multinational semiconductor manufacturers, assembly contractors, and electronic-industrial companies.

This marks a new milestone in Vietnam’s semiconductor industry since Intel established its factory at Saigon High-Tech Park (SHTP) for the first time 17 years ago. Alongside leading global electronic companies like Samsung, Nidec has been operating at SHTP, raising hopes for the substantial development of the electronic semiconductor business ecosystem in Vietnam. The expectation is that Saigon High-Tech Park will solidify the ecosystem of semiconductor and electronic businesses to become a tech hub in the not-too-distant future. To achieve this goal, Thu Duc City has invested significantly in establishing robust infrastructure to become a leading economic and scientific center in Vietnam in the future.

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Formation of the Tech Hub in Thu Duc City – a new hope in the global technology race

According to Mr. Nguyễn Anh Thi, in practical terms, no industrialized nation has succeeded without developing a robust electronic industry, and similarly, no country has developed the semiconductor industry without a strong electronic industry. The electronic and semiconductor industries have a mutually reinforcing relationship, co-developing together.

Mr. Nguyễn Anh Thi believes that this is the opportune moment, a golden opportunity to introduce Vietnam’s semiconductor industry to the world

The new city of Thu Duc is being planned to become an economic and scientific hub, ready to serve as a platform for the development of high-tech industries, particularly in electronics and semiconductors. The three districts of Thu Duc City will play roles as the pillars in the economic, scientific, and educational sectors. The economic focus will concentrate on District 2 (former), Thủ Thiêm area. Education will be centered around the University Town in Thu Duc. Meanwhile, the scientific focus will be established in Saigon High-Tech Park, District 9 (former). Thu Duc City aims to be an economic center, a hub for producing high-quality human resources, and a research center and technology incubator for the region.

Ho Chi Minh City is planning for Thu Duc City to become an innovative urban area in the east

In recent years, the government’s investment in Thu Duc City has become increasingly noticeable. Key infrastructure projects such as Metro Line 1, Belt Road 3, stable power transmission lines for the High-Tech Park, and the 5G network trial in Thu Duc City are being actively pursued. Overall, both Ho Chi Minh City and the government are actively supporting the upgrading of infrastructure, creating a modern tech hub in Thu Duc City.

Following BESI’s investment, building a network of complementary businesses and promoting collaboration for mutual development is highly recommended to truly establish a tech hub in Thu Duc City.

With investments in the eastern part of Ho Chi Minh City and government support, the expectation of having a tech hub in Thu Duc City is entirely reasonable

At the Saigon High-Tech Park (SHTP), the OneHub Saigon office project is an ideal place to develop a business ecosystem. With its extensive scale, featuring seven office towers and various auxiliary facilities such as data centers, entertainment-commercial centers, residential areas, etc., OneHub Saigon is attracting numerous businesses from both domestic and international spheres to establish offices here. The project boasts Grade A office quality and LEED green office standards, aligning with the sustainable development goals of both businesses and Ho Chi Minh City.

OneHub Saigon is constructed to establish a robust network of businesses and foster strong connections and collaborative development, particularly for businesses operating or having factories in the High-Tech Park. Setting up offices here is highly suitable. To build the tech hub of Thu Duc City, aiming to compete with global technology giants, establishing a business community with geographic proximity, such as at OneHub Saigon, is a highly suitable approach.

Conclusion

The Saigon High-Tech Park has successfully affirmed the quality of its infrastructure to attract more semiconductor businesses, as evidenced by the investment from the Dutch company BESI. In the future, Thu Duc City is expected to become a new economic and scientific center for the country, a tech hub for Thu Duc City. Building a business network within the tech hub requires more than just connections; it necessitates support and collaboration in terms of business benefits and geographical factors. The OneHub Saigon office project at SHTP aims to become an ideal location for connecting technology businesses both within and outside the country operating in the High-Tech Park of Ho Chi Minh City.

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