digital transformation

Dear Valued Partners, Clients, and the KisStartup and KisImpact Network,
The final days of the year are always an opportunity for us to look back on the journey we have traveled, to express our gratitude to the people and values that have accompanied us and contributed to the successes we celebrate today:

• AI for Innovation

Every of our clients, from those with annual revenues in the hundreds of billions of VND to micro-enterprises generating less than one billion VND, is integrating AI and data into their digital transformation and innovation processes.

• Green Innovation

Initial pilots have demonstrated measurable financial benefits for businesses, including energy cost savings, recycling, and adding value for customers.

• Open Innovation & Commercialization Connections

Entering its second year of partnership with Mitsui Chemicals Group and the official collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK, we have successfully brought research outcomes to market, connecting them with corporations, businesses, and investors.

• Innovation through Digital Transformation and Promoting an Inclusive Digital Ecosystem

With the trust of GREAT, we have partnered with hundreds of businesses in Lào Cai and Sơn La, along with universities, to introduce new concepts to these emerging but highly potential markets. Nearly 3,000 participants in project activities and over 2 billion VND in revenue growth within just three months of operation are tangible results that speak to the aspirations for change and the effective approach of the IDAP project – Enhancing the Inclusive Digital Transformation Ecosystem

• Business Models Based on Heritage Culture:

Aiming to promote the utilization of local resources to foster creativity and innovate traditional business models..

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all of you – those who have trusted, collaborated, and will continue to journey alongside KisStartup. The year 2024 was not just a year of challenges but also one in which we witnessed remarkable transformations within our KisStartup team. We have grown through small failures every day, through difficulties, and through the challenges we set for ourselves, emerging stronger, more skilled, and more professional.

With our vision of becoming an ever-evolving community of individuals and organizations driving innovation, building and developing in Vietnam, working globally, and creating sustainable impacts, this journey in 2024 would not have been possible without the core values that we have embraced, are committed to, and will continue to pursue: Empathy, Trusted Support, Creativity, Simplicity, Learning, Challenge Acceptance, Curiosity, and Transparency.

Thank you to our partners and clients, who have placed their trust in KisStartup and given us invaluable opportunities to serve. Your success is our greatest pride. Thank you to the startups, enterprises, universities, research institutes, and scientists, both domestically and internationally, who have contributed not only ideas and knowledge but also an unyielding spirit of innovation. You are a powerful source of inspiration for KisStartup to carry on its mission.

Thank you to the experts who have worked alongside us with dedication, experience, and heartfelt contributions to help our businesses and clients grow.
And last but not least, our heartfelt thanks to the KisStartup team – the individuals who continuously learn, empathize, and bravely embrace challenges. Your unwavering dedication and commitment have carried us through 2024, a year full of turbulence yet filled with pride.

As we step into 2025, we are committed to continuing to learn, innovate, and grow further to better serve not only small and micro-businesses but also large global clients. We firmly believe that innovation is the key to creating sustainable impacts and building a stronger community.

We sincerely hope to continue receiving your support, trust, and collaboration on the journey ahead.
Wishing our valued partners, clients, experts, businesses, and the entire KisStartup team a New Year filled with health, happiness, and success.
With respect and gratitude,
On behalf of the KisStartup Team,
Nguyen Dang Tuan Minh

 

In the previous article, we shared how digital transformation has led to the creation of new products and values, even from agricultural by-products that were once considered waste. This time, the story is about how digital transformation has helped create new services while preserving indigenous culture.

Experiencing Traditional Shuttlecock Making at Hà Khuyên Homestay

 

On our journey to explore the potential of digital transformation in Northwest Vietnam, we discovered a new story at Hà Khuyên Homestay in Bản Phụ Mẫu, Chiềng Yên Commune, Vân Hồ District, Sơn La Province. Known for its cozy accommodations, Hà Khuyên Homestay attracts both domestic and international tourists. In hosting guests, the homestay has curated local experiences such as tea-picking tours and visits to the traditional shuttlecock-making craft village of the White Thai people. Surprisingly, the shuttlecock-making tours have become particularly popular, marking the beginning of their digital transformation journey.

They "digitized" the shuttlecock-making process by capturing detailed photos and videos showcasing each step—from fabric selection, stitching, to decoration—and sharing this content on social media. They also organized online workshops about this craft for those who were interested but unable to participate in person.

Though still in its early stages, this digital transformation effort not only promoted a newly launched tour but also laid the foundation for a new business model centered on the vibrant traditional game of the White Thai people. The shuttlecocks, tetrahedral with brightly colored tassels, are thrown through a hoop standing 10 meters high during spring festivals as part of rituals for good fortune and prosperity—fascinating and engaging for spectators.

Hà Khuyên Homestay has since expanded beyond organizing tours and "classes" teaching shuttlecock-making. They received their first online order for shuttlecocks as gifts for Lunar New Year gift baskets. Additionally, they are improving their video production and storytelling skills to create online shuttlecock-making tutorials.

Looking ahead, they plan to broaden their customer base by selling shuttlecocks more widely as souvenirs, offering DIY shuttlecock-making kits online, and introducing other handcrafted products from local residents to increase household incom

Preserving Local Games and Music for Tourism

In the Shan Tuyet tea region, resources like the traditional Tay soccer game and then singing also have the potential to develop into new tourism business models. Soccer, once an integral part of Tay community life, has gradually faded away.

Unlike conventional soccer, Tay matches are played on freshly harvested rice paddies with rustic rules and brief intervals (each half may last only 10 minutes), featuring players in traditional attire.

With a desire to revive this tradition, Bản Liền has organized traditional Tay soccer matches between tourists and local teams. However, this unique sport remains largely unknown to many visitors.

Since these matches were digitized into videos shared on social media, things have changed. Vàng A Bình at Bản Liền Homestay has turned this experience into a service over the past several years. Tourists can buy tickets to watch the matches or join games with the locals. Simultaneously, Tay then singing in Bản Liền, supported by local authorities, is being developed into a performing arts troupe that showcases traditional songs. These performances are also being digitized to enrich the cultural experiences available to tourists.

Digital Transformation Unlocking Business Opportunities

Social media enables anyone, anywhere, to create content. Initially meant to promote a service or product, digital content can evolve into entirely new business models. The cultural activities of highland ethnic communities, when presented authentically and naturally, possess a unique charm that captivates audiences—even without elaborate editing or visuals.

This process of digital transformation opens up countless opportunities for tourism services and cultural experiences, inspiring and motivating local communities to preserve and protect their cultural values. 

Challenges on the Journey

However, this journey is not without obstacles. One prominent challenge is the fragmented recognition and exploitation of cultural uniqueness, which has not yet been fully translated into high-quality products or experiences. Many valuable cultural elements remain undefined, limiting their potential to attract tourists and generate economic value.

The digitization of content in local languages, combined with English, French, and other common languages, faces a significant shortage in both quality and quantity.

Even with the community’s co-creation efforts making digitization easier, pricing cultural experiences, targeting high-value customer segments, and fostering respect for indigenous cultures pose major challenges.

Additionally, local communities—custodians of vibrant cultural values—sometimes lack awareness of the potential digital transformation offers for heritage preservation and economic development. This lack of trust or understanding slows the adoption of technology and innovation, hindering the ability to leverage the unique cultural advantages of Northwest Vietnam. 

Empowering Cultural Heritage Through Technology

From an innovation and business development perspective, these barriers not only delay value realization but also increase costs and risks associated with digital transformation. This underscores the urgent need to empower local communities, enhancing their capabilities to identify, create, and digitize cultural values. Without overcoming these barriers, the potential to enhance value through digital transformation cannot be fully realized.

Lào Cai and Sơn La, with their cultural treasures ranging from majestic terraced fields to vibrant traditional festivals, are rich lands of potential in the digital era. Technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) can help recreate traditions and rituals, transforming folklore into engaging experiences for global visitors.

Just as Italy brings the ancient city of Pompeii to life through AR and Japan digitizes museums for virtual tours, Northwest Vietnam’s cultural heritage can also reach global audiences through similar technological tools. From Hmong khèn dances to the Thai Xòe festival, these cultural gems can transcend photos and become vivid experiences for tourists worldwide.

A Hopeful Future for Northwest Vietnam’s Digital Transformation

In this context, digital transformation is not merely a modern tool but a key to unlocking the latent power of cultural heritage. By digitizing cultural values for promotion and exploring new business models, the goal of sustainable preservation and development comes closer to reality. Stories like Hà Khuyên Homestay and Bản Liền affirm that in the digital era, culture can be an economic driver and identity can become a competitive advantage.

This journey is just beginning, but early successes light a bright path for the future of digital transformation in Northwest Vietnam.

Within the framework of the IDAP project - Enhancing the inclusive digital transformation ecosystem, we have witnessed a typical example of utilizing agricultural by-products to increase revenue through digital transformation. The cooperation between Tan Xuan 269 Cooperative and Sac Moc Tinh Company has demonstrated this. 

Tan Xuan 269 Cooperative produces and turns discarded bamboo leaves into unique bamboo leaf tea products. After being processed, the bamboo leaves have a natural green color, light yellow tea water and the characteristic aroma of pandan leaves. The product not only retains its valuable uses such as cooling, reducing fever and supporting the treatment of respiratory diseases, but also opens up a new source of revenue for the Cooperative. The product will be sold directly on e-commerce platforms, creating jobs for people in Son La. Utilizing this by-product not only helps reduce waste but also creates job opportunities for local workers. Jobs such as harvesting bamboo leaves, sorting, drying and packaging are suitable for many subjects, especially women, people with disabilities and manual workers. This is proof of the application of digital transformation in agriculture, helping to increase economic value and promote gender equality and social integration. The success story of Tan Xuan 269 Cooperative and Sac Moc Tinh Company clearly demonstrates the power of turning agricultural by-products into new products. However, to bring products to market, digital transformation will be a potential direction. This initial success not only motivates us but also affirms our commitment to connecting and supporting Cooperatives and businesses. We believe that digital transformation needs to start from digital business innovation, business model innovation first, finding new values, increasing revenue streams. From there, businesses can find opportunities from digital transformation. This journey has just begun, and we will continue to accompany partners to turn challenges into opportunities, building a comprehensive digital transformation ecosystem in Lao Cai and Son La.

ABOUT IDAP PROJECT
The project "Strengthening the Inclusive Digital Transformation Ecosystem for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)" in Lao Cai and Son La, sponsored by GREAT, implemented by KisStartup Joint Stock Company from 2024 to 2027. IDAP belongs to the initiative "Promoting Gender Equality through Improving Economic Efficiency of Agricultural Production and Tourism Development" in Lao Cai and Son La, sponsored by the Australian Government.
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Contact:(+84) 0392161403 (Mr. Hieu)

We would like to introduce KisStartup's main activities and projects in 2024, to help businesses and partners keep track of KisStartup's main projects and activities.

The projects are based on our core competencies of capacity building through training, coaching, and networking with a focus on innovation and digital transformation.

The main projects we will implement include:

1. Innovating business models and promoting exports according to Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS)
   • KisStartup will support businesses in innovating their business models to meet voluntary sustainability standards.
     Encourage and support businesses to apply VSS to enhance productivity, product quality, and export opportunities.
2. Promoting Vietnam-Canada Exports (KisEXIM) for impactful products and technologies
   • ​​KisStartup will focus on expanding export markets for products and technologies that bring positive impact.
     Build and strengthen business relationships between Vietnamese and Canadian businesses through support and trade programs.
3. Commercialization of Research Results (iRnD) - Technology commercialization and technology transfer, connection with businesses
   • KisStartup will promote the commercialization of research results by creating connection opportunities between research and businesses.
   • Support businesses in the process of technology transfer and promote cooperation between relevant parties.KisStartup will promote the commercialization of research results by creating connection opportunities between research and businesses.
     Support businesses in the process of technology transfer and promote cooperation between relevant parties.
4. Digital transformation and business model innovation
   • KisStartup will help businesses adapt to digital transformation trends, from using new technology to redesigning business models. 
   • Support training and digital capacity building for businesses.
5. Nurturing young talents to develop innovative start-up projects- Triangel
   • KisStartup will invest in nurturing and developing young talent through training and support programs.
   • Encourage and facilitate creativity and entrepreneurship in the young community.
6. Angel investor challenge - KisStartup Innovation Startup Fund
   • KisStartup will organize an angel investor challenge to find and support startup projects with great potential.
   • The Startup Fund will provide financial resources and strategic support to selected projects.

These projects will continue to strongly promote innovation in businesses, helping businesses and scientists bring good products to the Vietnamese and global markets. We look forward to strong cooperation with domestic and foreign partners in 2024.

 

On May 18, 2023, the representative of KisStartup, Ms. Nguyen Dang Tuan Minh was honored to receive the Science and Technology Journalism Awards awarded by the Ministry of Science and Technology to authors and works written on the topic Science and technology year 2022.

The article "Digital transformation is not a trend" published on January 18, 2022 in Science for Development - a publication of VnExpress was honored to receive the third prize in this award.

In parallel with providing consulting, training and coaching services on innovation, KisStartup's team constantly conducts researches and articles on topics of innovation, entrepreneurship, digital transformation to help increase community awareness and share KisStartup's views and observations on these topics and knowledge.

We believe that communicating with the community with knowledge and perspectives is the way to bring the business community closer to the innovations that are taking place every day from major trends in the world.

You can read the article again at the following link:  https://kisstartup.com/vi/tin-tuc/chuyen-doi-so-khong-phai-la-trao-luu