The MIT Sloan ASEAN Office is launching the MIT $50K Vietnam Entrepreneurship Competition to deepen its engagement in the region and support the rapidly growing entrepreneurship ecosystem in Vietnam and across ASEAN.
Inspired by the renowned MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition – originally established by MIT students during the 1989–1990 academic year – the MIT $50K Vietnam Competition marks the first MIT $100k-inspired entrepreneurship competition to be based in Asia.
In collaboration with the Lawrence S. Ting Foundation, the MIT Sloan ASEAN Office will officially launch the competition in 2026. The initiative will invite startup proposals from graduate student-led teams in Vietnam, with a focus on ventures that meet three key criteria: technology-driven innovation, for-profit viability, and the ability to generate meaningful social impact.
The competition will unfold in two stages. The initial round of pitch proposal submissions is scheduled for October 2026, followed by the announcement of five finalists in December 2026 after evaluation by a panel of judges. The final round, tentatively planned for March 2027, will feature in-person presentations from the finalists, showcasing more advanced business prototypes, from which the winners will be selected.
Through this initiative, the MIT Sloan ASEAN Office and the Lawrence S. Ting Foundation aim to foster sustainable growth within Vietnam’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. By expanding MIT’s presence in Vietnam and the broader ASEAN region – through programs such as the MIT $50K Vietnam Competition, the MIT Sloan ASEAN Lab, and other initiatives – the Office continues to embody MIT’s commitment to blending academic rigor with real-world application. This approach reflects the Institute’s long-standing “learning by doing” philosophy and its dedication to cultivating impactful innovation.
