Two Vietnamese representatives are in Forbes Asia's top 100 potential startups and small companies.

The leadership team of AI startup Hay (from left to right): CEO Tran Duc, CTO Nguyen Chuong and COO Nguyen Hiep.

The fifth annual Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list offers a snapshot of the vibrant startup and small business ecosystem in the Asia -Pacific region, an ecosystem that is constantly moving, increasingly focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) and deep tech to innovate and grow.

After hitting a 10-year low in late 2024, venture capital funding in the region has begun to recover in some countries this year, notably India, Japan, and Singapore (according to the latest report from KPMG), Forbes said. To date, the companies on the list have raised nearly $3 billion in investment capital, up sharply from $2 billion in the group last year.

Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2025 names 100 representatives from 16 countries and territories: India leads with 18 businesses, followed by Singapore and Japan (14 businesses each), China (9 businesses), Indonesia and South Korea (8 businesses each) and Australia (7 businesses).

The companies are divided into 10 sectors, including: biotechnology and healthcare; space technology; consumer technology; energy and green technology; finance; agriculture ; e-commerce and retail; enterprise technology and robotics; food and hospitality; and industrial and manufacturing.

Emerging sectors such as biotechnology, space technology and green technology are of particular interest to investors. This year’s list is dominated by companies working in these areas – from companies developing gene-editing therapies to treat cancer, to producing new anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, to building advanced propulsion systems for spacecraft.

Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2025 names 2 potential Vietnamese startups

Vietnam has two representatives on the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2025 list, including AI Hay and Kamereo.

AI Hay startup was founded in 2022 by CEO Tran Duc, operating in the field of consumer technology. According to Forbes, AI Hay has developed applications and chatbots based on a proprietary large language model. This technology not only recognizes language features and cultural context, but also tracks user behavior to provide answers from a source of selected content.

According to a recent survey by Decision Lab, Vietnam's AI Hay application ranked 6th out of 11 popular AI platforms with Vietnamese users, and ranked 2nd in terms of user satisfaction, just after ChatGPT.

AI Hay’s mobile app, which is currently used primarily by students, allows users to take photos of their assignments and receive step-by-step instructions for a variety of subjects including math, literature, and essay writing. It also integrates social media tools, creating a space for online discussion and learning.

Last July, AI Hay successfully raised $10 million in a Series A funding round led by Argor Capital, bringing the total investment the company has received to more than $18 million. The startup’s leadership team includes CEO Tran Duc, CTO Nguyen Chuong, and COO Nguyen Hiep.

Meanwhile, Kamereo was founded in 2018 by CEO Taku Tanaka, operating in the field of e-commerce and retail. This is a B2B food supply platform, acting as a bridge between restaurants and retailers in Vietnam with manufacturers and suppliers of vegetables, meat, seafood and dried foods.

The startup develops an integrated logistics and warehousing system that streamlines the purchasing process with features like order tracking, inventory management, and direct farm-to-table connections.

Last December, Kamereo successfully raised $7.8 million in Series B funding from Sumitomo Corporation and Inspire, providing additional resources to expand its market and enhance its supply chain capabilities.

Literature

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hai-dai-dien-viet-nam-lot-top-100-cong-ty-khoi-nghiep-va-cong-ty-nho-tiem-nang-cua-forbes-asia-post903642.html