Ho Chi Minh City SME Association Aims to Unite 10,000 Businesses by 2030

The Ho Chi Minh City Small and Medium Enterprises Association (HCM-SME) has set an ambitious goal to unite 10,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under its umbrella by 2030, aiming to expand connections for capital, markets, and technology. This was announced by Mr. Pham Van Triem, Chairman of HCM-SME, at the 2026 HCM-SME Entrepreneur Community Activities launch event on September 8. According to the association's roadmap, membership is projected to reach approximately 2,000 in 2027, 4,000 in 2028, 8,000 in 2029, and finally 10,000 by 2030. The association currently has close to 1,000 members, more than tripling its number since its first congress in 2025, which had around 300 members. Mr. Triem stated that this surge reflects the growing demand from businesses for an organization capable of connecting resources and expanding cooperation opportunities amidst a rapidly changing business environment. For the 2025-2030 period, HCM-SME will focus its activities on three key areas: "Standardization, Digitization, and Greenization." The association also plans to promote trade and product advertising, implement weekly and monthly "Entrepreneur Coffee" networking sessions, and provide legal and tax support. The strategy includes concentrating on the eastern region of Ho Chi Minh City for in-depth development of enterprise clusters in logistics, supporting industries, tourism, and clean energy. The northern region will focus on cluster networking to become the association's industrial core. The central area will be developed for strong growth in trade, services, finance, technology, and innovation, linking with high-tech parks, innovation centers, and startup incubators to attract young businesses, startups, and foreign direct investment (FDI). This year's activities are primarily focused on market connection and enhancing business capabilities. Most recently, HCM-SME organized a meeting and trade exchange with the Vietnam Business Association in Japan and the Vietnamese Trade Office in Japan, attracting over 20 businesses. Discussions covered business cooperation, investment, M&A, technology transfer, and introducing Vietnamese products to the Japanese market. Domestically, the association is organizing business connection programs, product and service introductions, and developing affiliated committees and clubs. In August, HCM-SME collaborated with ICC Academy and Nghia Phat to organize Trade Connect, focusing on risk management, growth, and adaptability. HCM-SME was established on July 1, 2025, as a member organization of the Vietnam SMEs Association (VINASME), serving as the representative body for the SME community in Ho Chi Minh City. The association was formed by inheriting and developing from the Ba Ria-Vung Tau SME Association, established in 2007. Ho Chi Minh City currently has over 600,000 operating businesses, with SMEs accounting for approximately 98% and creating employment for over 5 million workers. Given this scale, HCM-SME believes there is significant room for expanding its network and increasing inter-enterprise linkages.