Vietnam Offers Up to $120,000 Grant for AI Adoption

Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology has unveiled subsidies to help companies and organizations upgrade their operations with artificial intelligence, providing up to VND3 billion ($120,000) per project. The initiative, managed by the National Technology Innovation Fund (NATIF), aims to co-fund up to 15 practical Artificial Intelligence initiatives under its 2026 AI-driven technology innovation scheme. Officials aim to push Vietnamese businesses to tackle real-world operational bottlenecks using machine intelligence and accelerate AI deployment across factories, storefronts, and everyday services. Under this model, the government shoulders a portion of the upfront investment risks, while businesses identify their specific challenges, commit their own resources, and take full responsibility for commercial outcomes. Funds can be used for hiring AI specialists, purchasing technical services, running trials, evaluating software performance, and transferring and refining algorithms. Projects must conclude within 12 months. The grant welcomes legally registered companies and organizations looking to integrate AI into their pipelines for new product development, modern service rollout, revamped operating workflows, or improved business models. Submissions must outline clear targets, work plans, implementation roadmaps, projected deliverables, detailed budgets, and evidence of viable real-world utility and measurable economic or social returns. Priority is given to initiatives in processing and manufacturing, agriculture and food processing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, logistics and supply chains, retail, corporate governance, and public administration. Applicants collaborating with research institutes, universities, or tech SMEs supplying AI solutions will also receive preferential consideration. Interested parties can submit applications digitally via the fund's online management portal at oms.natif.vn or physically to NATIF headquarters in Hanoi by 5:00 p.m. on October 10, 2026. NATIF operates under the Ministry of Science and Technology, commissioning research, underwriting technological innovation, subsidizing loan interest rates, issuing financial vouchers, and nurturing the national startup ecosystem. This grant cycle is one of its flagship endeavors following the implementation of Decree 77/2026, which governs the fund's organization and activities.