GLOBAL STARTUP COMPETITION · MARKET VALIDATION · INVESTMENT READINESS

Startup Wheel 2026

19–20 AUGUST 2026Ho Chi Minh City

WHY IT MATTERS

A global founder pipeline that moves ventures from open applications through selection, mentoring, exhibition and live pitching—culminating in Vietnam, International and Youth championship tracks at InnoEx 2026.

012,458 applications

0228 countries

0380+ ecosystem partners

04Three competition tracks

AGENDA & CONTENT

The programme at a glance

Compiled from the official agenda and speaker directory

01PIPELINE

Open call and global outreach

Startup Wheel sources ventures across Vietnam and international markets, creating a broad top-of-funnel for technology, social-impact and business-model innovation.

02SELECTION

Top 100 and Top 50 evaluation

Screening progressively tests problem clarity, solution relevance, founder capability, market potential and the evidence behind each venture’s claims.

03ACCELERATION

Mentoring and market preparation

Selected teams refine customer understanding, business models, go-to-market logic, financial assumptions and investor communication before the final stages.

04DAY 1 · AUG 19

Vietnam and International Semi-finals

The Discovery Stage hosts the Vietnam and International semi-finals, followed by the International-track continuation and the Vietnam Youth Startup final.

05DAY 2 · AUG 20

Startup Wheel Grand Final

Finalists from the Vietnam and International tracks pitch at InnoEx, meeting judges, investors, corporate leaders and potential market partners.

06DAY 2 · AUG 20

Closing Ceremony and Awards

Viet Dynamic, AquFish and Electroverse emerged as the respective champions of the Vietnam, International and Youth tracks.

KEY MESSAGES

What matters beyond the stage

Competition is only the top of the funnel

The real value is the quality of ventures entering longer-term support, customer validation and capital pathways.

Pitch quality cannot replace market evidence

Strong founders need clear customers, measurable pain, realistic economics and a credible route to repeatable sales.

Different stages require different support

Student projects, early startups and market-ready companies should not be assessed or mentored through one uniform framework.

Post-event conversion matters

Investor introductions and corporate meetings need accountable follow-up if the competition is to create companies, revenue and jobs.

PRODUCTS & STARTUPS

Startup Wheel finalists, youth ventures, international teams and exhibiting enterprises

174 profiles extracted from the official InnoEx 2026 Handbook

AN ECOSYSTEM PERSPECTIVE

Startup Wheel is most valuable as a sourcing and diagnostic engine. Investment readiness must begin with business fundamentals, and selected founders need stage-appropriate support after the stage—especially customer discovery, product–market fit, go-to-market execution and investor follow-through.

SWISS EP

Add practical mentoring before and after the competition, focusing on customer discovery, product–market fit, go-to-market execution and investment readiness.

Swiss EP Vietnam

PEOPLE & ORGANISATIONS

Profiles behind the network

Stakeholder Directory

PEOPLE · 1

Click a profile to open its background and institutional relationship.

ORGANISATIONS · 3

Institutions represented across the Startup Wheel 2026 programme.

REFERENCES

Sources and verification links

Startup Wheel 2026 Top 30+3 official announcement