Local authorities are promoting technology startups and digital transformation, helping businesses turn Hue’s cultural values into products and services with growing domestic and international reach.

The ancient capital is home to eight UNESCO-recognised World Cultural Heritages, including six associated with Hue and two jointly held with other localities. The city also boasts traditional craft villages, distinctive cuisine, and attractive landscapes, providing a rich foundation for startups to develop businesses rooted in local heritage.

Vo Cong Tien, CEO of An Thu Home Garden homestay, has turned his family’s historic property into a cultural tourism experience. The 1,400sqm site was once associated with mandarins of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) and has been preserved by his family for four generations.

Tien said developing the homestay is his way of preserving and promoting Hue’s cultural values. Visitors can experience not only accommodation but also the city’s lifestyle, cuisine, and traditions. The business has also introduced a distinctive experience of enjoying tea in a traditional house, offering visitors an authentic local experience.

To support startups, the city's Innovation Startup Centre has implemented incubation programmes and provided assistance in product development, business models, digital transformation, and market access. It also connects startups with investors, experts, and the broader innovation ecosystem.

Cung Trong Cuong, Director of the Hue Institute for Development Studies, said the city prioritises startups in technology, traditional handicrafts, and cuisine. Each year, the innovation startup centre supports 10-15 businesses through incubation programmes, with assistance in digital transformation, business-model innovation, market development, trade, intellectual property, and branding.

He noted that commercialising heritage requires a long-term approach. While heritage was previously viewed mainly from a preservation perspective, Hue has increasingly encouraged businesses to combine cultural values with technology and modern business models, creating products of higher economic value while promoting the city’s cultural identity.

By 2030, the city aims to develop at least 300 innovative startups, establish at least seven startup incubators, and create 5-10 spin-off enterprises based on intellectual assets from Hue University and research institutes. The city also aims to rank among the country’s top 10 localities in the Provincial Innovation Index (PII), gradually establishing itself as an innovation hub in central Vietnam./.