Consolidated Document No. 09/VBHN-BKHCN: Circular on Managing the National Innovation Startup Ecosystem Support Scheme (Project 844) to 2025
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Based on:09/VBHN-BKHCN - Government Official Gazette
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Consolidated Document No. 09/VBHN-BKHCN merges Circular No. 01/2018/TT-BKHCN with amendments under Circular No. 58/2025/TT-BKHCN, setting out how the Ministry of Science and Technology organizes, manages, and funds the National Innovation Startup Ecosystem Support Scheme to 2025 (Project 844), approved under Decision No. 844/QD-TTg. The circular divides Project 844 tasks into five groups: national/ministerial/provincial science and technology tasks; annual and periodic tasks (training, communications, building accelerator and investor networks, organizing startup events, supporting incubators); IT application tasks (the national startup portal and startup database system); construction of concentrated startup service zones; and project management activities. It sets out detailed procedures for selecting lead implementing organizations (application dossiers, appraisal councils, funding review), contract signing and liquidation, and a five-tier classification of innovation startup experts by years of experience (under 3 years to 12+ years) used to set financial support rates. The main audience is startup support organizations and innovation startups (businesses under 5 years old) seeking access to state budget funding, plus the ministries, localities, and agencies that directly implement Project 844. This is an internal administrative document governing how startup-support funding is approved and disbursed - it does not impose tax, e-invoice, labor, or customs obligations that apply to businesses generally.
Scope and Subjects of Application
This consolidated circular governs the organization and management of the National Innovation Startup Ecosystem Support Scheme to 2025 (Project 844), approved under Prime Minister's Decision No. 844/QD-TTg dated 18 May 2016. It applies to organizations and individuals implementing Project 844 tasks, state management agencies, and related parties.
Key Definitions
- Innovation startup: a business with fast-growth potential based on intellectual property, technology, or new business models, operating no more than 5 years since first business registration.
- Innovation startup support organization: provides facilities, consulting, training, investment, or communication support to startups.
- Business accelerator: helps startups develop business models and access investment capital through intensive training programs and investment days.
- Concentrated startup service zone: a location offering infrastructure, shared workspace, events, training, and investment services for startups.
- Innovation startup expert: a person with knowledge and experience in training, policy advisory, or startup support consulting.
Five Task Groups Under Project 844
- National, ministerial, and provincial science and technology tasks.
- Annual and periodic tasks: capacity-building training; startup communications; building networks of accelerators, individual investors, and venture funds; organizing startup events (Techfest); supporting incubators; connecting domestic and international startup networks; direct support for startups.
- IT application tasks: building and operating the National Innovation Startup Portal and the startup database management information system.
- Construction of concentrated startup service zones.
- Project management activities: advisory councils, inspection delegations, hiring policy advisors, conferences and seminars, communications, and data collection.
Authority and Task Management Procedures
The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) commissions, approves, and funds national, regional, and international-scale tasks; ministries, localities, and socio-political-professional organizations manage tasks within their own scope. Task codes follow the format «KNDMST.[task name].[organization name].XX-YY».
The selection procedure for lead organizations on annual/periodic tasks includes: submitting an application dossier (business registration certificate, task proposal on standard forms, supporting evidence of eligibility), evaluation by an Appraisal Council and a funding appraisal team within set deadlines (10 working days for dossier checks, 5 working days for approval submission), signing an implementation contract, monitoring and adjustment during execution, and acceptance, contract liquidation, and result recognition within 30 + 10 + 5 working days after contract expiry. For tasks assigned directly to units under MOST, an equivalent procedure is led by the Planning-Finance Department.
Article 7 was repealed by Circular No. 58/2025/TT-BKHCN, effective 31 December 2025, as part of an administrative procedure simplification drive.
Support for Startups and Experts
Innovation startups may receive partial funding for labor costs, service usage, digital workspace, prototyping, short-term accelerator programs abroad, and partner/investor introductions, selected under the mechanism in Decree No. 39/2018/ND-CP (SME Support Law).
Innovation startup experts are classified into five tiers based on years of experience, used as the basis for setting financial support rates:
- Tier 1: 12+ years of experience.
- Tier 2: 9 to under 12 years.
- Tier 3: 6 to under 9 years.
- Tier 4: 3 to under 6 years.
- Tier 5: under 3 years.
Implementation
The Project 844 Steering Committee sets direction and oversees implementation; the Department for Market and Science-Technology Enterprise Development manages MOST-commissioned tasks; the Planning-Finance Department consolidates plans and allocates funding. Ministries, localities, and other bodies must build annual and 5-year implementation plans, update startup data into the shared national system, and report to MOST by 15 December each year for consolidation into the report to the Prime Minister.