Scale Quest

Backing Vietnam's highest potential scientists in their commercial ambitions

 Scale Quest is a 6-month programme between National Academy for Advanced Technology and Innovation (NACENTECH) Vietnam and Quest Ventures.

The programme creates the next generation of global companies with Vietnam’s top scientists through transforming inventive technologies into commercially viable products and feasible business ventures.

It is guided by a team of local and international advisors with extensive experience in research, venture capital, and technology commercialisation.

Creating the next generation of global companies

Who Should Join

  1. Principal Investigator (PI): Vietnamese scientist or professor leading the core technology. Responsible for technical integrity and research depth.
  2. Business Lead (BL): Business-minded graduate student or young local entrepreneur. Drives market validation and commercial strategy.
  3. Industry Mentor (IM): Corporate executive or seasoned startup founder in Vietnam. Provides strategic guidance and industry network access.

Mentors guide new founders

Work With Mentors

From founders to senior executives, mentors work with startups and accelerate their growth. Entrepreneurs-in-residence, industry mentors, and guest speakers expand your horizons.

Our mentors are world class.

Fundings and savings

Family Benefits

Participants in the Scale Quest programme get access to Quest Ventures Family Benefits – the largest such program in Asia.

Learning and growing fast

Masterclasses

With a diverse line up of speakers, founders can expect wide-ranging topics with select deep dives. Expect candid feedback from these masterclasses.

Learn from the best.

Network with thought leaders at major events

Global Expansion

As the world’s fastest growing region, Southeast Asia is a hotbed of startup and innovation activities. Hanoi is Vietnam’s Silicon Valley, and it is where your global expansion adventures will begin.

Scale and replicate.

Standing room only at investor event

Meet Investors

As you grow into market leaders, your funding needs will grow in tandem. Meet our extensive network of investors in key cities across Asia.

Grow.

Classroom experience

Programme Structure

The programme is structured as a 4-phase competitive funnel designed to validate deep technology under real-world factory conditions.

Phase 1: Principal Investigator (PI) Scoping (Month 1)

Open application window across national university networks and NACENTECH referrals.

Phase 2: Bootcamp & SME Hunt (Months 2–3)

Selected PIs undergo rigorous training in value proposition mapping, commercial lead generation, and 2-minute B2B pitching tailored for Vietnamese business owners.

Phase 3: Joint Sprint & Secondment (Months 4–6)

  1. Joint Training (Weeks 1–2): PIs and their locked-in SME partners undergo joint training in Agile project management to align academic research timelines with strict business manufacturing deadlines.
  2. The Secondment (Weeks 3–10): The PI physically relocates and moves directly into the SME facility. PIs run weekly internal customer discovery interviews with equipment operators and procurement heads to ensure seamless operational integration while actively training the SME’s internal staff.
  3. IP & Ethics (Week 11): A structured roleplay workshop to divide intellectual property ownership and map out clear profit-sharing metrics between the PI and the SME owner.

Phase 4: Exit & TECHFEST Vietnam Showcase (Month 7)

The PI and SME co-create a 12-month commercialization roadmap with monthly milestones to ensure independent technology maintenance post-programme.

Customer discovery

Eligibility

To be eligible for the programme, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  1. Each application must be submitted by one designated Person-in-Charge (PIC) who will serve as the Principal Investigator (PI).
  2. The PI must be:
    • An affiliated professor, research scientist, engineer, or alumnus of a recognised Vietnamese university or research institution.
    • A Vietnamese citizen or permanent resident, aged 18 or above.
    • The lead technical owner-operator responsible for the project throughout the programme, including the 8-week secondment.
  3. A signed endorsement from the PI’s home university or research institution is required, confirming compliance with institutional policies and guaranteeing the PI’s academic position upon completion of the programme.
  4. Company incorporation is not required at the time of application.
  5. If a startup or collaborative entity has already been established, it must:
    • Be incorporated in Vietnam; and
    • Have been incorporated less than six (6) months before the programme start date.

New technologies, commercialised.

Types of Projects

Projects must:

  1. Be based on deep technology or applied engineering with strong Research & Development (R&D) foundations.
  2. Demonstrate clear commercialisation potential and measurable industrial and/or societal impact.
  3. Have achieved a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4, supported by a working laboratory prototype and/or registered intellectual property (e.g. patents).

Quest Ventures, in partnership with NACENTECH, backs Vietnam’s highest potential scientists in their commercial ambitions.