Da Nang accelerates shift toward high-value digital technology industries
DNO - Da Nang is undergoing a significant transformation, moving away from traditional software outsourcing and export activities toward higher value-added services, including digital transformation consulting, semiconductor development and artificial intelligence (AI).
Nguyen Cao Thanh, Chief Representative of FPT Semiconductor in Da Nang, said Vietnam’s semiconductor industry is entering an important phase of transition.
The newly enacted Digital Technology Industry Law provides a strong legal foundation for domestic enterprises like FPT to participate more deeply in the design, manufacturing and commercialization stages of chip production.
Da Nang’s position as a centre for digital technology, innovation and startups offers favorable conditions for expanding the semiconductor and AI industries.
FPT is currently piloting activities at strategic digital infrastructure sites, including Da Nang Software Park No. 2, the FPT Complex, AI data centers, chip research laboratories and a Lab-Fab model for semiconductor production.
Da Nang has the potential to become a national-level testing hub where Vietnamese chips can be verified before wider market deployment.
Alongside major corporations like FPT, long-established technology companies in Da Nang have focused on developing proprietary software rather than outsourcing.
FAST specializes in accounting and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for the domestic market; BRAVO provides ERP solutions for finance, accounting and production management.
In a similar vein, many small and medium-sized enterprises are also shifting toward higher value-added products.
BAP develops mobile applications, AI systems and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions; AIAIVN focuses on AI-based products such as automated advisory systems and autonomous driving solutions; and Acronics works on FPGA chip design and specialized network infrastructure.
Da Nang’s digital technology firms have significantly reduced their dependence on outsourcing, with the proportion of outsourcing revenue falling from 72% to 34%.
The city has about 50,000 digital technology workers, including 22,000 employees directly involved in software and digital content production, accounting for 45% of Da Nang’s total IT workforce, well above the national average of 15%.
To date, more than 70 companies in semiconductor and AI fields have established operations in Da Nang.
These include major foreign-invested corporations and global design centers such as Marvell, Synopsys, Uniquify, Synapse and Savarti of the United States, as well as Renesas of Japan. FPT Semiconductor is a prominent domestic player.
A key milestone in the city’s semiconductor development is the Lab-Fab project, valued at approximately US$68.3 million, located in the Da Nang Software Park No. 2.
It is Vietnam’s first integrated model combining laboratory research, pilot production and workforce training.
The project creates a closed-loop system that enables rapid transfer of research outcomes into trial manufacturing, supporting the commercialization of “Make in Vietnam - Make in Da Nang” products.
In addition, the municipal People’s Council has approved an investment of approximately US$7.6 million for advanced computing infrastructure to support chip design and AI research (Lab AI), which is expected to become operational in December 2026.
Da Nang aims for the digital economy to account for at least 35% of its GRDP by 2030, with digital technology industries serving as a key growth engine and the city emerging as an international innovation hub and a center for high-quality technology training.