On the morning of December 3, 2025, the ICF Global Summit 2025, organized by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), officially opened at the Binh Duong Convention and Exhibition Center. The international summit is co-hosted by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, the Intelligent Community Forum, and Becamex Group, marking a significant milestone in Ho Chi Minh City’s journey to strengthen its position on the global smart city landscape.

A Strategic Vision for Building a Sustainable Megacity

Addressing the plenary opening session, Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, emphasized that the City is entering a new phase of comprehensive development restructuring. This phase is guided by a long-term vision of building a modern megacity founded on knowledge, science and technology, innovation, and sustainable development.

According to City leadership, Ho Chi Minh City is strongly advancing a dual transformation strategy, encompassing both digital transformation and green economic development. At the same time, the City is accelerating the development of shared data platforms, modern digital infrastructure, and an innovation ecosystem built on the “Triple Helix” collaboration model of Government – Academia– Industry.

A notable highlight of the Summit is the transition of the hosting role from Binh Duong Province (prior to administrative integration)—which was named ICF Intelligent Community of the Year 2023—to Ho Chi Minh City. Mr. Robert Bell, Co-Founder of the Intelligent Community Forum, described this transition as a rare and successful legacy story in ICF’s more than 23-year history. He noted that the continuity not only sustains development momentum but also elevates Vietnam’s standing within ICF’s global network of over 200 member communities.

Science and Technology as the Pillars of a New Growth Model

Sharing this perspective, Mr. Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, reaffirmed that science, technology, and innovation are the fundamental pillars of smart city development and a new growth model. He emphasized that the City aims to raise the digital economy’s contribution to 40% of GRDP by 2030, aligning with rapidly developing global cities.

Drawing from international best practices, he stressed that smart city development is not merely a technological race, but rather a long-term journey driven by vision, perseverance, innovation, and a strong commitment to serving the community.

As a key strategic partner in promoting the smart community philosophy in Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Hoan Vu, Chief Executive Officer of Becamex Group, highlighted the Group’s long-standing development values and its commitment to co-creating the future megacity alongside Ho Chi Minh City. He emphasized the importance of building an enabling government, developing digital infrastructure in parallel with industrial–urban–service ecosystems, fostering technological innovation among enterprises, empowering universities and research institutes to lead knowledge creation, and expanding opportunities for citizens.

Becamex leadership further underscored ICF’s core philosophy: the intelligence of a city is not defined by the sophistication of its technology, but by its ability to connect people, institutions, resources, and knowledge to transform potential into tangible value for the community.

Advancing Global Collaboration and Shaping the Knowledge Economy

Over two days, ICF Global Summit 2025 brings together more than 600 global leaders, urban experts, technology corporations, and international investors, creating a platform for dialogue and cooperation centered on ICF’s six core development pillars, fully aligned with Ho Chi Minh City’s digital and green transformation agenda.

A series of High-Level Dialogues, chaired by ICF Co-Founders Robert Bell and John Jung, feature mayors and leading innovators from Canada, the United States, Brazil, Türkiye, Spain, and the Netherlands, offering strategic insights and practical experiences. In parallel, in-depth discussion sessions focus on applying ICF’s Community Accelerator Strategy to enhance urban competitiveness, develop innovation ecosystems, and attract high-quality investment flows.

The Summit also provides a dedicated forum to explore the post-integration vision of Ho Chi Minh City as a megacity, highlighting opportunities for the City to emerge as a leading economic and technological hub in the region.

Ahead of the Summit, on the evening of December 2, 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee hosted a Welcome Reception and the TOP 7 Intelligent Communities of the World 2025 Awards Ceremony. The event fostered networking, dialogue, and new international partnerships, further reaffirming the City’s strong commitment to building a sustainable megacity grounded in digital transformation, green transition, and an innovation ecosystem linking Government – Academia – Industry as the foundation for long-term growth.