Building a local business ecosystem

Currently, bringing enterprises together to develop closed value chains, from production to distribution, is drawing increasing attention from local governments and various production sectors. This model enables businesses to control better the quality and standards of their products and services, respond more effectively to market shifts, reduce costs and labor, and improve overall operational efficiency.

Businesses in the supporting industries of Dong Nai province and Ho Chi Minh City visit each other’s product booths. Photo: Vương The

For Dong Nai, a province with a large number of private enterprises, building a local business ecosystem that connects and leverages the strengths of each enterprise, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of the province’s products, is also a solution being implemented.

Connecting enterprises – enhancing business advantages

In recent years, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Vietnam, particularly in Dong Nai, have shown a growing tendency to come together to form business communities that support one another in business development, promote mutual product consumption, and enhance overall efficiency.

Diep Nam Phuong Investment Joint Stock Company, based in Long Thanh commune, specializes in the import, export, and processing of stainless steel materials for industrial production, construction, healthcare, and food manufacturing. The company’s products are now widely distributed to businesses across the province. Nguyen Huu That, the company’s director, shared that Dong Nai holds significant potential for enterprise development, particularly in supporting industries, processing, and manufacturing. To harness collective strength, local businesses need to strengthen connections and make greater use of each other’s products and services. This approach not only secures stable output for goods but also fosters stronger linkages, mutual support, and cooperative development.

According to the Dong Nai Statistics Office, as of mid-October 2025, Dong Nai had nearly 109,700 private business entities registered on the National Business Registration Information System. Among them, almost 79,500 were enterprises and more than 30,200 were branches, representative offices, or business locations, with a total registered capital of approximately VND 783.3 trillion.

The mutual use of each other's products and services has driven businesses to pursue comprehensive innovation, encompassing technology and applied scientific research, as well as expanding production scales, improving product designs, and enhancing the quality of both products and services. This endeavor, in turn, has strengthened their market competitiveness.

Dang Quoc Nghi, Chairman of the Dong Nai Young Entrepreneurs Association, stated that for many years, the association has promoted a program encouraging members to use each other’s products and services. In addition, the association regularly organizes visits to member businesses and direct connections to factories, enabling enterprises within the association to explore and expand partnership opportunities.

Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City are neighboring localities with the country’s highest concentration of industry, providing an environment and conditions that facilitate the formation and growth of businesses, particularly those in supporting industries. When enterprises from the two regions connect, cooperate, and utilize each other’s products, goods, and services, or collaborate on joint orders, they can enhance the competitiveness of their products. The Ho Chi Minh City Association of Supporting Industries (HASI) and the Dong Nai Business Federation have implemented numerous cooperation programs.

Vo Son Dien, Chairman of HASI, emphasized that expanding collaboration and creating an environment where enterprises in the same sector can connect is extremely important. This approach helps overcome fragmentation and excessive reliance on imported components, gradually forming a complete supporting industry ecosystem.

Towards building Business “ecosystems”

Nguyen Duy Khuong, Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Young Entrepreneurs Association, stated that the association aims to establish a dynamic regional networking system, helping local businesses not only to develop individually but also to create collective strength.

To fully harness existing potential and opportunities, the association has proposed that the province develop a Logistics 4.0 Corridor connected to Long Thanh International Airport, standardize the integration of warehouses, inland container depots (ICDs), and ports, and apply digital technologies across the entire supply chain. It also recommends establishing the Dong Nai Young Industry Cluster Alliance in high-potential sectors, including food, medicinal herbs, supporting industries, logistics, education, and digital healthcare, with a focus on standardizing products and expanding exports. At the same time, the development of “Made in Dong Nai” value chains is encouraged, positioning young enterprises as the driving force in the production, distribution, and commercialization of local specialty products.

In addition to the Young Entrepreneurs Association, numerous industry associations in Dong Nai have been developing and implementing their own connectivity strategies. In the wood industry, according to Nguyen Phuong, Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Wood and Handicraft Association (DOWA), businesses, associations, and localities must collaborate to strengthen their internal capacity. The wood sector holds strong potential for growth and export expansion. Crucially, to improve product quality, Vietnam’s wood industry needs to foster stronger links among local wood processing associations nationwide. These efforts will help the sector meet increasingly stringent global standards, elevate the reputation of Vietnamese wood products in international markets, consolidate existing values, and equip the industry with new competitive advantages.

In the near future, the Dong Nai Logistics Association will organize a ceremony to announce its establishment and hold its first congress. This endeavor meets the expectations of businesses in transportation, seaport, and import–export support services across the province. Currently, Dong Nai is also adjusting its local logistics infrastructure development plan to align with regional planning following the administrative merger of Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc, thereby maximizing its existing advantages.

By Vuong The – Translated by Thu Hien, Minho