On May 21, the Faculty of Communication and Foreign Culture, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam launched the IC Innovator International Media Startup Competition 2026 with the theme "The Culture SourceCode - Vietnamese Cultural Source Code".
This is the first time a specialized startup playground for students in the field of cultural industry and creative communication has been organized, aiming to find ideas combining Vietnamese cultural identity with technology and modern communication thinking.
The contest is accompanied by many units in the innovation ecosystem such as the National Innovation Center (NIC), the National Startup Support Center (NSSC), Hanoi Innovation Hub and a network of startup, innovation and digital transformation clubs in the Capital.
Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Dr. Nguyen Dong Anh - Head of the Organizing Committee of the contest said that in the context of technology changing every day, innovation and digital transformation are becoming an important driving force for the country's development. However, culture is still the foundation that creates identity and depth for sustainable innovations.
He expects students to not only be cultural recipients but also to become narrators of Vietnamese culture in the language of modern media, technology and global thinking.
Inspired by the concept of "source code", IC Innovator 2026 targets projects in the field of cultural industry, prioritizing models with innovative elements, technology application or development on digital platforms.
Sharing more about the theme of the contest, Ms. Dang Minh Ha - Head of the Organizing Committee of IC Innovator 2026 - said that in the first season, the Organizing Committee chose "The Culture SourceCode - Vietnamese Culture Source Code" because culture is not only national identity but also a strategic resource for developing the cultural industry in the spirit of Resolution 80-NQ/TW.
Through the contest, we want to encourage young people to develop media startup projects taking Vietnamese cultural values as the'source' of identity, combined with creative thinking and modern technology to create new products, models and experiences with international competitiveness," Dang Minh Ha shared.
Participating in the contest, teams can explore many approaches such as digital cultural communication, creative content products, digital heritage preservation or cultural products and services applying technology.
Notably, the competition encourages interdisciplinary nature through the "Founder Matching" activity - a space to connect students in the fields of media, technology, and business to find partners and build teams. This activity has attracted a large number of students to participate in professional exchanges and group connections right at the launching ceremony.
In the context of artificial intelligence and digital technology increasingly creating many universal values, the Organizing Committee expects IC Innovator 2026 to become a bridge for young people to exploit the depth of Vietnamese culture as a unique competitive advantage, contributing to opening up new directions for the Vietnamese cultural industry in the process of international integration.
