SAP Labs Vietnam, located in a class-A building in Saigon Ward (TP HCM), began operations on 7/8. This is SAP's second research center in Southeast Asia, following the one in Singapore.

Clas Neumann, senior vice president and head of the Global SAP Labs Network, said this is the "right time" to invest in Vietnam due to its abundant tech talent, strong government support for innovation and digital transformation, and robust academic system and infrastructure.

Since September 2024, SAP Labs Vietnam has hired over 200 employees and plans to increase its workforce to 500 by 2027. They will recruit an additional 350 people this year. The Vietnam center boasts the fastest first-year growth among SAP's 20 research centers worldwide.

Leaders of Global SAP Labs and SAP Vietnam at the launch event of the research center in Vietnam, 7/8. Photo: SAP Vietnam

Vietnam currently holds a position as one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing digital economies. It experienced a 20% growth rate in 2024, contributing 18.3% to the nation's GDP. This is three times higher than the overall economic growth, according to data from the former Ministry of Information and Communications (now the Ministry of Science and Technology).

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung stated that Vietnam has identified 11 strategic technology sectors for development and aims to become a leading AI power. He encouraged the German corporation to expand its investments in TP HCM and other cities.

He also requested SAP's support in training a large-scale, high-quality workforce for Vietnam, partnering with the program to train 50,000 to 100,000 engineers in semiconductors and AI.

SAP is a leading German enterprise software corporation and provider of artificial intelligence (AI) technology for businesses, with a market capitalization of over €310 billion.

Manik Saha, general director of SAP Labs Singapore and Vietnam, said the corporation will build an ecosystem for talent by connecting Vietnamese tech experts. They are also collaborating with universities to create long-term career opportunities for the younger generation.

Vien Thong