Six Vietnamese on Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2022 list

By Thanh Khe
Fri, May 27, 2022 | 2:17 pm GMT+7

The Forbes Under 30 Asia Class of 2022 list has honored six Vietnamese representatives in finance, energy, manufacturing, art, and consumer technology.

  Nguyen The Vinh, 29, cofounder of Coin98 Finance. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Nguyen The Vinh, 29, cofounder of Coin98 Finance. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Nguyen The Vinh, 29, cofounder of Coin98 Finance, has been named in the finance and venture capital category, which listed money flow influencers in Asia's economy.

Coin98 Finance, one of Vietnam’s pioneering startups on blockchain technology, offers products including a crypto wallet and exchange, and has raised $16.5 million in three investment rounds.

In January, Binance Labs announced an undisclosed strategic investment in Coin98. In 2021, it completed a $1.25 million seed round.

Vinh joined Coin98 in 2019, two years after its founding. Starting as a software engineer at FPT Software Ho Chi Minh City, he previously cofounded and managed VIC Group, a cryptocurrency investment startup.

Le Yen Thanh, Nguyen Van Thanh, and Uyen Tran are honored in the industry, manufacturing, and energy category, which “creates the products, methods, and materials of tomorrow”, according to Forbes.

 Le Yen Thanh, 27, founder of the Phenikaa MaaS. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Le Yen Thanh, 27, founder of the Phenikaa MaaS. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Le Yen Thanh, 27, founded the BusMap project, a Vietnamese public transit application that evolved into smart mobility solutions startup Phenikaa MaaS.

Using BusMap's core technology, it released a Covid-19 information map for 18 provinces. Backed by a $1.5 million investment by Phenikaa, a diversified business group in Vietnam, Phenikaa MaaS plans to expand regionally, starting in Thailand, where it has piloted its solutions in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Thanh has won more than 100 awards nationally and internationally for his programming skills.

 Nguyen Van Thanh, 29, Deputy CEO of VinBus. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Nguyen Van Thanh, 29, Deputy CEO of VinBus. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Nguyen Van Thanh, 29, Deputy CEO of VinBus, is the first Vietnamese public transport provider to use electric buses. The company operates buses made by VinFast, the automotive arm of Vingroup, Vietnam's largest listed conglomerate. VinBus launched its service in Hanoi in 2021 and plans to expand to other cities.

One of the youngest leaders at Vingroup, Thanh joined VinBus in 2019 and focuses on providing affordable and accessible transportation. Previously, he set up his own textile factory at age 18 before dropping out of college to work at companies including KFC Vietnam, Cargill Vietnam and Lazada Vietnam.

 Uyen Tran, 28, cofounder of TomTex. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Uyen Tran, 28, cofounder of TomTex. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Textile-material researcher and designer Uyen Tran, 28, cofounded New York-based TomTex, which makes an eponymous leather alternative.

TomTex is a 100% biobased material created from shell seafood waste or mushroom. It uses a biopolymer called chitin that the company extracts from waste shrimp, crab and lobster shells as well as fish scales gathered by suppliers in Vietnam.

TomTex has won the LVMH Innovation Award, CFDA k11 Innovation Award and Idea Sustainability Award and raised $1.7 million. Uyen holds a master's degree from the Parson School of Design, New York.

 Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, 28, tattoo artist. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, 28, tattoo artist. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, 28, appears on the Forbes list in the arts category, which “will create and design the future, from the kitchen to the runway”, the magazine noted.

Tattoo artist Ngoc has been transforming traumatic scars into works of art since 2013, when she was 19.

While tattooing is still considered taboo in Vietnam, she believes covering up scars with artistic tattoos can be a part of the healing process that empowers people, especially women, to start a happier chapter in their lives.

Ngoc completed her master's degree in Motion Pictures Arts and Television from University of Theater and Performing Arts of Hanoi in 2022.

 Phillip An, 25, cofounder and COO of Homebase. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

Phillip An, 25, cofounder and COO of Homebase. Photo courtesy of Forbes Asia.

The last Vietnamese representative is Phillip An, 25, cofounder and COO of Homebase, a proptech startup that seeks to simplify the process of buying and selling property using a simple digital interface.

He was honored in the consumer technology category which Forbes believes will create better products for people's daily lives.

Homebase is the first company from Vietnam to be backed by startup accelerator Y Combinator and has raised $30 million in equity and debt funding from investors like Goodwater Capital, Antler and VinaCapital Ventures.

As a computer science graduate from Caltech, Phillip worked at Goldman Sachs and McKinsey and was admitted to Harvard Business School's MBA program.

Over 4,000 nominees applied to be on this year’s list, a record number for Asia. They were selected and vetted by reporters and a group of industry veterans. The 300 honorees were selected based on several criteria like leadership, potential for success, innovation, creativity, and development of business projects.

Twenty-two countries and territories are represented on the list with India ranking first in terms of number of entries (61), followed by Singapore (34), Japan (33), Australia (32), Indonesia (30) and China (28).

Comments (0)
  • Read More
Elon Musk company okayed to pilot Starlink satellite internet service in Vietnam

Elon Musk company okayed to pilot Starlink satellite internet service in Vietnam

Vietnam has allowed the U.S.'s SpaceX to pilot Starlink low-orbit satellite internet service in the country on a pilot basis until January 1, 2031.

Industries - Wed, March 26, 2025 | 5:18 pm GMT+7

Danish toymaker Lego to open $1.3 bln Vietnam plant next month

Danish toymaker Lego to open $1.3 bln Vietnam plant next month

Denmark's Lego will officially open its factory in VSIP III Industrial Park in Vietnam's southern province of Binh Duong on April 9.

Industries - Wed, March 26, 2025 | 4:18 pm GMT+7

Top Singaporean firms earn high incomes in Vietnam

Top Singaporean firms earn high incomes in Vietnam

Singapore is the second-biggest foreign investor in Vietnam, with over $84 billion in registered investment capital as of end-January and many prominent investors raking in high incomes.

Companies - Wed, March 26, 2025 | 3:45 pm GMT+7

Vietnam, Singapore ink significant deals in Hanoi

Vietnam, Singapore ink significant deals in Hanoi

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong on Wednesday witnessed the signing of many cooperation deals between agencies and enterprises of the two countries.

Economy - Wed, March 26, 2025 | 2:51 pm GMT+7

Vietnam's major policies are reshaping economic development

Vietnam's major policies are reshaping economic development

Major policies are reshaping Vietnam's approach to economic development, which focuses on science, technology, and private enterprises, said a leader at the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

Economy - Wed, March 26, 2025 | 12:11 pm GMT+7

PM okays over $10 bln urban area project in central Vietnam

PM okays over $10 bln urban area project in central Vietnam

The over VND260.3 trillion ($10.16 billion) Cam Lam New Urban Area project in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa has received in-principle approval from Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Real Estate - Wed, March 26, 2025 | 8:58 am GMT+7

S Korea's KIM Fund raises stake in Vietnam's marine transportation firm VIPCO

S Korea's KIM Fund raises stake in Vietnam's marine transportation firm VIPCO

South Korea’s KIM Fund has increased its stake in Hai Phong city-based Vietnam Petroleum Transport JSC (VIPCO, HoSE: VIP) to 2.73%, making it the latter’s second-largest shareholder.

Companies - Wed, March 26, 2025 | 8:30 am GMT+7

Vietnam, Singapore seek cooperation chances in semiconductor industry

Vietnam, Singapore seek cooperation chances in semiconductor industry

The Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore, in collaboration with the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA), organized a hybrid seminar on Monday to introduce Vietnam's potential, advantages, and development strategies for the semiconductor industry.

Southeast Asia - Tue, March 25, 2025 | 10:55 pm GMT+7

OV intellectuals in UK suggest blueprint for Vietnam’s int’l financial hub ambition

OV intellectuals in UK suggest blueprint for Vietnam’s int’l financial hub ambition

Vietnam can rise as a major international financial centre, both regionally and globally, with a strategic vision that highlights transparency, a skilled workforce, modern infrastructure, robust financial markets, and strong international branding, the Vietnam Intellectual Society in the UK and Ireland (VIS) told visiting Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh in a recent meeting.

Southeast Asia - Tue, March 25, 2025 | 10:55 pm GMT+7

Vietnam Deputy PM discusses financial center development with ECB

Vietnam Deputy PM discusses financial center development with ECB

Vietnam's Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh on Monday met with representatives of the European Central Bank (ECB) to discuss plans for the establishment of financial centers in Vietnam, as part of his working visit to Germany – the final stop in his European tour.

Southeast Asia - Tue, March 25, 2025 | 10:52 pm GMT+7

Indonesia keeps commitment on energy transition

Indonesia keeps commitment on energy transition

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto on Monday affirmed that the U.S. decision to pull out of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) will not impact the other partners' commitment to it.

Southeast Asia - Tue, March 25, 2025 | 10:35 pm GMT+7

Malaysia’s electric vehicle sales surge

Malaysia’s electric vehicle sales surge

Malaysia’s automotive industry is gaining momentum, with electric vehicle (EV) sales soaring over the past two years and continuing to rise in 2025, driven by both domestic and international manufacturers.

Southeast Asia - Tue, March 25, 2025 | 10:23 pm GMT+7

Japan turns to Vietnam, Indonesia to tackle truck driver shortage

Japan turns to Vietnam, Indonesia to tackle truck driver shortage

Logistics and transportation companies in Japan have begun recruiting foreign nationals as drivers now that their industries qualify for a special employment visa amid a severe labor shortage.

Southeast Asia - Tue, March 25, 2025 | 10:19 pm GMT+7

Malaysia expected to achieve economic growth of 4.5-5.5% in 2025

Malaysia expected to achieve economic growth of 4.5-5.5% in 2025

The Malaysian economy is projected to expand between 4.5% and 5.5% in 2025, underpinned by resilient domestic demand and ongoing investment activity, despite external uncertainties, according to the country’s central bank Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

Southeast Asia - Tue, March 25, 2025 | 10:10 pm GMT+7

Singapore’s core inflation falls in Feb

Singapore’s core inflation falls in Feb

Singapore’s core inflation declined for the fifth straight month in February after falling sharply in January as most spending categories saw smaller year-on-year price increases.

Southeast Asia - Tue, March 25, 2025 | 10:01 pm GMT+7

China’s apparel giant 'unwinds' Texhong Industrial Park expansion in Vietnam

China’s apparel giant 'unwinds' Texhong Industrial Park expansion in Vietnam

China-headquartered Texhong, among the largest core cotton textile suppliers in the world, will “unwind” the expansion of its Texhong Industrial Park (Texhong Hai Ha Industrial Park) in the northern Vietnam province of Quang Ninh, the firm said on Monday.

Industrial real estate - Tue, March 25, 2025 | 9:28 pm GMT+7