Building Cross-Border Bridges: Lessons from Berlin for Vietnam’s Innovation Leap

Friday, August 15th, 2025
BLOCK71 Saigon — Ho Chi Minh City

72 Nguyễn Cơ Thạch, An Lợi Đông, Thủ Đức, 2:00pm - 6:00pm

Vietnam’s startup engine is running fast — but global scale takes more than speed.

It takes systems. Governance. Financial discipline. And the right partners.

This special forum brings together founders, VCs, operators, and ecosystem leaders from Vietnam and Berlin to explore how AI, talent, and capital can move more intelligently across borders.

Vietnam doesn’t need to follow someone else’s playbook — it can write its own.

VanguardConnect is where that begins.

Why VanguardConnect

Most startup events celebrate exposure. We’re here for execution.

VanguardConnect is for founders ready to shift:

  • From messy cap tables to investable structures

  • From local hustle to international discipline

  • From pitching to planning — with global capital in mind

Backed by strategic partners like AsiaBerlin, we connect Vietnam’s most promising startups with global systems, investors, and scale-stage expertise.

Host & Moderator

Mike Nguyen brings over 25 years of expertise in semiconductors, spanning silicon intellectual property, advanced packaging solutions, and end-to-end product development. He has a proven track record in building and leading engineering teams, driving go-to-market strategies, and delivering growth across technology, manufacturing, and innovation sectors.

Mike currently serves as a Senior Principal Technical Consultant at the World Bank, where he advises on Vietnam’s semiconductor ecosystem. His strategic insights on advanced packaging and integrated circuit (IC) design have helped shape national semiconductor priorities and guide the scale-up of key industries.

Previously, Mike was Sr. Director of Strategy and Operations at Intel Vietnam, managing daily operations for its Assembly Test Manufacturing site and spearheading the site’s strategic growth. He partnered with the Vietnamese government to define a national semiconductor strategy, attract foreign investment, and strengthen local ecosystem capabilities. His career also includes leadership roles at GlobalFoundries, Micron, and Intel Corporation, where he contributed to product innovation and global market expansion.

Mike is passionate about bridging global semiconductor expertise with Vietnam’s emerging technology landscape, empowering the next generation of local talent and driving the country’s role in the global tech supply chain.

Mike Nguyen — Senior Principal Technical Consultant, World Bank

Partner

Marten Rauschenberg — Managing Director, AsiaBerlin

Marten Rauschenberg is the Managing Director of AsiaBerlin Forum, where he champions cross-border collaboration between Berlin and Asia’s leading innovation hubs. With over a decade of experience in international diplomacy, entrepreneurship, and public-private partnerships, Marten has played a key role in shaping Berlin’s global tech engagement strategy.

At AsiaBerlin, he leads strategic initiatives to connect startups, investors, and policymakers across Asia and Germany, fostering inclusive innovation and sustainable economic growth. His work has helped position Berlin as a gateway for Asian entrepreneurs entering Europe, while amplifying opportunities for German startups to scale in dynamic Asian markets.

Marten’s career spans roles at the German Foreign Office, where he focused on international development and economic diplomacy, and various advisory roles supporting impact-driven ventures. His expertise lies in ecosystem building, stakeholder engagement, and driving long-term innovation diplomacy.

Passionate about global collaboration, Marten believes in the power of networks to tackle shared challenges and accelerate tech-enabled progress across borders.

AGENDA

2:00 — 2:30 PM

ARRIVAL & NETWORKING, CHECK-IN

2:30PM

OPENING REMARKS

  • Establishing VanguardConnect’s mission to elevate operational excellence and reshape the future of Vietnam’s startup ecosystem.

WELCOME REMARKS

  • Cuong Dang, Founder & Chair, Vietnam Vanguard

2:10PM — 2:30PM

HOST INTRODUCTION: Block71

  • Edward Lim, Country Manager of Block71

PARTNER INTRODUCTION & REMARKS: AsiaBerlin

  • Marten Rauschenberg, Managing Director of AsianBerlin  
    Building Cross-Border Bridges: Lessons from Berlin for Vietnam’s Innovation Leap

2:30PM — 2:45PM

MOU SIGNING
Signing ceremony, inking the partnership between Vietnam Vanguard x AsiaBerlin

3:00PM — 3:45PM

FEATURED VIETNAMESE START-UPS:
Theme:
AI Adoption | Growth Insights | Expansion Strategies | Challenges & Solutions

  • Nathan Do | Founder & CEO | bTaskee

  • Thinh Pham | Co-founder & CMO | Acie

  • Thien D. Nguyen | Founder & CEO | Triple AI

3:45PM — 4:00PM

Q&A SESSION

4:00PM — 5:00PM

ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION
Scaling Smarter with AI: Bridging Vietnam and Berlin for Innovation, Capital, and Cross-Border Growth

moderated by Mike Nguyen

  • Marten Rauschenberg— Managing Director, AsiaBerlin

5:00PM — 6:00PM

NETWORKING
Hosted gathering with all attendees, speakers, Vanguard members, and regional guests. Opportunity for informal peer learning and cross-border introductions

Speakers

  • ABF CEO

    Marten Rauschenberg

    Managing Director — AsiaBerlin Forum

  • Nathan Do

    Nathan Do

    Founder & CEO — bTaskee

  • orange-beanie-hipster

    Thinh Pham

    Co-founder & CMO — Acie

  • Thien D. Nguyen

    Thien D. Nguyen

    Founder & CEO — Triple AI

  • Mike Nguyen

    Mike Nguyen (moderator, host)

    Senior Technical Consultant — World Bank

  • A man in a suit laughing while seated at a decorated table.

    Cuong Dang (host)

    Founder, Chairman — Vietnam Vanguard