“Sunhouse is currently developing a chip factory worth $20 million, and we lost VND200 billion last year. But I’m not sad. I gained something else, something bigger,” said Phu, also known as Shark Phu, an investor of the Shark Tank TV show, discussing investment in high technology at a recent seminar on semiconductor industry development.

The VND200 billion loss is an inevitable cost in exchange for entering the global semiconductor playing field, an industry Phu describes as fierce, far from rosy, and demanding truly serious investment.

Before investing, he visited South Korea three times to see chip factories. 

“Just one testing machine costs VND50 billion, and a factory needs dozens of them. Total investment may reach $200 million, but revenue still can’t cover costs. Many listed companies in South Korea, partners of Samsung and SK Hynix, invested $200 million and they have been incurring losses for five years,” he said.

Sunhouse is no exception to this reality. But what Phu emphasized is the gain beyond the $200 billion loss - a closed-loop production chain meeting international standards.

“Now Sunhouse can make a complete product. For example, I can produce an AI Speaker entirely, from chips to plastic molding and design. Sunhouse can take pride like Panasonic or Samsung in their early days. We’ve exported to the US, generating VND3,000 billion in revenue. Major corporations visiting us highly valuate our complete, synchronized ecosystem,” he said.

He believes this is the condition for Vietnam to enter the global high-tech supply chain. But it can’t be done alone. 

Prompt action needed

He warned that the semiconductor field not only requires huge investment capital, but also a synchronized ecosystem, from designing, plastic molding, and precise engineering to packing and experiment.

Taiwan (China), China and South Korea, the best known success stories, all have invested tens of billions of dollar just on one stage of the chip manufacturing line. 

“Why can they do this, and why is this a great challenge for Vietnam?” Phu said. The answer lies in three factors – capital, policy and workforce. All of them are needed to succeed.

He called for decisive action in the next 2-3 years: “If we don’t act decisively in the next 2-3 years, the opportunity will slip away as supply chains move elsewhere. Producing chips not just demands vast capital but also will, ambition, and the collective effort of the political system, businesses, and society,” he said.

Cao Dai Thang, president of INTECH Group, a young semiconductor entrepreneur, noted that many projects fail not because of poor ideas, but required huge capital, which goes beyond startups’ capabilities.

“Thus, if starting correctly, developing step-by-step, we will be able to solve the question of cost, find international collaboration opportunities, and make Vietnam’s high-tech production dream entirely achievable,” he said.

The concern shared by different parties, from businesses to lawmakers, is that Vietnam’s semiconductor industry will struggle to survive the global game without synchronized policies and actions.

Le Nam Trung, deputy director of the IT Industry Department, acknowledged that policy, enterprise engagement, and accountability are still being refined.

“The biggest obstacles now aren’t just infrastructure or finance but coordination and practical execution. Many policies aren’t communicated promptly, lacking mechanisms for oversight and feedback, making it hard for businesses to engage deeply in the industry,” he said.

Ha Thuong