ViCo September '25 Program & Updates

September; Booting up ViCo Together

From the spark of our July Kick-Off, we took August to prepare and process feedback, build new partners, and design the event and course schedule. And September sees us starting to roll with 2 main events, and 4 courses.

We're excited to share that expert trainer & coaches Thijs van Loon and Julia Tran have joined the team to deliver world class quality professional training.

And even better, all events and courses are free for everyone in September and Oktober! We hope you sign up as a member, and you can use this time to sample what we have to offer. Bring your friends!

Membership fees will only begin in November, giving you time to explore ViCo and see the value of being part of our network.

Also, those that sign up as a member in September get a 20% early bird discount on the whole year membership.

Sign up for September events and courses here so we can reserve your place and share venue details.

Community Events

ViCo Connect: Building Sustainability Together

• On Thursday, September 11, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, ViCo Connect is the main stage of our community. Happening every 2 months, it is an evening where sustainability voices from across Saigon come together to connect on a deeper level, share ideas, showcase projects, and spark new collaborations.
  
  This edition also highlights the launch of our training program and welcomes new members into the growing ViCo network. Note: Two free courses are available on this day in the morning and the afternoon (see below).

ViCo Circle: Conversations and Friendships

• On Thursday, September 25, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, ViCo Circle offers a more informal gathering to build trust and belonging through open conversation, networking, and fun activities.

Courses and Training

The ViCo training program kicks off in September with expert-led, hands-on modules designed to be practical and directly useful in your work. All courses in September and October are free for all. Registration here.

Thursday, September 11

• Problem Solving & Critical Thinking — by Thijs van Loon, 9:00 am–12:30 pm
• Sustainability Essentials — by Tom Bosschaert, 1:30–5:00 pm

Thursday, September 18

• The Effortless Communicator — by Thijs van Loon, 9:00 am–5:00 pm

Thursday, September 25

• Managing Challenges & Conflicts — by Thijs van Loon, 9:00 am–3:00 pm

Friday, September 26

• Leading with Authenticity, True North — by Julia Tran, 9:00 am–12:30 pm

Venue details will be shared with registered participants.

Roundtables

Roundtables are member-led forums where 5–15 participants meet regularly (4+ times a year) to explore challenges in specific sectors or topics. They are trusted spaces for dialogue, collaboration, and practical solutions. They invite experts, dive deep into subjects. Each roundtable sets its own agenda, led by a community member (such as yourself) as the secretary.

The first members have come forward to lead roundtables: Regeneration, Food & Beverage, and Industrial Parks, with more to follow as members propose new themes. 

ViCo Pro Members can join as roundtable participants, propose topics, or step forward as Roundtable Secretaries to help shape the conversation. If you want to join these 3 topics, or want to lead a roundtable on a sector or topic yourself, please contact kano@vico.asia.

October and Beyond

From October onward, ViCo continues with twice-monthly gatherings and a steady rhythm of training across Knowledge, Professional, and Personal Development, plus growing Roundtables. Every two months, a larger ViCo Connect event brings the whole community together for talks, showcases, and collaboration.

Organizational Work

• Investor community: We’re actively speaking with values-aligned investors to complete the first round of Phase 1 funding that fuels community, events, and training. We're still raising about $70.000. Know anyone? Please get in touch.
• Sustainability Embassy search: We’re scouting a building that can demonstrate adaptive reuse and circular design for the future Phase 2 “Embassy.”; Old building of 1500-2500 m2 in and around D1/D3.
• Website and platform: Our online home is taking shape to host events, resources, and member connections. An online platform is part of the Phase 1 model. We have a first basic site up on www.vico.asia. Check it out!

Partnerships and Collaborations

New collaborations are underway with academic institutions (Fulbright, RMIT, etc. ), media partners (Vietcetera, Vneconomy reporters, etc.), peer communities (NEXUS, Haskoning, Saigon High-tech Park Incubator, BLOCK-71 Saigon, etc.), business networks, co-working spaces (WorkFlow), and education providers (GTI Leadership Coaching, Betterworks Asia, etc.); ensuring ViCo is both rooted in Vietnam and connected globally.

Know a partner we should talk to? Send Minh@vico.asia an email.

Join Us In September

• Sign up for September events and training programs here to unlock access and receive event details.
  
• Interested in partnering or investing? Contact Minh Nguyen for business partnerships and investor conversations.

Warmly,
The ViCo Team