Startup Wheel 2025 Champions: Chilica and KINAVA Shine at InnoEx
Ho Chi Minh City, August 22, 2025 – After a journey of more than five months, surpassing 2,144 projects from 28 countries across five continents, Vietnam’s Chilica fresh chili sauce and South Korea’s KINAVA Co., Ltd. have been crowned the Champions of Startup Wheel 2025, becoming the highlights of the startup community at InnoEx 2025 – Southeast Asia’s Premier innovation Forum and Exhibition.
Startup Wheel – An International Startup Launchpad
Startup Wheel is one of Vietnam’s oldest and most prestigious startup competitions, organized annually by the Business Startup Support Center (BSSC), the Ho Chi Minh City Young Business Association (YBA), and IBP Investment & Startup Support JSC, under the guidance of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union and the Ho Chi Minh City Student Association.
Over 13 years of development, Startup Wheel has become a “level playing field” for the startup community, where Vietnamese entrepreneurs directly compete with international peers, exchange experience, connect with investors, and explore market opportunities. Since 2017, the competition has officially expanded to include an International Track, attracting more than 1,000 startups from 50 countries to date.
In 2025, the competition received 2,144 applications, with only 10 Vietnamese startups and 5 international startups advancing to the Grand Finale at InnoEx. Startup Wheel gathered more than 120 judges, including entrepreneurs, experts, venture capitalists, and startup support organizations from Vietnam and abroad, ensuring credibility and fairness.
Impressive Results
In the Vietnam Track, the championship went to Chilica, a pioneering fresh chili sauce brand. Uniquely produced using advanced fermentation technology, Chilica preserves the original color and flavor of fresh chili. It is only the third factory in the world to possess this technology. The product is already exported to 13 countries and trademark-protected in more than 35 countries. Chilica’s success demonstrates how a familiar agricultural product can be elevated into an innovative culinary solution with global commercialization potential.
The Second Prize was awarded to Yeast Era (YERA) for its proprietary nutrition products – fast-absorbing, gut-friendly, high in fiber and beta-glucan – a clean, sustainable, and breakthrough solution for modern diets.
The Third Prize went to Nextwaves Industries, a hardware startup specializing in antennas, radars, and RFID systems for industrial applications. With all R&D and production conducted in Vietnam, the company delivers cost-optimized yet high-performance solutions, reinforcing the strength of local innovation.
In the International Track, the Champion title was claimed by KINAVA Co., Ltd. (South Korea). The company impressed with its Hybrid Hydrothermal Carbonization process combined with proprietary catalytic technology, enabling the conversion of organic waste (sludge, food waste, livestock waste) into fertilizer, biocoal, biochar, and biogas. This breakthrough solution addresses global environmental challenges while opening new opportunities for the circular economy.
Beyond the Champions, several special prizes were awarded:
Vietnam Youth Startup: Ecombox
Most Innovative Project: Enfarm Agitech
Outstanding Female Founder: UpGreen
Most Impressive Contestant: LilForest
This year’s prizes totaled more than VND 1.5 billion, with the Champions receiving a prize package worth VND 1.15 billion (including cash and in-kind support).
Chilica and KINAVA – Different Perspectives on Innovation
Chilica and KINAVA share a common vision: transforming familiar ideas into solutions that deliver real-world value. While Chilica shows that innovation can begin with a traditional condiment elevated through creativity, KINAVA proves that cutting-edge technology can solve global environmental and energy challenges.
Both winners embody the spirit of “Innovation for Profit” – the theme of InnoEx 2025 – by turning creativity into profitability and tangible impact.
A Global Playground at InnoEx
By hosting its Grand Finale within InnoEx, Startup Wheel has created extraordinary momentum. Thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, and tech experts attended, shared insights, and connected directly with competing startups at the exhibition space.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Dieu Hang – CEO of BSSC and Head of the Organizing Committee of Startup Wheel 2025, shared:
“This is the 13th year of Startup Wheel and the 8th year of the International Track. We are proud that Startup Wheel has become a launchpad for Vietnamese startups to integrate globally, while also serving as a trusted destination for startups worldwide.”
This year’s competition was once again supported by Qualcomm as Diamond Sponsor, alongside many domestic and international enterprises and organizations.
From Competition to Ecosystem
Startup Wheel is more than a competition – it is a comprehensive support ecosystem. Participants gain access to mentorship, training programs, investment funds, and regional market networks. Many alumni have since grown into successful enterprises, generating positive impact within the startup community.
At the Awards Ceremony, the Organizing Committee also officially launched Startup Wheel 2026, with applications now open at startupwheel.vn.
The success of Startup Wheel 2025 reaffirms that Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam are rising as a startup and innovation hub in the region, where products like Chilica fresh chili sauce, KINAVA’s green technology, and Nextwaves’ R&D-driven solutions can break through and reach the global stage.
Startup Wheel 2025 Winners List:
Winner (Vietnam Track): Chilica – Fresh Chili Sauce
Winner (International Track): KINAVA Co., Ltd. (South Korea)
1st Runner-up: Yeast Era (YERA)
2nd Runner-up: Nextwaves Industries
Winner Vietnam Youth Startup: Ecombox
The Most Creative Project: Enfarm Agitech
The Best Female Founder: UpGreen
The Most Impressive Project: LilForest
