HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach – 20 December
2020 – On International Solidarity Day, VinFuture
Foundation officially launches The VinFuture Prize, the first global science
and technology prize from Viet Nam, and one of the world’s
largest annual prizes in science and
technology. VinFuture Foundation is founded by Mr. Phạm Nhật Vượng, the first
Vietnamese billionaire – Founder and Chairman of the largest Vietnamese
conglomerate Vingroup Corporation, together with his wife, Mrs. Phạm Thu Hương.
The vision of this endeavor is to “create
meaningful change in the everyday lives of millions of people by promoting
breakthrough scientific research and technological innovations”. With
that vision in mind, the VinFuture Foundation works to honour exceptional minds whose research
and technological innovations will improve the quality of life and ensure
sustainable living for future generations by addressing the everyday issues of
people, aligned with one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs). Keeping in mind its origins in a developing country, VinFuture Prize
will seek to ensure that fair and equal opportunities are accessible to all
scientists and innovators, especially those who are making efforts under
limited resources.
The VinFuture Prize comprises of a
Grand Prize and three special prizes. The Grand Prize of $3M will be one of the
largest annual global science and technology prizes in value. The Grand Prize
would be open to all, regardless of the candidate’s nationality,
age, gender, social status, or economic background. The prize will be
awarded to proven breakthrough research and technological innovations that
positively improve the quality of human life, and create a more equitable and
sustainable world for future generations.
In
addition to the Grand Prize, three special prizes of US$ 500,000 each will also
be awarded annually, with a focus on promoting diversity, equity, and new fields
of study. These prizes will be earmarked for the following groups:
- One VinFuture Special Prize for an exceptional
researcher or innovator from a developing country institute - One VinFuture Special Prize for an outstanding
woman researcher or innovator. - One VinFuture Special Prize for breakthrough
research or innovations in an emerging field of science and technology
that has significant future potential to create positive change for
humanity.
Nominations will be solicited from
a large, diverse pool of distinguished nominators, including globally renowned
scientists and innovators, academic institutions, technology corporations, and
prestigious innovation incubators in all countries.
An independent Prize Council,
consisting of distinguished, globally renowned experts from academia, research
and industry, will adjudicate the Prize each year. Members of the Prize Council
come from diverse sciences and professional disciplines, cultures, and
viewpoints, including Prof. Gérard Albert Mourou (École
Polytechnique, 2018 Nobel Prize winner); Prof. Sir Richard Henry Friend,
FRS (Cavendish Professor of Physics at the University of Cambridge,
2010 Millennium Technology Prize winner); Prof. Jennifer Tour Chayes (University
of California Berkeley, Founders of three Microsoft Research Labs); Prof.
Michael Eugene Porter (Harvard University, the founder of modern
competitive strategy); Prof. Leslie Gabriel Valiant, FRS (Harvard
University, 2010 A.M.Turing Award winner); Prof. Pascale Cossart (Pasteur
Institute of Paris, the foremost authority on Listeria monocytogenes); Prof.
Sir Kostya S. Novoselov, FRS (University of Manchester, Tan
Chin Tuan Centennial Professor at the National University of Singapore , 2010 Nobel Prize winner); Prof. Van-Chi Dang (Ludwig
Institute for Cancer Research Director);
Prof. Ha-Van Vu (Percey F. Smith Professor of Mathematics and Data Science
at Yale University); Dr. Xuedong Huang (Microsoft CTO); Dr.
Padmanabhan Anandan (Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence
CEO).
The founders have personally
committed an initial amount of US$ 100 million, which would be further enhanced in
the future to fund the VinFuture Prize’s resources and administration process,
ensuring sustainability of the Foundation’s long-term operations. VinFuture
Foundation, an independent, non-profit foundation, will manage the VinFuture
Prize. The Advisory Council, which comprises of internationally recognised Vietnamese innovators,
researchers, and industry leaders, co-chaired by Prof. Vũ Hà Văn, Yale
University, and Prof. Nguyễn Thục Quyên, University of
California Santa Barbara, will support the Founder in providing strategic
advice to the Foundation.
The Prize is the vision and
brainchild of Mr. and Mrs. Phạm. “Creating positive change and having a
direct impact on people’s lives — this has always been my purpose — in business
and life. The events of 2020 show that now more than ever, we need to bring
together extraordinary individuals with good hearts and great minds, who can
strive towards realising the power of science and
technology in overcoming our toughest global challenges, and improving people’s
lives,” said
Mr. Phạm Nhật Vượng, regarding his motivations behind conceptualising this prize.
Nominations for the first edition
of the Prize will be open from January to June 2021. The names of the selected
VinFuture Prize Laureates will be announced on December 2021. The official
prize award ceremony will be hosted in Viet Nam in January 2022.
