The Kiwi Connection Centre at Quang Trung Software City, a technology park in Ho Chi Minh City, was opened on Monday by Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce.
The "tech hub'' aims to support New Zealand ICT and hi-tech companies investing and doing business in Vietnam.
Augen Software, one of New Zealand's leading technology firms, has been in Vietnam for more than 10 years and hopes to use its experience to help other New Zealand businesses move into the Southeast Asian country.
Its director, Mitchell Pham, said at the opening the idea of a hub had been gestating for seven or eight years but given the growth in the technology in Vietnam recently the time was right.
Vietnam's digital economy was the largest and fastest-growing in Southeast Asia and the country was New Zealand's fastest-growing export market.
There were plenty of opportunities for New Zealand businesses to share their expertise with Vietnamese companies.
It took five years for Augen to work effectively across Vietnam and New Zealand and the hub should reduce that time for new companies, Mr Pham said.
No matter how good a New Zealand product was, if it was a late entrant to the Vietnam market it was less likely to succeed, he said.
The hub offered support for companies to offer presence, engagement and relevance, the three things which helped Augen succeed in the market, he said.
"It's very, very key. We are not the only country coming here. The most important lesson is: don't do it yourself. We are here to help.''
Mr Martin said such initiatives would help change businesses' perception of Vietnam, especially smaller businesses, and smooth the transition for them.
There were a range of opportunities available for businesses in the health and aviation sectors. Orion Health already had "some good wins'' in the Vietnam health system sector.
Orion, insurance technology company HealthTech and manufacturing technology company Shapeshifter are the first New Zealand companies to join the hub.
Mr Joyce said ICT and high-tech manufacturing had become New Zealand's third-largest export earner and had had rapid growth in the past 10 years.
The hub would help New Zealand firms better support their customers in Southeast Asia, he said.
"It benefits both countries.''
-Rebecca Fox is in Vietnam courtesy of Air New Zealand.
