On 12 May 2026, the Babbage Forum hosted an invitation-only gathering of senior innovation policymakers at VinUniversity in Hanoi, with support from UNIDO. The meeting was convened by Professor Sir Mike Gregory of the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing, alongside Marco Kamiya of UNIDO, who opened proceedings with a regional overview of industrial innovation policy trends.

Operating in the Babbage tradition — below the political level but above the technical — the forum provided a neutral, independent environment for senior civil servants to engage in candid peer-to-peer dialogue on the challenges and opportunities reshaping industrial policy across the region.

Discussions centred on four interconnected themes: the AI and digital transformation of industries, the scaling of emerging technologies, critical mineral supply chains, and international innovation collaboration in the current geopolitical climate. Participants were invited to reflect on their own national experiences, from workforce reskilling and domestic tech firm development, to supply chain positioning and the prospects for deeper ASEAN regional integration.

The session closed with a plenary review of key insights, identifying shared challenges and opportunities for policymakers going forward. Findings from this regional meeting will feed into the Babbage Forum’s annual international gathering in Cambridge each September, where senior policymakers from across the globe convene to shape industrial innovation thinking at the highest level.