Connecting technological strengths, expanding Vietnam–Korea cooperation
The signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Lai Thien Phong, Chairman of the Board of TPGroup Technology Corporation; Mr. Dang Nguyen Vu, Permanent Vice Chairman and CEO, in charge of the strategic Digital Twin product; Dr. Duong Thanh Trung, Deputy CEO for R&D; Mr. Le Trung Thong, Deputy CEO for Remote Sensing; and the heads of the group’s specialized divisions.
Representing Pebble Square was Mr. Lee Seung Chan, Head of Business Development and Senior Executive. The Pebble Vina delegation included Mr. Truong Ba Quan, CEO and Head of Development; Ms. Le Thi Khanh Ly, Head of Enterprise Customers; and technology experts from both countries. Pebble Vina, Pebble Square’s strategic partner for market expansion and technology localization in Vietnam, also took part in the ceremony.
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The presence of senior leaders and of teams in product development, R&D and market development reflects both sides’ approach: linking research capabilities with real-world application needs, and laying the groundwork for turning cooperation programs into economically valuable products.
As AI and semiconductors increasingly become foundations of the digital economy, international technology cooperation is no longer only about gaining access to new technology. It also demands mastery of core technologies, stronger research capacity and the creation of products able to compete in the global market.
Speaking about the direction of the partnership, Mr. Lai Thien Phong, Chairman of the Board of TPGroup Technology Corporation, said: “We aim to gradually master core technologies, combining the research and development capabilities of international partners with TPGroup’s strengths in practical deployment, in order to develop highly applicable AI products that carry the Vietnamese brand and can compete in the international market.”
With that orientation, TPGroup and Pebble Square aim to build a relationship founded on complementary technology, deployment capacity and application markets, helping to advance the AI research, development and application ecosystem in Vietnam.
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From core technology to highly applicable AI solutions
According to the MoU, the two sides plan to cooperate in research on AI chips, edge AI computing and cyber-physical systems (CPS). They will also develop systems and applications for smart cities, digital twins, 3D GIS, geospatial survey data processing, structural monitoring, disaster prevention and renewable energy infrastructure.
The two companies’ capabilities are clearly complementary. TPGroup has a foundation in geospatial technology, surveying, digital twins, GNSS satellite positioning, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and solutions for urban and infrastructure management. Pebble Square, meanwhile, focuses on AI semiconductor chips, edge AI computing and specialized AI solutions.
Combining these strengths opens the way to systems that can process, analyze and support decision-making directly on the device or at the site of operation. This approach has the potential to improve operational efficiency, reduce processing latency and broaden the use of AI in environments that demand fast response, stability and on-site data processing.
On that basis, potential applications include integrating AI into UAVs, smart cameras and IoT sensors, as well as structural monitoring systems and urban digital twin platforms. These applications will require further research, testing and evaluation before being developed into commercial products.
A notable feature of the program is its end-to-end orientation, linking core technology with software platforms, devices and applications. This lays the groundwork for the two sides to gradually turn research results into solutions that fit market needs, rather than limiting cooperation to isolated technology exchanges.
R&D program of five projects with a total estimated budget of US$7 million
Alongside the MoU, the two sides recorded an agreement in principle on a joint research and development program of five projects, with a total estimated budget of US$7 million.
The program is designed to be carried out in two phases:
2026: The focus is expected to be Project 1, developing a customized AI chip based on Pebble Square’s Compute-in-Memory (CIM) technology and existing AI chip design assets, with an estimated budget of US$1 million.
2027: Four further projects are planned: an integrated AI development and deployment platform; an AI-based electrical fire prevention solution; a customized large language model (LLM); and a cost-optimized LLM server. Their combined estimated budget is US$6 million.
Each project will be detailed in formal agreements and separate statements of work, which will clearly define the technical scope, schedule, responsibilities, deliverables, acceptance criteria, financing and intellectual property rights.
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The program reflects a roadmap-based approach in which technology research is tied to product development requirements, validation of practical applicability and consideration of commercialization options. It also provides a basis for the two sides to assess the feasibility of deeper cooperation, including studying the establishment of a joint laboratory for AI semiconductor chips and edge AI, and developing R&D capacity in Vietnam.
Toward a technology ecosystem with international competitiveness
For TPGroup, cooperation with Pebble Square and Pebble Vina is part of a strategy to build a technology ecosystem that connects data, software, AI and specialized hardware. It is also a step to expand research capacity, deepen technological expertise and lay the foundation for products that address real-world problems in smart cities, infrastructure, construction and resource management.
In the long term, the partnership is expected to create opportunities for expert exchanges, engineer training, technology knowledge transfer and the development of AI modules in Vietnam. These activities could strengthen domestic research, design and product development capacity, while enabling Vietnamese enterprises to take part more deeply in the global technology value chain.
From an international cooperation perspective, the relationship between TPGroup and Pebble Square also points to the potential for a model linking Vietnamese and Korean technology companies, combining research strengths with solution development capacity, practical deployment ability and market demand. If realized through projects with concrete results, the model could extend to other technology fields, creating more opportunities for research cooperation, product development and cross-border commercialization.
From commitment to real-world technological value
The MoU signing is the start of a long-term cooperation program. Its value will be proven in implementation: from finalizing project agreements, researching and validating the technology, to developing products, assessing their effectiveness in practice and gradually reaching the market.
For TPGroup, this is an opportunity to keep expanding its technological capabilities and to promote research and development of high-tech products. For Pebble Square, the partnership creates more room to apply specialized AI technology to real-world problems and to develop its market.
On the basis of mutual benefit, TPGroup and Pebble Square aim to build a sustainable technology partnership that connects research resources in Vietnam and Korea, promotes innovation and produces technology solutions of value to the digital economy.
