CEO Sconnect Ta Manh Hoang and the big dream of becoming “Vietnam’s Disney”

As you describe, Sconnect’s vision is to become an innovative ecosystem corporation. What are the main areas that Sconnect is focusing on, and what do you expect from them?

TMH: After a decade of growth, Sconnect has restructured and defined its vision to become a corporation with a complete creative ecosystem, made up of six key areas: (1) IP creation and management, the foundation of the system; (2) digital content production, a strength already proven on online platforms; (3) theatrical film production, to expand domestic market share; (4) IP commercialisation, through licensing services, derivative products, and brand partnerships; (5) education and training, to develop a skilled creative workforce; and (6) financial investment, to attract resources for the ecosystem.

This ecosystem is an overarching strategy that allows Sconnect to secure its place and ensure sustainable development in the creative industry, particularly in animation cinema.

What is the motivation for Sconnect to want to enter such a complex game?

When researching creative models that combine culture with cinema, we chose Disney as the benchmark to study and develop from. Sconnect carries a bold dream: to become “Vietnam’s Disney”. Looking at the current structure and model of Sconnect, it is clear that we are building the creative field in a similar way to Disney: starting with animated character sets through short films, then expanding into a diverse product system.

The product range stretches from cinema (art), multimedia entertainment, and children’s playgrounds (entertainment), to educational games (learning), image licensing services, and derivative product development (multi-industry commercialisation). A few typical examples include Wolfoo’s amusement park system with 26 models; licensing imagery to renowned fashion and food brands; establishing the international animation academy Sconnect Academy of Media Arts; and the animated film Trang Quynh Nhi: The Legend of Kim Nguu.

This model may not yet be familiar in Vietnam, but globally, we already have Disney as a proven reference. Our aim is to inherit that model within the capacity of the Vietnamese people and to develop Sconnect into a large-scale company with a clear mission: to bring Vietnamese intelligence and creativity to the world. The ambition is vast, yet it will certainly be a long journey, one that demands the cooperation of many.

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In your view, what is the most distinctive advantage of Sconnect in this development strategy?

TMH: To answer, I would use the example of stop-motion technology in short films. This technology aligns perfectly with a unique creative strength of the Vietnamese people: their skilled craftsmanship and meticulous creativity.

Many of Vietnam’s intangible cultural heritages recognised by UNESCO are linked to traditional crafts, and Vietnamese craftsmanship is present in 163 countries and territories. That is an advantage not every nation enjoys. For this reason, we chose to develop stop-motion technology by relying on the ability to create detailed, entirely handmade works. From designing characters and crafting lifelike models to capturing the movement of each frame, everything is done with precision by hand.

In 2017, Sconnect’s stop-motion short films gained global traction, attracting interest from major companies. For instance, Moonbug, the group behind children’s content giants such as Cocomelon, expressed its wish to collaborate with Sconnect on developing stop-motion internationally. However, at that time, our resources for cooperation were limited, and we declined.

This proves that we are not only harnessing Vietnam’s creative strengths, but also transforming them into products that resonate with audiences and international partners alike.

Building a product ecosystem around an IP is something studios like Disney, Marvel, or Studio Ghibli have done very well. What specific strategy does Sconnect have to avoid falling into a single product model?

TMH: Sconnect’s IP development strategy is built on three pillars. The first is continuous innovation and refinement. Characters are not fixed forever; they “learn” and “mature” over time. We continuously upgrade design and attributes to match evolving market tastes and trends.

The second concerns commercialisation. An IP must branch into multiple areas to achieve both breadth and depth. This requires a clear strategy: how many short films are needed each year, how many theatrical productions, how many derivative products, how many strategic partnerships, and so on. Each part feeds into commercialisation to ensure both financial returns and stronger engagement with the target audience.

The third is copyright protection and brand building. Sconnect is a young creative company in a country not traditionally strong in this industry. On the path to a global stage, we have learned that creative capacity alone is not enough. IP must be safeguarded through a sound legal strategy to prevent resource loss and protect reputation against competition from international corporations.

Sconnect must address all three pillars at once. As we expand the ecosystem around IP, we must clearly determine which aspects are our inherent strengths and which require collaboration or investment, ensuring IP can survive, flourish, and grow.

It is impossible to develop the cultural industry without investing in creative human resources. But in reality, Vietnam still does not have a systematic system for training screenwriters, animation directors, and IP development experts. Is Sconnect investing in “nurturing creative people” as part of its ecosystem?

TMH: To build a creative ecosystem, Sconnect needs a team with both comprehensive knowledge and practical experience. The establishment of the international animation academy Sconnect Academy of Media Arts (SAMA) is driven by three goals: cultivating high-quality human resources, attracting in-house experts, and expanding international cooperation.

SAMA not only updates technology or teaches technical skills, but also aims to shape a complete “career portrait” for each role. Students are equipped with awareness, vision, knowledge, and skills relevant to the creative ecosystem. For instance, the role of screenwriter goes beyond scriptwriting; the ultimate goal is to develop storytellers with personality and depth.

The training programme is highly practical, with students directly participating in business projects and following a roadmap that connects them with international schools to raise long-term training standards. At present, SAMA collaborates with international experts such as Gobelins (Paris), one of the world’s leading institutions for animation training.

With this orientation, SAMA received three national awards for training models at the end of 2024 from the Asia Education Summit, recognised in the categories of Teaching Methods, Vocational Skills, and Extracurricular Activities.

From a leadership perspective, how do you think the mindset of running a creative business differs from that of a regular commercial business? What is the “hardest” part of steering a company split between technology and art?

TMH: Setting aside the differences between technology and art, I always focus on the value the product brings to customers, to the industry, and to society. That is the guiding principle, even before a project is planned.

At Sconnect, every project begins with one question: what is its core value? Only once that is defined do we start to build the financial structure around it. This is why many Sconnect products are launched early, even when we know that commercial results will be difficult at first. We still proceed, because we believe in the long-term value they create. That, I think, is a major difference. To lead a business towards value, a leader must embody three qualities: place value first, stay brave enough to pursue the vision, and remain resilient enough to endure the long journey.

If you look to 2035, which is 10 years from now, what do you want to see most to complete a creative “empire”: an ecosystem, a studio that is self-sufficient in technology, or a new generation of audiences who love Vietnamese culture?

TMH: Sconnect’s vision for the next decade is to become a global creative corporation with specific goals. First, we want to develop products with strong influence on the international market. Second, we aim to build partnerships with major players in the creative and cultural sectors worldwide. Third, in terms of human resources, we want not only our team in Vietnam but also international talent to contribute to product development at Sconnect.

And ultimately, we aspire to see Sconnect recognised as a Vietnamese enterprise on the Fortune list in the creative field, both in global value and valuation.

Article published from the original in Tatler Vietnam, July 2025 issue

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