Cover Meet Dinh Trung Hieu, Founder & CEO Nuoa.io
Meet Dinh Trung Hieu, Founder & CEO Nuoa.io
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As global economic integration deepens, sustainable development has moved beyond being a mere option. It is now an urgent imperative for all businesses. In this evolving landscape, Dinh Trung Hieu has emerged as a “green pioneer,” guiding Vietnamese and Asian enterprises towards confident participation in the global green supply chain.
Dinh Trung Hieu, also known as Hieu Dinh, is the Founder and CEO of Nuoa.io, a platform for sustainable development management technology. The company supports Vietnamese and Asian businesses in tracking and reporting emissions data in line with international standards. With a background in finance and an MBA from INSEAD, Dinh Trung Hieu is committed to enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, creating added value as they move towards greener global integration.
Dinh Trung Hieu, what opportunity led you to start your entrepreneurial journey with Nuoa.io, a startup focusing on sustainable development?
In late 2022, during a casual coffee chat with old friends, I posed a question: “Why are Vietnamese businesses staying out of the global game of sustainable development?” At the time, it was an expression of both curiosity and concern. That question, however, became the spark that launched the journey of building Nuoa.io, a startup devoted to sustainable management technology, designed to help Asian businesses access and thrive within the green global supply chain.
From someone working in the financial and consumer sectors, what made you switch to starting a business with green technology?
Unlike many in the sustainability space, I didn’t start as an environmental activist. My career was rooted in finance and consumer business, where I held senior leadership roles. The seeds of sustainability were planted during my time as a student at RMIT University Vietnam. There, I was fortunate to receive a full scholarship, which gave me the flexibility to take part in extracurricular activities. I joined RMIT’s AIESEC chapter, which aligns with the UN’s sustainable development goals. It was this experience that first ignited my interest in climate change.
That said, back in 2010–2011, when the country was still grappling with the aftermath of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, climate change felt like a noble idea—important, but far removed from daily realities.
Read more: The Tatler Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow 2025 launches on July 4
Above I realised Vietnamese and Asian manufacturers stood at a historic juncture, full of potential, but no one had yet seized the opportunity
I realised Vietnamese and Asian manufacturers stood at a historic juncture, full of potential, but no one had yet seized the opportunity
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What were the turning points that helped you form the idea and mission of Nuoa.io?
The key turning point came when I went to France to study for my MBA at INSEAD Business School in 2020. There, I came to understand that sustainable business, green finance, and net-zero goals were no longer just fashionable concepts; they had become central to systemic transformation across the global supply chain. At INSEAD, discussions about ESG and sustainability featured in almost every subject. It became clear to me that this was more than a passing trend.
I realised Vietnamese and Asian manufacturers stood at a historic juncture, full of potential, but no one had yet seized the opportunity.
After returning to Vietnam with this new perspective, I spent over a year conducting market research. I held dozens of interviews with manufacturing businesses and SME suppliers, and a pattern emerged. Many understood the value of sustainable development and had even invested in carbon accounting training for their teams, yet they remained hesitant when it came to actual investment.
One factory owner in Long An told me: “If you want to enter the supply chain of a big brand, you need to have emission data and international certification. This is very troublesome.” That sentiment reflects the bottleneck: these enterprises want to access the global supply chain, where green standards are required, but they lack accessible tools to begin.
Existing platforms are often prohibitively expensive, overly complex, or impractical for Vietnam and the wider region. There was no suitable solution in sight. That gap is what drove me to create one.
The future isn’t something we need to predict — it’s something we can build, together.
Dinh Trung Hieu, where did Nuoa.io start and how is it developing now? Why do you often describe Nuoa.io as “Green Excel” for businesses?
The concept of Nuoa.io took shape during a reunion with Lan Nguyen, a high school friend who, at the time, was pursuing a PhD in environmental economics at Dartmouth College. Over coffee at an alumni gathering, our conversation bridged Lan’s academic insight into green policy and my practical experience in business.
We recognised a significant disconnect between what was happening in developed markets like Europe and the US, and the current landscape for Vietnamese and other Asian enterprises. Lan had explored numerous green finance mechanisms, yet many of them hadn’t trickled down to the supply chain level. When paired with my understanding of commercial operations, we identified that major brands would be the key force helping manufacturers adopt sustainable practices.
Nuoa.io was founded with a clear mission: to enable small and medium-sized enterprises to inventory, manage, and report their greenhouse gas emissions with ease, preparing them to meet the rigorous demands of the global supply chain.
What we offer is, in essence, a “green ID card” that allows these businesses to qualify for support from international brands. Much like how proficiency in Excel once opened the door to corporate jobs, Nuoa.io is emerging as an indispensable tool for companies aiming to step into the global supply chain.
Above The cover faces of Vol. 09 Tatler – Nha Tap Tinh Hoa feature five young Vietnamese leaders championing the Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow campaign
The cover faces of Vol. 09 Tatler – Nha Tap Tinh Hoa feature five young Vietnamese leaders championing the Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow campaign
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Nuoa.io has bigger ambitions than emissions inventory software. Can you share more about the long-term vision?
Nuoa.io is more than a piece of software. It is a holistic ecosystem designed to support business transformation. From building awareness and standardising data, to connecting enterprises with green finance and international clientele, the platform provides a framework for growth. Transparent data doesn’t just improve internal processes, it also becomes a foundation for long-term competitiveness.
We are working alongside respected institutions such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), CanCham, and esteemed academic partners including the School of Business and Management (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), the University of Cambridge, the Singapore Green Finance Centre, and Dartmouth College, to bring new technologies into the hands of businesses across Vietnam and the region.
Nuoa is also proud to be delivering solutions for the Low Emission Tourism project, spearheaded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Hue Development Institute (Hue IDS) in 2024. Through this initiative, we have equipped small and medium-sized tourism businesses with tools to align with the increasingly prominent global green tourism standards. We are laying the groundwork for a resilient and sustainable data infrastructure, allowing Vietnamese and Asian enterprises to navigate the international stage with confidence.
In addressing climate change, large corporations carry enormous influence. Nuoa.io serves as a data-driven tool that helps stakeholders determine where to allocate resources most effectively for green development.
Vietnam is steadily becoming the “factory of the world”. At Nuoa, we hope to contribute to the national vision shifting from being a manufacturing powerhouse to becoming the “green factory of the world”. It is a rare chance to lead, rather than follow.
With Nuoa.io, I’m not just building a startup. I’m hoping to turn a new page for sustainable development in Vietnam.
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