Nguyen Manh Duy, 23, a final-year Information Systems student at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT) in Hanoi, currently serves as chief technology officer (CTO) of AIT Software Technology JSC.
Founded in 2024 by Duy and two older colleagues, AIT has expanded into a company with nearly 30 employees serving more than 2,000 individual and corporate clients both in Vietnam and overseas. Monthly revenue has reached as much as VND2.5 billion, according to Duy’s presentation during his graduation thesis defense in January.
“The figure is not particularly impressive yet, but it provides a solid foundation for further growth,” Duy said.
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Nguyen Manh Duy in a photo he provided. |
His graduation thesis focused on a digital transformation project for a business with nine branches in northern Vietnam, which is currently being implemented by AIT. Duy received a score of 9 out of 10 and ranked among the university’s top 10 theses.
Duy’s ambition to build a technology startup dates back to his time at Ha Huy Tap High School in Ha Tinh Province in central Vietnam, where he taught himself programming through online forums.
In Grade 12, he began taking small freelance projects such as developing software tools and simple websites, earning between VND5 million and VND7 million per project. Recognizing his interest in the field, he applied to PTIT and was admitted in 2021 with a score of 27.65 in the math–physics–chemistry entrance exam combination.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Duy studied online from home while continuing freelance work. Through professional connections, he and several senior students formed the initial AIT team in early 2022, creating software to support online sellers on platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and Shopee.
Despite gaining early clients, the group faced several challenges, including limited management experience, lack of capital and occasional internal disagreements.
Balancing study and work also proved demanding. Duy recalled that during his second year, final exams coincided with a product delivery deadline.
After finishing his exams, he had only two days left to complete the project, forcing him to stay awake nearly the entire night to meet the commitment.
“I once thought about giving up,” he said. “It was the first time I truly understood the saying that working during the day isn’t enough, so you keep working through the night.”
Determined to build a sustainable business, Duy and his team continued refining their technical products while gradually learning business management.
According to Duy, the theoretical foundation gained at university helped expand his thinking and improve problem-solving skills. In his third year, after specializing in Information Systems, he began applying what he learned to develop larger and more scalable systems.
“If previously our systems only generated stable income, then later, building stronger platforms allowed the business to scale and achieve higher revenue,” he said.
The team officially registered the company in August 2024, expanding operations and establishing specialized departments such as software development, technical support and marketing and sales.
AIT’s revenue currently comes from two main sources.
The first involves providing technology solutions for e-commerce platforms and online sellers. The company has developed a software ecosystem supporting sales and affiliate marketing on Shopee and TikTok, along with artificial intelligence-integrated tools for customer service, automated marketing, product trend recommendations, operational analytics and video creation.
The second source is software outsourcing for businesses, which accounts for around 20% of total revenue.
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Nguyen Manh Huy after sucessfully defending his graduation thesis at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology in Hanoi in mid-January, 2026, ranking among the top 10 outstanding students. Photo courtesy of Duy |
Nguyen Duy Phuong, head of the Faculty of Information Technology 1 at PTIT, praised Duy’s entrepreneurial drive, saying it reflects the university’s focus on practical training.
“Students not only learn theory but are also capable of developing technology products, building businesses and creating real value for society,” he said.
Duy said the academic foundation from university has played an important role in his startup journey, noting that he frequently consults lecturers when facing technical or business challenges.
He expects 2026 to be a breakthrough year for the company, with plans to expand its international customer base. In addition to Indonesia and the Philippines, AIT is targeting markets in Malaysia and Thailand.
After graduating in May, Duy plans to pursue a master’s degree while strengthening his management skills and adapting to the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence landscape.
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