Vietnamese Startup Challenges Google
June 19, 2013
Some veterans of Russia’s Internet scene perceived a unique opportunity in Vietnam. “Russians Attempt to Topple Google in Vietnam,” declares The Economic Times of India. Those observers recently helped found an Internet search company in that country called Coc Coc (“Knock Knock” in English). Their workers’ fundamental understanding of the language and culture, they say, make for a more effective Vietnamese algorithm that could unseat Google there.
Google’s situation is complicated by the government’s position on censorship; it is currently working on laws that would further strangle free expression online. It might even require foreign companies to maintain servers within their borders. As we saw in China, Google will (wisely) lose business rather than play ball with a repressive regime. Coc Coc, however, may be more willing to cooperate with its host government.
The article relates:
“‘When I came here, I had some understanding why Vietnam was a good market to beat Google,’ said Mikhail Kostin, the company’s chief search expert and like others in Coc Coc, a veteran at Russia’s largest Internet company, Mail.Ru. ‘But after living here for one year, I understand the language and market much more deeply. I’m sure it’s right.’
“Close to a third of Vietnam’s 90 million people are online and men and women browsing phones and tablets are a common sight in the cafes of its towns and cities. The country’s potential for growth, its young population and good Internet infrastructure have made it an attractive destination for regional and international investors and startups in online content, e-payment and other services.”
Coc Coc also has an advantage over other local startups—plenty of cash. The company will not identify investors, but says it will have over $100 million to spend over the next five years. For its part, Google simply says it welcomes the competition.
Cynthia Murrell, June 19, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
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