How to Build an AI Development Team in Vietnam in 2026
Building AI Capability: Part 2
In Part 1 of this series, we examined what it takes to hire AI...
After evaluating 20 providers across several countries, AKVA Group chose FWH to strengthen its software development team. Technical expertise, direct collaboration and Norwegian support in Vietnam were central to the decision.
We spoke with Inge Forseth, AKVA Group’s then Chief Operating Officer, about why the company selected FWH and how the collaboration worked in practice.
Access to qualified developers and the right expertise was the priority when AKVA Group decided to expand its team. Competition for experienced technology professionals in Norway made it difficult to recruit enough people locally.
The company wanted to strengthen its existing development capability and found that FWH’s approach matched this ambition. Specialists in Vietnam would become integrated colleagues, working closely with the team in Norway.
The move into Vietnam was therefore about strengthening the team with the right expertise, rather than shifting jobs to lower-cost outsourcing providers.
AKVA Group assessed 20 national and international providers before selecting FWH. Forseth spoke with existing FWH clients and examined information about Vietnam’s education system and business environment.
Client references and FWH’s Norwegian connection helped build confidence in the decision.
That connection extended beyond the initial selection. FWH’s local presence offered practical support for building a working relationship across countries, while AKVA Group retained direct communication with its specialists.
From the early days of the collaboration in 2019.
The Norwegian development team was initially somewhat sceptical about working with colleagues around 9,000 kilometres away. However, that scepticism quickly turned to enthusiasm once they understood FWHs collaboration model.
The developers in Vietnam also take part in AKVA Group’s internal events, including #hackathons that have demonstrated effective international collaboration across borders and time zones.
The collaboration was built around direct contact between developers. FWH calls this approach “Tech2tech”, where specialists discuss their work with each other, supporting a close connection between technical decisions and everyday development.
Working from Vietnam, colleagues could participate in AKVA Group’s development processes much as they would from another office or from home.
This is central to FWH’s model. Experienced specialists work full-time and exclusively for one client, becoming part of its organisation. FWH supports recruitment, onboarding and the local working environment, while the client directs their daily work.
The developers in Vietnam also participated in AKVA Group’s internal activities, including two hackathons that brought colleagues together across countries and time zones.
When the pandemic prompted a move to home working in spring 2020, the existing experience of collaborating remotely helped the development team adapt. According to Forseth, colleagues continued using familiar ways of working from their homes.
International colleagues participating in shared activities helps build relationships beyond individual tasks. It creates opportunities to exchange ideas, solve problems together and develop a stronger sense of belonging.
FWH’s working environment in Vietnam reflects Norwegian practices, including a flat structure, inclusive management and a balance between independent responsibility and teamwork.
Forseth identified Norwegian presence in Vietnam as a decisive factor in choosing FWH.
Cultural understanding is an ongoing part of making that environment work. FWH’s Norwegian Cultural and Collaboration Advisor in Vietnam supports onboarding and helps colleagues navigate expectations, communication styles and working practices.
Alongside this guidance, specialists belong to an established technology community. They work with their respective client teams while sharing a local environment with other experienced professionals.
For clients, this combines direct involvement in their team with support on the ground.
The collaboration began in spring 2019 with two .NET developers who brought 13 and 16 years of experience. They quickly became involved in app development.
In spring 2020, AKVA Group added two more developers, bringing the team in Vietnam to four full-stack developers, alongside a frontend trainee, all working from Vietnam.
Team AKVA Group in Ho Chi Minh City, 2021.
These milestones show how AKVA Group built capacity progressively. Beginning with a small team created an opportunity to establish the working relationship before expanding it further.
AKVA Group supplies technology and services to the global aquaculture industry, covering both sea-based and land-based farming.
Software is an important part of this work. It helps operators monitor conditions, understand what is happening at their sites and make informed decisions. Developing these systems requires specialists who can understand complex operational needs and translate them into useful technology.
The team in Vietnam contributed to AKVA Group’s wider development capability, supporting the company’s ambition to continue improving its products and services.
AKVA Group’s experience illustrates the value of combining specialist recruitment with the support needed to make international collaboration work.
FWH’s approach brings together:
For AKVA group, the collaboration provided a way to strengthen its development capability with experienced colleagues in Vietnam, supported by FWH’s local presence and understanding of Norwegian working culture.
Fish farming, particularly salmon farming, where AKVA Group’s equipment and solutions are widely used, involves far more than keeping fish in a tank and feeding them. Advanced optimisation algorithms help plan profitable and sustainable farming operations.
Automation is playing an increasingly important role.
“We develop systems that help fish farmers make better decisions through pattern and behaviour recognition,” Forseth explains enthusiastically.
AKVA Group Tien and Khai, October 2025.
Through its ongoing collaboration with FWH, AKVA group continues to strengthen its development capability with experienced colleagues in Vietnam, supported by FWH’s local presence, cultural guidance and established working environment.
Noria deliver insurance software and consultancy for the fintech industry. FWH helped Noria establish its wholly owned subsidiary, Noria Vietnam Ltd. This gave Noria its own local organisation, supported by FWH’s established presence and business support services.
DNV Imatis develops digital solutions that help healthcare professionals coordinate information, communication and patient workflows. As international demand grew, the company needed more qualified developers to support its ambitions. Finding the right people locally was proving difficult.
AKVA Group supplies technology and services to the global aquaculture industry, covering both sea-based and land-based farming. Software is an important part of this work. The team in Vietnam contributes to the company's wider development capability.
Building AI Capability: Part 2
In Part 1 of this series, we examined what it takes to hire AI...
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