Alpha Books Chairman Nguyen Canh Binh: The survival weapons of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the age of AI.

DNHN - Alpha Books Chairman Nguyen Canh Binh shares three essential lessons to ensure the survival and growth of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the digital age: creativity, connection, and collective intelligence.

More than 40,000 years ago, on the icy plains of Europe, two human species coexisted: the Neanderthals, muscular “warriors” who lived in closed cave groups, and Homo sapiens, weaker in physique but gifted with imagination and social bonds. History ultimately chose Homo sapiens, for they possessed two ultimate weapons: the fire of creativity and the breadth of networks.

Drawing from this evolutionary story, in an exclusive interview with Doanh nghiep & Hoi nhap Magazine, Chairman Nguyen Canh Binh offered profound insights and practical lessons for today’s business leaders.

Journalist: Evidence shows that Neanderthals were strong, skilled hunters, even caring for the sick and burying their dead. Yet they vanished. Why?

Nguyen Canh Binh: The Neanderthals were not primitive, but they had a fatal weakness: isolation. Living in small, closed groups, any new idea rarely spreads beyond a handful of people. When the climate shifted and herds migrated, they lacked both new tools and a broad network to adapt. They were strong but conservative, and that insularity sealed their fate in evolution’s game.

Journalist: In contrast, Homo sapiens prevailed. What was their core strength?

Nguyen Canh Binh: Two things. First, relentless creativity. They never stopped at “good enough.” A single stone blade was improved by trying bone, ivory, and horn. Fishing spears led to nets, stakes, and harpoons. Beyond spoken calls, they painted symbols, made flutes, and wore ornaments. Symbolic culture became the glue that bound communities together.

Second, expansive networks. Homo sapiens widened their circles through exchange—seashell beads from the coast, obsidian from distant mountains, seeds from grasslands. Each object was a signal of belonging to a larger community. Thus, ideas were not buried in one cave but traveled across hundreds of miles. When one group struggled, another shared. When an innovation appeared, it spread and improved.

Journalist: What lessons does this 40,000-year-old story hold for us today?

Nguyen Canh Binh: I see three key messages, a compass for any organization in the knowledge economy.

First, creativity must become an organization’s immune system.

Sapiens innovated to adapt and survive. Businesses must do the same: innovation cannot remain confined to an R&D unit or a one-off workshop; it must be embedded in the DNA of the organization. This means the ability to restructure knowledge and resources to respond to constant change. Treating innovation as a one-time event will make a company as vulnerable as the Neanderthals—slow, rigid, and at risk of extinction.

Second, collective intelligence outweighs individual brilliance.

Neanderthals may have been smart individually, but their small networks trapped ideas. Homo sapiens turned individual intelligence into shared intelligence, creating unmatched strength. For modern businesses, the lesson is clear: don’t rely solely on a few “stars.” Build systems where every small idea can be shared, connected, and amplified. That is the foundation of true innovation ecosystems.

Third, networks are not just for survival, but for creating new value.

A shell necklace in prehistory was more than jewelry—it was proof of trust, exchange, and belonging. Today, networks of customers, partners, and communities serve the same role. When companies build their own “super-society”, they don’t just weather crises; they continually generate new value—from data, from ideas, from cultural norms. This is how even a small company can grow into a global ecosystem. 

Journalist: How do these lessons translate to the Vietnamese business context?

Nguyen Canh Binh: It’s a powerful reminder. A company may be wealthy and powerful, but if it is closed and conservative, its collapse can come quickly. Conversely, a small enterprise that nurtures creativity and expands its network will not only survive but can reach the world stage.

What ensured Homo sapiens’ success was not muscle, but connected intelligence. Vietnamese enterprises today must choose: either become the Homo sapiens of the digital era—innovative and networked—or fade away like the Neanderthals.

Journalist: If you could leave one final message for entrepreneurs, what would it be?

Nguyen Canh Binh: Don’t trap yourself in a “safe cave.” Past strength does not guarantee future survival. Only through continuous creativity and broad networks can we go far. This is how Vietnamese entrepreneurs can not only exist, but also endure, expand, and leave a mark on the world.

Creativity and connection are the keys to ensuring that Vietnamese businesses do not share the Neanderthals’ fate. These are the ultimate weapons for survival.

Thank you very much!

Dr. Nguyen Thuy Lan