Startup ASEAN platform links 8,600 startups with 1,700 investors, strengthening regional innovation and cross-border collaboration.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Startup ASEAN platform has become a key catalyst for regional innovation, connecting over 8,600 startups with more than 1,700 investors across ASEAN since its launch last year.
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Chang Lih Kang said Malaysia introduced the ASEAN Startup Initiative believing unity and innovation could bring ASEAN nations closer together.
He said the mission has always been to strengthen regional collaboration, build capacity and create opportunities that transcend national boundaries.
“The Startup ASEAN journey is not just about technology or entrepreneurship, it is about people,” Chang said at the closing ceremony of the Cradle LIVE! Startup ASEAN Summit 2025.
“It is about empowering every founder, dreamer and innovator across our region with the opportunity to create change and make a lasting impact on lives.”
Malaysia is committed to being both a contributor and connector by linking ecosystems, sharing expertise and building bridges between entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers.
Chang said the initiative requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach where policymakers, industry leaders, academia and communities work together.
Startup ASEAN embodies the vision of a collaborative, united, future-ready ASEAN driven by innovation.
The minister highlighted successful regional startups born from cross-border collaboration, including Funding Societies, an SME digital lending platform founded by a Malaysian and Indonesian.
He also mentioned Carro, an online used-car marketplace founded by a Singaporean, Thai and Indonesian.
Moving into 2026, Chang said the ministry will focus on deepening cooperation in innovation policy, investment and talent mobility.
Malaysia will continue engaging with ASEAN counterparts, ecosystem partners and the private sector to ensure Startup ASEAN grows as a sustainable regional movement.
“Our collective aspiration is clear, to position ASEAN among the top global startup ecosystems,” he added.
The region aims to be recognised not only for its market potential but also for its ingenuity, creativity and resilience. – Bernama
