Startup Asean platform boosts regional innovation, links 8,600 startups across Asean

The Star

The Startup ASEAN platform has emerged as a key catalyst for ASEAN's innovation ecosystem, connecting more than 8,600 startups and over 1,700 investors across the region since its launch last year.  Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said Malaysia’s introduction of the ASEAN Startup Initiative last year stemmed from a strong belief that unity and innovation are the twin forces that can bring ASEAN nations closer together.  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

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00:00Group Chief and Second Officer of Cradle to accompany the VBIPs.

00:06Distinguished guests, when Malaysia first introduced the ASEAN Startup Initiative last year,

00:13it was guided by a simple but powerful idea that ASEAN's strength lies in its unity

00:20and that innovation can be the force that binds us even closer together.

00:26That idea quickly turned into a concrete action through a series of milestones

00:32that have shaped the regional startup ecosystem.

00:36Our first milestone was the soft launch of the Startup ASEAN platform

00:40designed to connect startups, investors and policymakers across the region.

00:47A first step in building a truly borderless ecosystem.

00:51Soon after, ASEAN came together to announce 2025 as ASEAN Startup Year,

01:00marking a wider commitment to position startups as the next engine of regional growth.

01:06In June 2025, we reached another significant moment.

01:10The full-scale launch of the Startup ASEAN platform now connecting more than 8,600 startups

01:18and over 1,700 investors across ASEAN.

01:23And now, with Cradle Life Startup ASEAN Submit 2025,

01:27we have arrived at yet another important chapter.

01:32A celebration of collective progress and a reaffirmation

01:35of our shared determination to make ASEAN a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship.

01:43Ladies and gentlemen, as a nation,

01:46we are committed to being not only a contributor but also a connector,

01:51linking ecosystems, sharing expertise and building breaches

01:56between entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers.

02:00Because at its core, the Startup ASEAN journey is not just about technology or entrepreneurship.

02:09It is about people.

02:12It is about empowering every founder, dreamer and innovator across our region

02:18with the opportunity to create change and make a lasting impact on lives.

02:24Behind every startup lies a story of resilience, creativity and courage.

02:32Whether it is a young coder in Bangkok, an agritech founder in Phnom Penh

02:37or a deep tech startup in Johor, each embodies the same aspiration

02:43to build a better future for ASEAN.

02:47The Honorable Prime Minister has often reminded us

02:50that ASEAN's future depends on how well we work together,

02:55how we leverage our diversity, creativity and collective strength

03:00to drive sustainable progress.

03:03This calls for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach

03:07where policymakers, industry leaders, academia and communities

03:12work hand-in-hand to build a more connected and resilient region.

03:17I truly believe that the steps we are taking today

03:22through initiative like Startup ASEAN embody that very vision

03:27of an ASEAN that is collaborative, united, future-ready and driven by innovation.

03:36Distinguished guests, one of the most inspiring things about this journey

03:41has been witnessing how quickly collaboration takes root across our region.

03:46Throughout ASEAN, we have already seen successful and innovative startups

03:52born from collaboration of founders from across the region, among others, funding societies.

04:01An SMBE digital lending platform was founded by a Malaysian and an Indonesian.

04:06And CARO, an online used car marketplace, was founded by a Singaporean, a Thai and an Indonesian.

04:17As we move into 2026, our focus will be to deepen cooperation in innovation policy,

04:24investment and talent mobility, ensuring that no country, no startup and no innovator is left behind.

04:32Malaysia, through MOSTI and CRADER, will continue to engage closely with our ASEAN counterparts,

04:40ecosystem partners and the private sectors to ensure that Startup ASEAN continues to grow

04:47as a sustainable and impactful regional movement.

04:51Our collective aspiration is clear to position ASEAN among the top global startup ecosystems

05:00and to build a region recognized not only for its market's potential,

05:09but for its ingenuity, creativity and resilience.

05:21Thank you!

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