MOSTI To Host First ASEAN Tech Startup Summit Under 2025 Chairmanship

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), through its agency - Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd (Cradle) - today launched the Cradle LIVE! Startup ASEAN Summit 2025 to be held from Nov 3-5 in Kuala Lumpur.

Set as a collective commitment to building an integrated ASEAN startup ecosystem, it will gather over 3,000 participants, including startups, investors and policymakers from all 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS) and across the globe.

Themed 'Scaling Startups Beyond Borders', this will be the first ASEAN tech startup conference to be held under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said startups already play a key role in creating millions of jobs and future tech leaders, yet many still face barriers in expanding across borders. 

"This summit is our collective response to lower those barriers, to forge trust among regional investors and to propel our homegrown champions to compete on the global stage," he said in his speech at the summit launch here today.

Speaking to reporters after the event, he said the summit's main goal is not to generate profit, but to foster regional collaboration and growth.

"The main objective is not to make money, of course, it is to connect all the startups, founders, owners and also investors together under one platform. So it is not for profit," he said when asked about the economic impact of the summit.

Chang added that the platform aims to go beyond Malaysia's borders by facilitating cross-country networking and funding opportunities, where it offers a space where local startups can engage directly with regional investors, while ASEAN-based startups can explore Malaysian markets and vice versa.

"So, I think connectivity and also networking are important, especially as we are looking at ASEAN as a region. And we know nowadays things are getting more borderless, including the startup ecosystem.

"I think the startup will benefit from this entire regional kind of networking, where those investors are no longer looking at their own domestic startup, but they can also eye other startups," he added.

Meanwhile, Cradle Group chief executive officer Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke said what makes the Startup ASEAN Summit unique is the way it is built around the people who power this ecosystem, the founders, builders, and risk takers who are shaping the region’s future. 

"We are not just bringing them together, but we are curating connections that would otherwise take months or years to build.

"By linking startups directly with regional investors and corporates and opening doors into new ASEAN markets, this summit is designed to give founders the momentum they need to scale beyond borders, and to show the world what ASEAN innovation can do,” he added. 

The summit has also attracted strong industry backing with Alliance Bank coming on board as the Title Sponsor.

Group Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Bank, emphasised Kellee Kam emphasised: “As Title Sponsor, Alliance Bank will power the summit alongside Cradle. Our partnership with the agency has always been defined by a shared commitment to nurturing Malaysia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and it is far from a one-off collaboration – it is a long-standing partnership.

"Over the years, we have worked closely together to empower young entrepreneurs, with the BizSmart®️ Challenge programme serving as a prime example of what we can achieve together. We’re excited to build on that success through this summit,” continued Kellee.

The summit opens with IGNITE at Heritage Valley, highlighting Malaysia’s homegrown startup champions and more than 100 recipients of Cradle’s grant programmes.

The second day, CONNECT, transforms JioSpace into a dynamic innovation marketplace, and the last day, ELEVATE at Zepp, brings together Southeast Asia’s sharpest minds with headline keynotes, high-stakes panels, inspiring showcases and world-class performances. 

Registration for the summit started early this month and participants are encouraged to secure their places at this premier gathering of the ASEAN startup ecosystem at www.cradle.com.my/cradlelive/

-- BERNAMA