Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) will be bringing together leading entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem builders from the reigon for the first ASEAN and Republic of Korea (ASEAN-ROK) Startup Festival on December 8.
The one-day event will be hosted virtually and broadcasted over Zoom and DARe’s Facebook, with more than 20 startups from ASEAN and Korea presenting and joining in panel discussions to deliberate the latest challenges and opportunities in the startup ecosystem.
The festival is hosted as part of Brunei’s ASEAN Chairmanship and falls under the ongoing partnership between ROK’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME).
The organisers said the event is being held to showcase promising startups as well as promote collaboration and the exchange of information amongst startup ecosystems within ASEAN-ROK.
The full-day programme features two main formats: panel discussions covering pertinent business developments in ASEAN-ROK; interspersed with startup showcases where founders or representatives pitch their businesses.
Two ASEAN unicorns Carro and GOJEK – startups who have reached US$1 billion in valuation – will also have their own segments to share challenges they faced in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brunei’s Second Minister of Finance and Economy and Minister and the Prime Minister’s Office YB Dato Dr Hj Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah and Korea’s Deputy Minister for SME Policy at MSS Byeon Taesup are also expected to deliver keynote and opening addresses respectively.
The startup showcase will feature one startup from each ASEAN member state and Korea. There will be five panel-based discussions:
ASEAN-ROK collaboration
Ecosystem builders from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Korea discuss the potential business synergies between Korean technology and innovation and ASEAN’s market size with a population of 662 million.
Ecosystem spotlight: ASEAN
National agencies for entrepreneurship and business in Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Brunei and Singapore discuss the ongoing effects of the pandemic on the startup ecosystem and what measures are in place to for future growth.
Age of COVID
Entrepreneurs share how they have successfully adapted their business during the pandemic. Representing Indonesia – Pala Nusantara; Thailand – Queue Q; Korea – Hooo Labs; Brunei – DART and Avantist; Lao – Wayha Technology; and Singapore – Rhodium Studios/Faber Image Media.
The Future
Business leaders and subject matter experts discuss emerging concepts and trends that have the potential to shape the increasingly interconnected economic landscape.
Startups That Lasts
How will enterprises scale and endure after their startup phases? Ecosystem builders from Korea, Singapore and Indonesia discuss strategies and best practices.
Investors AMA (As Me Anything)
Venture capitalists and angel investors share what they seek out – and also avoid – when selecting startups to fund. Those tuning in may also send in their questions to the participating investors from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Korea.
The festival is one of 11 startup partnership programmes that were committed following the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit. Visit ASEAN-ROK Startup Festival’s website to learn more or register.
Programme as of December 3:
041221-ASEAN-ROK-Startup-Festival-Programme
