Startup ASEAN Summit 2025 and ASEAN’s Innovation Agenda
Analysis
- The Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will participate in the Startup ASEAN Summit 2025 on 5 November 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- The participation is at the invitation of Malaysia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, reflecting the host country’s leadership as ASEAN Chair 2025.
- Dr. Kao Kim Hourn will:
- Deliver Special Keynote Remarks
- Join Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Minister Chang Lih Kang in highlighting ASEAN’s startup and innovation ecosystem.
- The Summit builds on momentum from the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, reinforcing continuity between political and economic agendas under Malaysia’s Chairmanship.
- With an expected participation of over 3,000 stakeholders from ASEAN and beyond, the Summit underscores ASEAN’s emphasis on:
- Innovation-driven growth
- Cross-border startup collaboration
- Regional economic integration
- The event reaffirms ASEAN’s strategic vision of startups as engines of growth, innovation, and regional competitiveness across all 11 ASEAN Member States, including newly admitted Timor-Leste.
Necessary Static Part
- Startup ASEAN Summit
- A flagship ASEAN platform to promote entrepreneurship, innovation, and startup ecosystems
- Brings together policymakers, investors, startups, and innovation stakeholders
- ASEAN Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) 2025
- Focus on digital transformation, innovation, MSME development, and inclusive growth
- ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 (Malaysia)
- Theme emphasises economic resilience, sustainability, and inclusivity
- Role of Innovation in ASEAN
- Startups are viewed as catalysts for:
- Job creation
- Technology adoption
- Cross-border economic cooperation within ASEAN
Updated – 04 November 2025 | News Source:
ASEAN