World Economic Forum on ASEAN attracts 80 Southeast Asia start-ups

The participants, including three from Vietnam, were selected by a panel of judges from out of 300 that applied.

“We expect the startups to make an important contribution to shaping the debates at the meeting about the impact and course of new technologies and disruptive business models,” Justin Wood, the WEF’s Asia Pacific head and member of its executive committee, said in a statement.

“The startups will also benefit from their interactions with the other 1,000 participants at the summit, including 90 government ministers and 600 business leaders from more established companies.”

There will be a dedicated program for them to discuss issues crucial to starting a business such as raising funding and achieving regional scale with limited resources.

The 2018 WEF ASEAN has the theme “ASEAN 4.0: Entrepreneurship and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”

Speakers will be focusing on the future of work during the fourth industrial revolution, geopolitics, innovation, entrepreneurship, trade, and inclusive economic growth.

Leaders of seven ASEAN member countries along with politicians, economists, academics, and representatives from 43 countries will take part.

Vietnam will host two side events, an open forum Tuesday titled “ASEAN 4.0 for all?” and the Vietnam Business Summit Thursday.

This is the second time Vietnam is hosting a WEF event after an earlier one in 2010.