Manila, 19 November 2024: Dr Giulia Ajmone Marsan, ERIA’s Head of Startups and Inclusion and lead author of the ERIA One ASEAN Startup White Paper 2024, participated in a webinar titled ‘The Importance of Entrepreneurship: Driving Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in ASEAN’ on 19 November 2024 in Manila. Held by the Asian Development Bank Southeast Asia Development Solutions (ADB SEADS), the webinar brought together leading experts to discuss the current and future trends shaping ASEAN’s innovation landscape.

Dr Ajmone Marsan explained how robust economic growth, rapid digitalisation, and favourable demographics trends are driving innovation and entrepreneurship in ASEAN. However, she emphasised the urgency for ASEAN leaders to seize this window of opportunity and act now, noting that the region's demographic advantage will diminish as its population begins to age in the late 2030s.

Drawing from the ERIA One ASEAN Startup White Paper, Dr Ajmone Marsan shared findings from a survey of innovators and ecosystem builders. The survey results revealed that startups in the region face significant challenges in accessing markets, capital, and talent – key areas requiring focused improvement.

The panel also featured Professor Willem Smit from Fulbright University Vietnam; Professor Erkko Autio from Imperial College London; Ee Ling Lim, Executive Director for Market Launch (Global Programmes) at 500 Global; and James Villafuerte, Regional Lead Economist at ADB. Donghyun Park, Economic Advisor for Strategic Knowledge Initiatives at ADB, served as the moderator, while Emma Veve, Deputy Director General for the Southeast Asia Department at ADB, shared concluding remarks with participants.