Manila, 18-21 November 2025: Despite cultural, social, and financial challenges, women digital entrepreneurs across Asia have made remarkable strides in sectors such as e-commerce, fintech, edtech, and digital healthcare. To further support these entrepreneurs amidst the fast-evolving digital landscape, strategic initiatives such as digital skills training and funding programmes remain crucial.

As a flagship initiative of the United Nations on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), e Trade for Women has been expanding its capacity-building efforts across Asia. ERIA, through a DFAT-funded programme, has been collaborating with UNCTAD for the e Trade for Women masterclass series since 2023. The masterclasses serve not only as platforms for knowledge sharing and skill development, but also as opportunities for collaboration amongst women entrepreneurs, enabling them to scale their businesses and further contribute to the region’s digital transformation.

Following the success of the 2023 masterclass in Kuala Lumpur and the 2024 edition in New Delhi, the Asia masterclass series returned with an event in Manila, the Philippines, from 18–21 November 2025. Under the theme ‘Powering Growth and Impact for Women-Led Digital Businesses’, the Manila event gathered 25 women digital entrepreneurs from ASEAN and the Pacific, representing diverse sectors including software development, digital marketing, products wholesale, agtech, and tourism.

The masterclass began with remarks from key dignitaries:

• Mr Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary-General, UNCTAD
• Dr Moya Collett, Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy to the Philippines
• Dr Giulia Ajmone Marsan, Head of Startups and Digital Inclusion at ERIA

Participants took part in learning and networking sessions delivered by leading experts and practitioners. Ms Angeline Tham, Founder and CEO of Angkas, who is also e Trade South-East Asia and Pacific Advocate, set the scene by sharing her entrepreneurial journey. Ms Sabrina Ielmoli, Chief of e Trade Initiatives Section at UNCTAD, introduced the e Trade for Women initiative. Alongside the selected entrepreneurs, Ms Sonia Aliyu (Programme Manager Officer at UNCTAD) and Lina Maulidina Sabrina (Senior Programme Officer at ERIA) also joined the sessions.

Key topics included:

• Building a vision for growth
• Introduction to customer analytics
• Building and scaling a business with a limited budget
• Navigating cross-border trade
• Investor-readiness and fundraising preparation
• Site visit to a digital champion company
• Intellectual property for digital businesses

This masterclass underscores ERIA and UNCTAD’s shared commitment to empowering women digital entrepreneurs and advancing more inclusive and sustainable digital growth.