Co-Creation Panel Discussion for ASEAN-Japan x Startup Ecosystem & Impact Startup

■Introduction:

The ASEAN-Japan Business Leaders Summit serves as a vital platform to connect emerging business leaders from ASEAN and Japan, addressing pressing social challenges and fostering innovation for a sustainable future. ASEAN, recognized as a global growth center, faces various social issues, including inequalities, while Japan grapples with challenges such as an aging population but leverages its wealth of experience and assets from decades of development. Against this backdrop, the summit aims to cultivate meaningful connections among next-generation business leaders who are poised to drive transformative change. The summit culminated on 20th December 2024, with impactful pitch sessions and a panel discussion, showcasing innovative ideas and fostering dialogue among leaders.

■Session Information:

• Session Name: Panel Discussion 2.2B ASEAN-Japan x Startup Ecosystem & Impact Startup

• Place: ASEAN-Japan Business Leaders Summit 2024, International Conference Center Kyoto,  Annex Hall B

• Date: 20th December 2024

■Moderator:

• Vy Le

  • General Partner Do Ventures

  • Viet Nam

■Speakers:

• Sok Piseth

  • Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, GGEAR GROUP CO.,LTD

  • Cambodia

• Naoaki Mashita

  • Chairman & Group CEO (Founder), V-Cube, Inc.

  • Thailand

• Anderson Lim

  • Founder, Nimanja

  • Brunei Darussalam

• Yoshi Yokokawa

  • Co-Founder & CEO, AlpacaDB,Inc.

  • United States

• Taka Nakamura

  • CEO, taliki

  • General Partner, taliki Fund

  • Japan

■Panel Discussion:

The ASEAN-Japan Business Leaders’ Summit held an engaging panel session on the theme "2.2B ASEAN x Japan x Startup Ecosystem / Impact Startup," moderated by Vy Le, General Partner at Do Ventures (Vietnam). The session brought together diverse perspectives from five prominent speakers representing Cambodia, Thailand, Brunei, the United States, and Japan.

■Setting the Tone: Introductions and Icebreakers

Vy Le opened the discussion by inviting the panelists to introduce themselves and share an interesting fact about their lives. The introductions set a lively tone, highlighting both the professional achievements and personal quirks of the speakers.

The panel comprised distinguished speakers:

• Sok Piseth, CEO of GGEAR Group (Cambodia), shared his journey in entrepreneurship and humorously admitted his lack of cooking skills.

  

  
  

• Naoaki Mashita, Chairman & Group CEO of V-Cube (Thailand), entertained the audience with stories of attending high-profile meetings while diving on a remote ship.

  

  
  

• Anderson Lim, Founder of Nimanja (Brunei), surprised many with his past as an Olympic swimmer.

  

  
  

• Yoshi Yokokawa, Co-Founder and CEO of AlpacaDB (United States), noted his deep connection to the local area, jogging weekly near the venue.

  

  
  

• Taka Nakamura, CEO and General Partner at taliki Fund (Japan), shared an anecdote about losing her business card case during a trip to Spain.

  

  
  

■Exploring Opportunities and Challenges Across Ecosystems

Cambodia: Sok Piseth

Piseth highlighted Cambodia's evolving business landscape, emphasizing significant improvements in corporate governance and startup support over the last decade. Initiatives such as the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Cambodia and Start-Up Cambodia have bolstered the entrepreneurial ecosystem. However, challenges remain in navigating complex customs procedures and ensuring effective implementation of government incentives. Piseth also noted the strong ties between Cambodian businesses and Japanese investors, fostered through direct dialogues and forums.

■Brunei: Anderson Lim

Anderson discussed Brunei's dual identity as a wealthy yet small market. While its oil wealth and regulatory framework attract foreign direct investment (FDI), the country faces challenges in diversifying its economy and addressing limited domestic demand. Anderson highlighted opportunities in sectors like aquaculture, ecotourism, and manufacturing, while noting the need for strategic partnerships to overcome infrastructure costs.

■Japan: Taka Nakamura and Naoaki Mashita

Taka focused on Japan's burgeoning impact startup ecosystem, where interest in social enterprises addressing aging, poverty, and disabilities is growing. However, challenges remain in scaling such ventures and attracting institutional investment.Naoaki reflected on Japan's broader startup ecosystem, noting significant progress over the past decade. He highlighted Japan's shift toward embracing entrepreneurial mindsets but underscored challenges in competing globally, particularly against U.S.-backed tech giants. He proposed leveraging Japan’s capital markets to facilitate cross-border M&A and foster growth in ASEAN startups.

■United States and Beyond: Yoshi Yokokawa

Yoshi offered a unique perspective as an Asian entrepreneur leading the U.S.-based fintech startup. He contrasted the flexibility and speed of U.S. startup ecosystems with Japan's more rigid labor and legal frameworks. Yoshi stressed the importance of defining business problems before deploying technologies like AI or blockchain, warning against overhyped solutions that lack real-world applicability.

■Collaboration Opportunities Between ASEAN and Japan

Naoaki emphasized cross-border M&A as a key collaboration strategy, proposing that ASEAN startups leverage Tokyo's robust stock exchange for global market access. He suggested innovative structures, such as acquiring Japanese subsidiaries to facilitate public listings.Piseth underscored the complementary strengths of ASEAN nations, highlighting Cambodia's potential in agriculture and Japan's technological expertise. He called for deeper collaboration to bridge economic gaps and drive mutual growth.Taka advocated for increased investment in impact startups tackling global issues like poverty and clean energy, urging early-stage investors to support ventures with both social and economic impact potential.

■Vision for Change: A Hypothetical "Magic Wand"

The panel concluded with a reflective exercise: if they had a magic wand, what change would they make in their home countries to enhance collaboration and impact?

• Anderson Lim wished for earlier collaboration between Brunei’s young entrepreneurs and Japanese partners to diversify its economy beyond oil.

• Sok Piseth called for simplified policies to support entrepreneurs in Cambodia.

• Taka Nakamura envisioned groundbreaking technologies to address waste management and clean energy challenges in ASEAN.

• Yoshi Yokokawa advocated redefining Japan’s national identity to embrace diversity and address its population decline.

• Naoaki Mashita proposed reforming Japan’s accounting standards to remove barriers to M&A, enabling startups to thrive.

■Closing Reflections

Moderator Vy Le wrapped up the session by emphasizing the importance of ASEAN-Japan collaboration in building resilient ecosystems that prioritize both economic and social impact. The panelists' insights underscored the need for innovation, partnership, and adaptability in shaping the future of startups in the region.

■Join the Movement

The ASEAN-Japan Business Leaders Summit is not just an event but a call to action for fostering innovation, collaboration, and transformative solutions to shared challenges. As we continue to build a stronger, more connected future, we invite businesses, organizations, and individuals to join us in driving impactful change across ASEAN and Japan. To explore collaboration opportunities or to become part of this dynamic initiative, please contact PoliPoli’s secretariat at:

asean-japan-business-leaders-summit@polipoli.io

Together, let’s shape a future of sustainable growth and shared prosperity.