The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), through its agency Cradle Fund Sdn. Bhd. (Cradle) on Wednesday launched the Cradle LIVE! Startup ASEAN Summit 2025, which will take place from Nov 3 to 5, in Kuala Lumpur.

Carrying the theme “Scaling Startups Beyond Borders”, the summit is the first ASEAN tech startup conference under the ASEAN-Malaysia Chairmanship 2025 and is recognized as a Priority Economic Deliverable (PED) for the nation. It will gather over 3,000 participants including startups, investors, and policymakers from all 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS) and across the globe.

Chang Lih Kang, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, said “Last June, we completed the development of the Startup ASEAN platform – a first-of- its-kind regional gateway to connect and empower startups across ASEAN. Now, we are thrilled to take the next bold step by hosting the region’s first-ever ASEAN tech startup conference under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship.”

“This summit represents a collective commitment to build an integrated ASEAN startup ecosystem – one that lowers barriers for founders to expand, fosters trust among regional investors, and positions our homegrown innovations to compete on the global
stage,” Chang added.

Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cradle, said “What makes the Startup ASEAN Summit unique is the way it’s built around the people who power this ecosystem – the founders, builders, and risk takers who are shaping our region’s future. We’re not just bringing them together; we are curating connections that would otherwise take months or years to build.

By linking startups directly with regional investors and corporates and opening doors into new ASEAN markets, this summit is designed to give founders the momentum they need to scale beyond borders – and to show the world what ASEAN innovation
can do,” added Norman.

The summit has also attracted strong industry backing with Alliance Bank coming on board as the Title Sponsor.

Kellee Kam, Group Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Bank, emphasised “As Title Sponsor, Alliance Bank will power the summit alongside Cradle. Our partnership with the agency has always been defined by a shared commitment to nurturing Malaysia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and it is far from a one-off collaboration – it is a long- standing partnership.

Over the years, we have worked closely together to empower young entrepreneurs, with the BizSmart® Challenge program serving as a prime example of what we can achieve together. We’re excited to build on that success through this summit,” Kam added.

To further strengthen this vision of cross-border collaboration, the summit will also feature global ecosystem partners. Among them, Infobip, Croatia’s first unicorn, will bring its renowned global tech developer conference to the region for the first time through Startup ASEAN x Infobip Shift, and the Korea-ASEAN AI Youth Festa, a transformative initiative, funded by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF), and implemented by the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) to foster AI innovation and sustainable development across the ASEAN and Korea – taking place on Day 2.

Ivan Brezak Brkan, Developer Experience Director at Infobip, said “After successful editions in Croatia and Miami, Shift has become a global platform for developers and builders to connect, learn, and build the future of AI and technology. We’re proud to partner with Cradle to bring Infobip Shift to Kuala Lumpur, marking a new chapter for Southeast Asia’s developer tech community. This collaboration with Cradle reflects our shared commitment to empowering the engineering and tech community, and to accelerating digital innovation across ASEAN.”

Anchored on Cradle LIVE! Cradle’s year-round startup engagement platform, the summit is structured around three (3) signature experiences:

● Day 1: IGNITE at Heritage Valley, Kuala Lumpur – Showcasing Malaysia’s homegrown champions and over 100 Cradle grant alumni.
● Day 2: CONNECT at JioSpace, Petaling Jaya – A vibrant innovation marketplace featuring regional startup pavilions, and the Startup ASEAN x Infobip Shift, a global tech developer conference series making its Southeast Asia debut, and Korea-ASEAN AI Youth Festa by NIPA.
● Day 3: ELEVATE at Zepp Kuala Lumpur – A finale bringing together Southeast Asia’s sharpest minds with headline keynotes, high-stakes panels, inspiring showcases, and world class performances.

Registration for the summit has started since early September and participants are encouraged to secure their place at this premier gathering of the ASEAN startup ecosystem at www.cradle.com.my/cradlelive/

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