Digital. Collaboration. Networking. At ASEAN Startup Connect 2025, we caught up with Diboma KY, Under Secretary of State at the ក្រសួងប្រៃសណីយ៍និងទូរគមនាគមន៍ - Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (Cambodia), to hear his key takeaways from the event, and his insights highlighted a crucial part of our ecosystem: the bridge between innovation and policy. He shared how incredibly valuable it is to gather founders, specialists, and policymakers from across ASEAN in one room to openly share their challenges. The true power of ASC lies in giving government officials an opportunity to understand the real hurdles and opportunities founders face. When policymakers have this deep understanding, they are better equipped to help startups scale and succeed across the region! Are you looking for a community that understands the reality of building a business? TODAY we are hosting Mentorship session #6 (6:30-8:30 KH time)! You can still sign up to get live, authentic and dedicated support for ASEAN cross border expansion. Join at the link below!

This Thursday, we’re kicking off ASC Mentorship Programme #6! Here, we are creating a space for genuine support to help you smash through your any business roadblocks. Here is the ASC formula for growth: - Horizontal Mentorship: Founder-to-founder collaboration. We bounce ideas across different disciplines to help you establish absolute clarity. - Vertical Mentorship: Once the goal is clear, we bring in an industry expert to help you demolish that specific bottleneck. - Custom Matching: No random pairings here. The ASC team actively hunts down the perfect advisor for your unique profile! Bring your biggest challenges, leave judgment at the door, and let’s build a community that actually moves the needle for each other. See you Thursday April 30th @ 6:30pm - 8:30pm KH time Space is limited, so secure your spot here : https://aseanstartupconnect.org/en/asc-mentorship-programme#mentee

"The ASC platform is not a monument - it is a utility, like a bridge." At ASEAN Startup Connect 2025, His Excellency Dr. Visothy So delivered a profound and grounded message about the future of the ASC platform. He reminded us that building the platform is only step one. Like a digital bridge connecting ASEAN member states and Japan, it requires maintenance, expansion, and continuous traffic to be valuable. A bridge is only as powerful as the people who cross it. It is up to us—the founders, mentors, and ecosystem builders—to utilize this tool and keep the momentum going! Are you looking for a community that understands the reality of building a business? Sign up for our Mentorship Programme to get dedicated support for ASEAN cross border expansion. Join at the link in the comments! 👇 「ASCプラットフォームはモニュメント（記念碑）ではありません。それは橋のような実用的なインフラなのです」 ASEAN Startup Connect 2025にて、Visothy So閣下（博士）が、ASCプラットフォームの未来について、深く地に足の着いたメッセージを共有されました。 彼は、プラットフォームの構築は単なる第一歩に過ぎないと私たちに喚起しました。ASEAN加盟国と日本をつなぐデジタルの橋として、それが価値あるものであるためには、メンテナンスや拡張、そして絶え間ない往来が必要です。 橋の価値は、それを渡る人々によって決まります。このツールを活用し、勢いを維持し続けるのは、起業家、メンター、そしてエコシステムを構築する私たち全員の役割です！ ビジネス構築の現実を理解し合えるコミュニティをお探しですか？ASEANでのクロスボーダー展開に向けた専門的なサポートを獲得できる私たちのメンターシップ・プログラムにご登録ください。そして、ビジネスリーダーや起業家たちがネットワークを広げ、学び、共に成長するために作られたSkoolコミュニティ「The Unspoken Advantage」にもぜひご参加ください。コメント欄のリンクからご参加ください！ 👇 #actionableinsights #asean #asc2025 #cambodia #japan #startupecosystem #innovation #mentorship #networking #digitaltransformation

Launching 'Speaking the Unsaid: Crossborder Conversations', a short series of ASEAN Startup Connect podcast episodes on Spotify and Youtube! This podcast is dedicated to discussing the challenges and opportunities of crossborder expansion with founders, experts and business leaders with experience working across ASEAN. In each episode, they will share their insights on our research about what it truly takes to scale businesses across borders. In this very first episode of 'Speaking the Unsaid: Crossborder Conversations Podcast,' ASC Director Mr. G - Galeno Chua interviews Shunsuke Miyatake (Take) to discuss Take's experience working in Cambodia in design, business, advertising and more, coming from Japan. Shunsuke Miyatake is a creative lead, communication strategist, and visual storyteller with 20+ years of experience in marketing, behavior change communication, and purpose-driven content across Japan and Cambodia. Tune in to learn about Take's experience navigating the cultural differences and similarities working across Japan and Cambodia that inevitably inform the challenges and ease of working between these two markets. Follow our podcast on spotify and youtube ⁠ @‌AseanStartupConnect ⁠ for more episodes breaking down the crossborder insights from professionals and entrepreneurs across the ASEAN region. Comment below what you find interesting or surprising! Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3jizvcsuWlJyaCQY3howa3?si=1IdXyAHQQ0CesOItnavoiw Youtube: https://youtu.be/fx0XenCmy2Q?si=3oMzf3zzIujWQwzh

Cross-border payments and AI-powered scaling—this is the future of ASEAN! 🚀 We caught up with Brice Smith (international F&B veteran and franchise expert in Southeast Asia) at the ASEAN Startup Connect conference to hear his thoughts on the region's rapidly evolving ecosystem. His takeaways? The massive opportunity in Fintech to bridge currency gaps across borders. Brice also shared his excitement about the newly launched ASC platform, noting how its AI tools will be a game-changer for founders looking to scale across the region. Oh, and he also made sure to mention how much he loves Cambodia! 🇰🇭 From service innovation insights to high-level franchise execution, Brice brings an incredible wealth of knowledge to the ASC community. Are you looking for a community that understands the reality of building a business? Sign up for our Mentorship Programme to get dedicated support for ASEAN cross border expansion here: https://aseanstartupconnect.org/en/asc-mentorship-programme#programme ///// クロスボーダー決済とAIを活用したスケーリング—これこそがASEANの未来です！ 🚀 ASEAN Startup Connectカンファレンスにて、東南アジアにおけるフランチャイズの専門家であり、国際的なF&BのベテランであるBrice Smith氏に、急速に進化する当地域のエコシステムについてお話を伺いました。 彼の気付きとは？それは、国境を越えた通貨のギャップを埋めるフィンテック（Fintech）における巨大なチャンスです。また、Brice氏は新しくローンチされたASCプラットフォームへの期待も語り、そのAIツールがいかにASEAN全域での事業拡大を目指す起業家にとってのゲームチェンジャーになるかを強調しました。そしてもちろん、カンボジアへの愛も語ってくれました！ 🇰🇭 サービス・イノベーションのインサイトからハイレベルなフランチャイズ展開まで、Brice氏はASCコミュニティに信じられないほどの豊富な知識をもたらしてくれています。 ビジネス構築の現実を理解し合えるコミュニティをお探しですか？ ASEANでのクロスボーダー展開に向けた専門的なサポートを獲得できる私たちのメンターシップ・プログラムへのご登録はこちらから： https://aseanstartupconnect.org/en/asc-mentorship-programme#programme #actionableinsights #asean #asc2025 #cambodia #fintech #innovation #startup #scaling #AI #mentorship