Indonesia’s agricultural sector is one of Southeast Asia’s most promising investment opportunities, valued at US$43.9 billion in 2024 and projected to reach US$56.3 billion by 2033. Yet the country faces deep structural challenges that threaten long-term food security. Fragmented smallholder farming, climate risks, supply chain inefficiencies and persistent financial exclusion create vulnerabilities across the food system.

A new extensive report by Foundry Collective, released in Jakarta on Wednesday, argues that the key to overcoming these weaknesses lies in one central force: technology. Its analysis highlights how digital innovation and new business models can build food resilience in Indonesia through a three-part framework known as the 3R Pathways: Robustness, Recovery and Reorientation.

These pathways envision a food system that is stronger, quicker to bounce back and capable of transforming itself for long-term sustainability.

The report likens food resilience to preparing a boat for rough seas. Robustness is strengthening the hull before departure, Recovery is the ability to respond quickly when the storm hits and Reorientation is redesigning the ship for the future.

Applied to Indonesian agriculture, each phase shows how technology can enable efficiency, stability and innovation.

Building Robustness: Strengthening production at the farm level

The first pathway, Robustness, focuses on reinforcing the foundation of Indonesia’s food system: its farms. Most of Indonesia’s farmers are smallholders, often operating with limited resources and traditional methods. Technology offers tools to increase productivity, optimise resource use and better prepare farmers for climate change.

Also Read: From agritech to AI ops: 15 startups driving Philippines’s innovation shift (Part 2)

Precision agriculture plays a central role in this shift. AI-driven farming systems use real-time data to guide decisions on fertiliser use, irrigation timing and pest control.

Studies referenced in the report show that precision agriculture can lead to substantial gains: up to 27.6 per cent water savings, 57 per cent energy savings and higher crop yields. These measurable efficiencies demonstrate how digital tools directly contribute to food resilience in Indonesia.

Smart farming and IoT technologies further enhance farm operations. IoT sensors enable precision irrigation through reducing water usage by 20 to 60 per cent–a critical advantage in areas vulnerable to drought. Drone technology can lower chemical use by up to 40 per cent, while automation and robotics help bridge labour shortages that have challenged the sector for years.

The Indonesian government is also pushing for agricultural modernisation through mechanisation and digital farming programmes. Its strategy includes strengthening research and development, particularly in biotech, resilient seeds and post-harvest technologies. These efforts signal growing national recognition that resilience begins with tech-ready farms.

Enhancing Recovery: Using tech to withstand disruptions

Indonesia’s food supply chains face frequent disruptions, whether from climate events, transport bottlenecks or logistical inefficiencies. The Recovery pathway focuses on building the capacity to bounce back quickly when shocks occur.

Digital supply chains form the backbone of this strategy. Supply chain digitisation and traceability tools enable real-time monitoring of inventory, demand and product movements. This data helps redirect goods during disruptions, prevents stockouts and supports crisis response. Traceability systems, which track produce from farm to table, also make it easier to identify and address issues rapidly.

Logistics optimisation technologies—including route planning algorithms, warehouse-as-a-service platforms and IoT monitoring for perishables—help reduce losses and improve distribution. These tools are vital in a country where post-harvest losses remain high due to inadequate infrastructure.

Also Read: The agritech challenge in Indonesia: Can AI and mobile apps enhance productivity?

The report emphasises the importance of cold chain tech, particularly solar-powered cold storage, smart warehouses and modular units. These innovations stabilise supply and reduce spoilage, ensuring that perishable goods remain market-ready even during disruptions.

Another key component is digital surplus redistribution. Via digital dashboards, food can be redirected efficiently during supply shocks, reducing waste and improving supply stability across communities.

Together, these technologies strengthen the country’s ability to absorb shocks and maintain food availability, reinforcing the broader goal of food resilience in Indonesia.

Driving Reorientation: Transforming the food system for the long term

The Reorientation pathway looks beyond immediate challenges toward building a future-proof food system. This phase focuses on circularity, sustainability and the transformation of waste into value.

Indonesia generates large volumes of food waste, much of which can be repurposed. Technology enables this through innovations in waste-to-value systems, including composting, bioenergy and waste-to-feed solutions. The report highlights Black Soldier Fly (BSF) bio-conversion as one proven approach. BSF larvae convert organic waste into nutrient-rich animal feed, supporting a circular, regenerative food economy.

Digital tools also contribute to long-term system transformation. Digital dashboards and climate zone management tech allow policymakers and businesses to track environmental shifts, resource flows and emissions. These insights inform decision-making and long-term planning, ensuring that future food systems are more resilient, efficient and sustainable.

Closing the financial gap: Agri-fintech and digital marketplaces

Beyond production and logistics, tech also helps solve one of Indonesia’s biggest structural issues: the financial exclusion of smallholder farmers. Limited access to capital restricts investment in modern tools, seeds and machinery.

Also Read: Why agritech is the key to Asia’s food security

Agri-fintech solutions address this gap through digital lending platforms, which provide microloans for input purchases via crowdfunding; mobile payments, which reduce cash risks and build financial histories; and weather-indexed insurance, which offers automatic payouts during climate events. These tools give farmers the financial stability needed to adopt new practices and withstand shocks.

Digital marketplaces also strengthen food resilience in Indonesia by improving market access. From direct-to-consumer platforms to B2B supply chain networks, technology connects farmers directly with buyers, increases price transparency and reduces inefficiencies.

Tech as the foundation of Indonesia’s food future

The Foundry Collective report makes one conclusion clear: technology is not merely a tool for optimisation. It is the fundamental building block of a resilient, sovereign food system. By deploying technology across the 3R Pathways—strengthening farms, stabilising supply chains and transforming waste—Indonesia can build a food system ready for the challenges of the future.

In a world of rising climate risks and global uncertainty, food resilience in Indonesia depends on how quickly and effectively the country can embrace digital innovation. The potential is vast, and with strategic investment and coordinated action, technology can help secure a stable and sustainable food future for the nation.

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Image Credit: Qonita Afnani Firdaus on Unsplash

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The Southeast Asian tech ecosystem demonstrated formidable resilience in November 2025, recording a total funding injection of US$328 million across 21 documented rounds.

This robust figure represents a staggering 203.7 per cent increase compared to November 2024 and marks a substantial month-on-month growth of 21.91 per cent compared to October 2025.

Also Read: SEA startup investments rise for second month, totalling US$287M in Oct

The data from Tracxn highlights a significant concentration of capital efficiency, revealing that the top 10 recorded deals alone accounted for approximately 81.43 per cent of the total funding secured for the month.

Stage-wise distribution reveals early-stage momentum

While the US$328 million total was dispersed across 21 individual funding rounds, an analysis of the deal volume reveals that investors are keenly focused on nurturing scaling startups.

Of the 21 recorded rounds for November 2025, the early stage accounted for the highest volume, securing 10 rounds, representing approximately 47.62 per cent of the total deal count. Seed-stage activity followed closely, registering eight rounds (approximately 38.10 per cent). Late-stage rounds constituted the remainder, securing three rounds (approximately 14.28 per cent).

The high volume of early-stage and seed-stage deals indicates sustained investor confidence in the pipeline of new ventures across the region. With US$328 million raised across 21 rounds, the average deal size for November stands at approximately US$15.62 million.

Top deals concentrate capital; Ampersand leads the charge

November 2025’s substantial funding total was buoyed by several significant individual raises, illustrating a ‘power law’ distribution where the largest deals contribute the bulk of the capital.

Ampersand topped the funding charts for November, securing a massive US$80 million round. Close behind, Roojai attracted US$60 million, and Olares successfully raised US$45 million.

Other notable transactions included Moladin, which secured US$35 million, and Paywatch, which bagged US$20 million.

Rounding out the top ten were: Transcelestial (US$9.7 million), LightSpeed Photonics (US$6.5 million), FeedMe (US$5 million), OneLot (US$3.3 million), and Anomaly Bio (US$2.6 million).

In total, these ten documented companies successfully raised US$267.1 million, which is calculated to be over 81 per cent of the US$328 million total recorded for November 2025.

VC activity and funding volatility analysis

Several prominent venture capital firms were active across Southeast Asia during the period. SEEDS Capital was among the most active, participating in two rounds, specifically those for Transcelestial and Moon Technologies.

Other key investors cited include Asia Partners, which participated in a round for Roojai, and the SMBC Asia Rising Fund, which backed Wiz AI. Walden Catalyst was also identified as an active VC during the month.

Also Read: What drives Filipino founders? A deep dive into the 2025 startup report

When placing November’s performance within the 12-month funding trend, it appears robust compared to the region’s funding troughs but still modest compared to outlier spikes. Over the past year (December 2024 to November 2025), monthly funding totals have exhibited extreme volatility, ranging from sharp lows of US$92 million (February 2025) and US$99 million (August 2025), to massive spikes of US$1.7 billion (December 2024) and US$1.7 billion (July 2025).

The November total of US$328 million signifies a solid recovery from the recent dip seen in August, September (US$231 million), and October (US$269 million).

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Sometimes life takes us where we never plan to go. My journey into the creator economy was one such surprise.

In January 2025, a few close friends and I met at our usual spot to celebrate turning sixty. Jalil, Jai, and Chin Leong have known me since childhood. The evening began like all our other gatherings, filled with laughter, food, and easy talk. Then Jai asked, “What are we doing with the rest of our lives?”

We fell silent. Each of us had worked hard, raised families, and saved for retirement. Yet none of us had really thought about what came next.

The simple plan

“We should give back to society,” Vincent said.

That set us thinking. We talked about volunteering, helping the elderly, or supporting environmental causes. Then Jai mentioned education. The table went quiet.

We all knew why. Each of us owed our lives to it. I was the first in my family to go to university. Chin Leong’s parents sold vegetables to pay his school fees. Jalil studied in a one-room flat with five siblings and still completed polytechnic. Jai, too, came from humble beginnings and knew the power of education.

Education had lifted us from struggle to stability. Without it, we would not have been sitting there that night.

“That is what we should do,” Jai said. “Help children get the education we were lucky to have.”

It was decided. We would set up an Education Trust for underprivileged children and give ourselves five years to plan it well.

My own beginning

Five years felt long, and I wanted to begin right away.

I had always enjoyed writing. After retirement, I promised myself I would finally put the stories in my head onto paper. I brought my plan forward. What if my writing could help a few children go to school?

I knew nothing about publishing. I searched online and found a maze of new terms. Print on demand, ISBN numbers, Amazon KDP. It felt like learning a whole new world.

Also Read: Laws, capitalism, creators and AI

Learning as I went

My first attempt was messy. The formatting broke, the cover looked poor, and the description was too short. But people online were kind. In forums, strangers answered my questions. YouTube became my Guru. Slowly, I learned.

My first book, I Am the River: A Story of Singapore Before Singapore, came from childhood memories. I had seen the river change from a polluted canal into a lively part of the city. The writing was rough, but it was mine.

To my surprise, it sold more than a hundred copies. When the National Library Board accepted it into its collection, I felt deeply moved. My book was now in the same library where I once studied.

Encouraged, I wrote Black Swan, White Swan. My children helped design the cover. I worked on a better description. It was launched on 24 October 2025 and sold more than fifty copies. The National Library has agreed to take two print editions and the digital version.

Each sale meant more than money. It meant real help for a child’s education.

Whenever a copy was sold, I thought of that evening with my friends. Maybe this was how our Education Trust would begin, one small effort at a time.

The technology struggle

No one warned me how much technology comes with writing. I began with Word, then tried a program called Scrivener. I opened it, stared at it for an hour, and quietly went back to Word.

Amazon KDP seemed simple until I reached the tax section. W-8BEN, EIN, TIN. After hours of confusion, I found that most of it did not apply to me.

Social media was another challenge. My son created an Instagram account for me. “Post regularly, Pa,” he said. I posted once, forgot the password, and ended up with two accounts and one lonely photo.

Marketing puzzled me even more. I listed The Singapore River under History and wondered why no one found it. Later, I learned about sub-categories and something called algorithms. I still do not fully understand them.

What came next

I thought I was just writing books. Then my daughter told me I was part of the creator economy. I laughed, but she was right.

I am not trying to be famous. I only want to write stories and help children. But I have learned that even simple dreams need modern tools.

The best part is meeting others like me. Retired teachers writing textbooks, engineers sharing their knowledge, grandmothers publishing recipe books. We are all learning together, fumbling through the same tools, and cheering one another on.

Also Read: The evolution of influence: The next chapter of creator leadership

Small steps forward

Ten months later, I have two published books and more than 150 sales, along with recognition from the National Library. The money raised has helped a few children. It may not be much, but it matters.

My friends and I are still working on the Education Trust. We have met several times, drafted papers, and even argued over the name. Setting it up is harder than we thought. There are forms, rules, and new terms to learn. But we are making progress, one meeting at a time.

What I learned

We are not special people, just a group of old friends who believe we should give back. There must be many others like us, people with time, experience, and a desire to help.

We may never build the next big business or master every new technology, but we can still create small things that matter.

My books may never top charts. Our Trust may help dozens, not thousands. But that is enough. A few children getting a chance to study is worth it.

A gentle invitation

If you want to do something meaningful but feel unsure about technology, you are not alone. I still ask my children how to post a photo.

Start small. Start unsure. Start anyway.

Ten months ago, I was just turning sixty. Today, I have published two books and a small project helping children stay in school. I am now working on my third book and still learning every day.

Not bad for someone who once had to search online to find out what KDP stood for.

Along the way, I discovered something larger than writing. I had built a small, independent publishing ecosystem of my own. Every book I release, every page I design, and every conversation I start online adds to it.

My journey is less about selling books and more about proving that one storyteller, using today’s digital tools, can build meaningful cultural bridges, one story at a time.

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Asian universities are racing to integrate AI across their campuses, with Hong Kong and Singapore moving fastest through bold, multi-million-dollar initiatives that are already redefining how students learn and how industries hire.

From Singapore’s financial hub to Vietnam’s fast-growing consumer markets and Malaysia’s industrial corridors, AI is no longer just a tool for technologists. It’s becoming the foundation of how Asia trains the next wave of digital talent and a key advantage in the global education race.

Hong Kong’s early lead: Turning policy into practice

Few places are moving as quickly as Hong Kong. The University Grants Committee (UGC) has launched a territory-wide Community of Practice on Generative AI in Education, chaired by Prof. Cecilia K. Y. Chan from the University of Hong Kong (HKU).

“AI isn’t just transforming Asia’s top universities; it’s reshaping education at every level, from primary schools to professional learning,” says Chan. “Every university and school is engaging with AI in some capacity. We see it as a future skill, one that’s evolving so rapidly that if we don’t prepare students and educators now, we’ll fall behind.”

Chan, who bridges engineering and education, says the real shift is in mindset. “This isn’t about letting students use AI freely without responsibility. It’s about educators understanding its potential, its limits, and its ethical impact. AI is already automating assessment and personalising learning, but our job is to ensure it enhances, not replaces, critical thinking and creativity.”

Collaborative by design

What sets Hong Kong apart is coordination. “Unlike many regions still debating AI’s role in education, Hong Kong has taken decisive action,” Chan says.

The UGC’s Community of Practice brings together public universities, private institutions, and industry partners to build frameworks for responsible AI use. “We’re not just hosting workshops,” she explains. “We’re shaping policy and rethinking assessment for a world where AI can generate an essay in seconds.”

Chan also leads the Generative AI Assessment Project (GAP), a network of over 500 members worldwide focused on practical solutions for evaluating students in the AI era. “It’s about developing guidelines, tools, and literacy programs that make AI integration responsible and effective,” she says.

At HKU, her team has launched AI Clinics for teachers, AI literacy courses, and an AI Expo connecting educators and startups. Beyond universities, they work with Hong Kong’s Education Bureau Science Division to train school teachers. “We want readiness at every level — school, university, and workforce,” Chan adds.

Also Read: The future of work is here: The role of edutech in an AI-ready workforce

Singapore: A workforce-ready model

In Singapore, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is taking a whole-of-institution approach.

“NUS prepares graduates to thrive in the digital economy,” says an NUS spokesperson. “AI is now embedded across our curriculum, from data analysis and problem-solving to innovation in healthcare and finance.”

Since 2020, NUS has revamped more than 130 courses to integrate AI across disciplines. It has also rolled out ethics frameworks, faculty forums, and internal AI policies to ensure that adoption comes with accountability. The goal is to turn every graduate into a future-ready problem solver who can apply AI in any field.

Vietnam and Malaysia catch up

Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, universities are moving fast to close the gap.

At RMIT University Vietnam, a proprietary AI system called Val was developed to safeguard academic data. “Inputs aren’t shared with OpenAI or any external organisation,” says Sasha Stubbs, Manager of Learning Design. “It lets us innovate without compromising privacy.”

In Malaysia, the University of Malaya (UM) faces a more cultural challenge. “We must ensure both students and faculty are equipped to use AI responsibly,” says Dr. Aznul, highlighting the tension between technological acceleration and educational tradition.

These parallel efforts reflect a region scaling AI literacy while staying true to local educational values, a balance that’s becoming central to Asia’s global positioning.

From lecture halls to boardrooms

The private sector is already feeling the ripple effects of universities’ AI push, and it’s transforming how companies operate.

“At Maestro Equity Partners, we’ve seen how AI is transforming both investment operations and portfolio management,” says Giovanni Zangani, Founder and Managing Partner. “In the past, our team’s time was heavily split between back-office tasks, investor relations, and post-investment work. With AI tools now supporting HR management, data reporting, and analytics, we’ve been able to shift much more of our bandwidth toward value creation. It’s allowed us to focus on what truly matters, the strategic growth and operational excellence of our F&B and consumer brands.”

Also Read: In this age of digitalisation, is edutech a bane or boon for educators?

AI is also reshaping how Maestro supports its portfolio companies. “In brick-and-mortar retail and F&B networks, site selection and pricing decisions that used to take weeks can now be completed in hours through AI-assisted predictive analytics,” Zangani adds. “This not only improves accuracy but also empowers management teams to make faster, more data-driven decisions.”

For Zangani, this new efficiency highlights a shift in workforce dynamics. “The new generation of graduates is entering the workforce with capabilities that didn’t exist five years ago. They can harness AI in analysis, communication, and decision-making, becoming productive much faster. What we look for today are people with strong business judgment and leadership, because in markets like Vietnam, where data can be limited, sound judgment still drives performance. AI amplifies capability, but human insight remains the foundation.”

Challenges: Integrity, equity, and ethics

The rush to adopt AI also brings new challenges. A recent 2025 State of Higher Education report found that in Australia and New Zealand, only 54 per cent of students believe their universities are preparing them for an AI-powered future, even as 74 per cent of educators claim they are. That confidence gap is emerging across Asia, too.

“AI can personalise learning and automate grading, but without clear guidelines, it risks over-reliance and diminished critical thinking,” Chan warns. “Universities need structured strategies — policies, AI literacy programs, and responsible assessment design — to ensure AI supports, not replaces, human learning.”

She’s explored this in her work on AI Guilt, AI-Giarism, and GenAI in Higher Education: The ChatGPT Effect, arguing that the focus shouldn’t be East vs West. “It’s not about copying Western models or defending Asian ones. It’s about a global effort to harness technology responsibly while respecting cultural context.”

Why this matters for Asia’s future workforce

Across Asia, the race to integrate AI into higher education isn’t just academic; it’s about future-proofing the region’s talent pipeline.

Graduates from AI-forward institutions like NUS, HKU, and RMIT are entering the workforce ready to design, manage, and evaluate AI systems. For investors and founders, this means a new generation of professionals fluent in both data and judgment, the dual currencies of the modern economy.

As Chan puts it, “The question isn’t whether AI will shape education, it already has. The real question is whether we can shape AI’s role in a way that strengthens creativity, authenticity, and human connection.”

Asia’s education edge

The next year will be pivotal. Governments and universities are moving from pilot projects to institutional policy, and the divide between early adopters and laggards is widening fast.

Asia’s education systems, long known for discipline and rigour, now have a chance to lead in something new: agility. If the region gets it right, its classrooms could become the blueprint for how the world learns in the age of intelligent machines.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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As conscious consumerism rises, people are finding it harder to trust environmental claims. Labels like “eco-friendly,” “carbon neutral,” “reduce carbon footprint,” “100 per cent traceability to plantation,” or “sustainable” are everywhere. But a lot of these claims don’t have third-party certification or proof behind them, so they end up sounding vague or even misleading.

Words like “environmentally friendly” don’t mean much without real evidence, and sometimes companies highlight a “plant-based” cap while the rest of the packaging is still just regular plastic, which only adds to the confusion. If brands want to be credible, broad claims like “sustainable” should be backed up with transparent data about materials, production, and certifications.

The European Commission found that 53 per cent of green claims are vague, misleading, or unfounded, and 40 per cent don’t have supporting evidence. This growing gap between what brands say and what they actually do has eroded public trust. It’s getting harder for people to tell the difference between real sustainability efforts and corporate greenwashing. Because of this, credibility is now one of the most valuable but fragile assets in sustainability communication.

The era of ‘false green promises’ is ending

By 2025, the landscape of sustainability communications has fundamentally shifted. For PR, brand, and marketing professionals, this is no longer about telling “nice environmental stories” but about demonstrating traceable impact. Every green claim must now be verifiable, backed by data traceable to its origin, and independently certified. The future of brand trust will belong to those who can prove, not just promise, their environmental responsibility.

In global agriculture and food, being authentic, traceable, verifiable, and accountable are now must-haves for communication. I’ve noticed a clear shift this year—from just telling stories to actually proving them. This change is being driven by new rules, higher expectations from stakeholders, market pressure, and new traceability technology across supply chains. Brands are now expected not just to tell good sustainability stories, but to back them up with clear, verifiable data.

Across Asia Pacific’s agrifood industries, from Indonesia’s palm oil, cocoa, and coffee to Vietnam’s timber, Thailand’s rubber, and the Philippines’ coconut, businesses are realising that credibility can no longer rely on words alone. The expectation for traceable, data-backed sustainability claims has become the new norm. For professionals in Public Relations (PR) and brand communications, this marks a defining shift: success now depends on proving impact rather than promoting intent, and on demonstrating measurable progress.

Also Read: The agritech challenge in Indonesia: Can AI and mobile apps enhance productivity?

To reinforce this shift, the European Union has introduced the green claims Directive, an initiative designed to ensure that environmental and circularity claims are reliable, comparable, and verifiable. By amending the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, this law aims to curb greenwashing and empower consumers through the Green Transition, promoting transparency, accountability, and fair competition among genuinely sustainable businesses.

With 94 per cent of Europeans saying that protecting the environment is personally important and 68 per cent acknowledging that their consumption habits harm the planet, the need for trustworthy, verifiable sustainability information has never been greater. This moment represents more than a regulatory turning point; it’s a cultural one, where consumers, brands, and communicators must collectively shift from believing in good intentions to demanding proven impact.

How regulation and technology are rewriting the rules of PR in sustainable agriculture

Regulation and technology are coming together to create a turning point for sustainable agriculture—one that brings both challenges and opportunities. If brands and agribusinesses can show real, credible sustainability, they can reach better markets, build investor trust, and make their supply chains stronger. But the time for easy, feel-good sustainability messaging is over. Companies that stick with nice-sounding slogans and don’t back them up with proof are now risking their reputations and could even lose out in markets where traceability is a must.

For PR and communications teams, sustainability isn’t just a marketing trend anymore—it’s a core part of business. Claims like “our palm oil is 100 per cent traceable to the plantation” or “we reduce CO₂ emissions” aren’t enough by themselves; they need to be backed up with traceability data, audit trails, and verified reports. When supply chains stretch across different countries and products—like rubber, cocoa, vanilla, and palm—communications teams have to work closely with operations, procurement, and tech to make sure every message matches the facts. The story is shifting from “Look how sustainable we are” to “Here’s how we prove it.”

This change isn’t just about keeping up with new rules. It’s about rethinking how we communicate, tell stories, and manage risks. In this new era, you don’t just claim credibility—you show it through data, teamwork, and real proof.

How our PR and Brand Team Avoids Greenwashing

For PR and brand professionals in sustainability-driven sectors like agritech and agri-food value chains, the rules of communication are changing fast. Sustainability can no longer be treated as a “nice-to-have” narrative; it must be embedded into the very architecture of your communications strategy. Here’s how PR teams can adapt:

• Embed data-backed verification into your narrative. Before any sustainability claim goes public, ensure it aligns with your operations, product, and business team, and ask: What’s the data? Where’s the traceability? What audit or third-party verification supports this? Every message must be anchored in evidence, not intention.
• Align communications with operational milestones. Use real achievements, like traceability dashboards going live, supplier audits completed, the number of farmers onboarded, total farmers trained, or new tech integrations, as story triggers. Build your content around verified progress, not afterthoughts.
• Shift your tone from declaration to transparency. Replace “We are sustainable” with “We’re on a journey.” Share verified milestones, measurable results, and even gaps that remain. Transparency builds far more credibility than perfection claims.
• Tailor messages for different stakeholders. Align your narrative with each audience’s priorities. If you’re speaking to investors, highlight compliance, audit results, and risk management. For consumers, focus on traceability, product origin, and measurable impact. Regulators, meanwhile, require clear evidence of accountability and verification. In today’s landscape, one-size-fits-all messaging no longer works—precision and relevance are key to building trust.

These shifts aren’t simple; they demand cross-functional collaboration between PR, operations, technology, and compliance teams. But PR professionals who move from promotion-first to proof-first will be the ones leading credible, resilient sustainability communication in this new era.

Also Read: Unlocking agritech’s potential: Can Southeast Asia rise to the challenge?

From consumer demands to regulation push and technology: Where the ecosystem is headed

Looking ahead, it’s clear that sustainable agriculture,  especially across Asia, has reached a turning point. For those of us working in communications, brand, and sustainability, the signals are hard to miss. The way we talk about sustainability is changing just as fast as the way we’re required to prove it.

• Transparency will no longer be optional. Businesses entering global markets will need to show verifiable sustainability data, not just well-crafted narratives. With the rise of the EU Green Claims Directive, EUDR, CSRD, CSDDD, and even the US Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA), the burden of proof now falls on companies. Every environmental or ethical statement must be backed by traceable data, third-party audits, and supply chain visibility. Words alone can’t win trust anymore.
• Technology will become the backbone of credibility. We’re seeing a rapid convergence between digital tools and sustainability storytelling. From blockchain traceability systems and digital product passports to IoT-based farm monitoring and satellite verification, technology is quickly becoming the truth enabler. What was once a marketing claim is now a data point that can be verified, tracked, and challenged — and that changes everything about how we communicate impact.
• Communications will get more cross-functional. Gone are the days when PR teams could operate independently. Communicators now need to collaborate closely with sustainability, procurement, operations, and tech teams to ensure alignment between what’s said and what’s proven. The most credible stories will come from these collaborations — where facts and functions meet to form transparency.
• Risk management takes centre stage. Sustainability claims that can’t withstand scrutiny pose real reputational, financial, and even legal risks. This means PR and communications professionals must now think like risk managers,  carefully weighing every statement against potential exposure. Communication isn’t just about opportunity anymore; it’s also about protection.
• Data will define differentiation. As sustainability becomes a baseline expectation, measurable impact will set brands apart. Verified carbon reductions, traceable supply chains, and third-party certifications are not just compliance checkboxes — they’re emerging as competitive advantages and powerful marketing assets.
• Expectations are rising faster than ever. Consumers, investors, and regulators are moving in the same direction, demanding greater transparency and accountability. The margin for error is shrinking, and the gap between what’s said and what’s proven is becoming the most important credibility test of all.

For brands, this evolution is both a challenge and an opportunity. We’re entering an era where communication itself becomes an act of accountability.  The future lies in building narratives that are grounded in fact, verifiable, transparent, and aligned with operations. Those who embrace this shift, who see proof as the new promise, will not only comply with global standards but also lead the next chapter of sustainable business in the Asia Pacific. 

In 2026, the shift from “green claims” to “green credibility” is arguably the defining communications pivot. Embrace it, and you’ll not only help your business stay ahead, but you’ll also help the ecosystem move into a more trustworthy, transparent, and sustainable era.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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The online travel sector in Southeast Asia is experiencing a robust recovery and growth momentum, driven by a global appetite for travel and, notably, a sharp increase in accommodation pricing across key markets.

The e-Conomy SEA 2025 report, prepared by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company, highlights that the online travel sector is projected to achieve a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of US$33 billion across the ASEAN-10 markets in 2025. This represents a steady double-digit growth trajectory.

Also Read: From US$40B to US$300B: SEA’s digital economy ends a transformative decade

Accommodation sector sees rate boost

A key contributor to the sector’s overall value growth is the accommodation market, which is enjoying strong growth underpinned by surging hotel room rates. Hoteliers, particularly in high-demand tourist destinations such as Singapore and Malaysia, have successfully raised average room rates by over 20 per cent.

This strategic increase has translated directly into healthier profit margins for hoteliers and significantly boosted the overall value of the accommodation sector within the online travel market.

Sector performance and growth metrics

Overall, the online travel sector’s GMV for the SEA-6 countries is projected at US$33 billion in 2025, reflecting 14 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth compared to 2024.

Also Read: SEA e-commerce surges to US$185B as video commerce becomes the new growth engine

The revenue generated by online travel is keeping pace with this GMV growth, signalling effective monetisation. Revenue for the SEA-6 region is forecast to reach US$4 billion in 2025. The expansion of coverage to the full ASEAN-10 markets slightly increases the estimated GMV to US$33 billion for 2025, demonstrating stable growth across the entire Southeast Asian region.

Digital channels and monetisation models

In the online travel space, revenue is generated through two primary models: direct sales and third-party platforms. Airlines and hotels derive revenue directly through their own brand.com channels.

Conversely, online travel agencies (OTAs) function as intermediary platforms, earning revenue as a portion of the price of the sold goods or services.

This sector is crucial to maintaining the momentum of the broader digital economy. While the report notes that air passenger volume is projected to grow by 10 per cent from 2024 to 2025, the exceptional margin growth experienced in the accommodation segment (due to rate increases) provides a distinct and immediate financial tailwind for the sector, making online travel a bright spot for profitability and growth in 2025.

Strategic regional cooperation

The growth forecast remains cautiously optimistic. However, the sector’s long-term health will depend on how the region manages macroeconomic uncertainty and leverages catalysts like greater cooperation among SEA nations.

Autonomous vehicles, ads, and new dining models: The future of SEA mobility takes shape

The continued ease of travel and interoperability across borders will be essential for sustaining this recovery trajectory, particularly as the region navigates potential global headwinds.

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The world stands at an inflexion point. While mature economies debate automation’s legacy, technology giants and business leaders are keen on AI frenzy, a profound transformation beckons: the Fifth Industrial Revolution, which recalibrates industrial progress around humanity, nature, and shared prosperity.​

For Asia and developing economies, this moment is transformative. Rather than replicating the industrialisation path that prioritised efficiency over equity, emerging markets can leapfrog directly into a development paradigm harmonising economic advancement with social well-being and planetary health.​

The three pillars that define 5IR

The European Commission’s 2021 Industry 5.0 framework established three foundational principles: human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience.​

• Human-centricity repositions workers as innovation engines. Collaborative robots (cobots) handle physically demanding tasks while humans focus on problem-solving and creativity. BMW’s facilities exemplify this synergy, combining machine precision with human adaptability.​
• Sustainability moves beyond compliance to competitive advantage. Circular economy principles ensure materials either biodegrade safely or circulate indefinitely, potentially reducing global emissions by 45 per cent by 2050 while creating US$4.5 trillion in economic value.​
• Resilience builds adaptive systems that maintain prosperity amid shocks — pandemics, climate disruptions, geopolitical tensions. Supply chains incorporating digital twins and AI-powered risk modelling exemplify this principle.​

Why Asia can lead

Conventional wisdom suggests that developing economies must master 4IR before contemplating 5IR. This logic misses Asia’s distinctive advantages.

• Infrastructure flexibility: Unlike economies encumbered by legacy systems, many Asian nations build 5IR-compatible infrastructure from the ground up. Thailand strategically positions digital ecosystem development as preparation for 5IR, attracting foreign investment in data centres and analytics.​
• Demographic dynamism: Southeast Asia’s young, digitally-native population represents a massive asset. The region’s mobile-first connectivity, already established, provides a foundation for 5IR adoption, provided education emphasises critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and continuous learning alongside technical skills.​
• Green growth imperative: Climate vulnerability concentrates minds. Asian nations face immediate consequences from environmental degradation, creating political will and market pull for sustainable solutions. Green investment in Southeast Asia’s six largest economies reached US$8 billion in 2024, a 43 per cent year-over-year increase.​

Green investment distribution across Southeast Asia’s six major economies in 2024, showing Singapore and Indonesia leading regional climate finance

Also Read: How to tackle climate change by choosing a career in cleantech

Vietnam exemplifies this trajectory. Despite attracting only two per cent of regional green investment in 2024, the country expanded renewable energy to 43 per cent of electricity generation, among the highest shares in Southeast Asia. Strategic shifts toward wind power and low-carbon transportation demonstrate how targeted policy accelerates transformation in middle-income contexts.​

Biodiversity and biomimicry: Asia’s competitive edge

Asia’s rich biodiversity and agricultural heritage position the region to capture disproportionate value from the emerging bioeconomy, projected to reach US$30 trillion globally by 2050. This sector simultaneously delivers significant economic activity and regenerative environmental benefits.​

Biomimicry, drawing design inspiration from nature’s evolutionary problem-solving, offers proven pathways. Wind turbines modelled on humpback whale fins achieve greater efficiency with reduced noise. Building coatings inspired by lotus leaves repel water while minimising energy consumption. Architecture mimicking termite mound ventilation cuts cooling energy by 90 per cent.​

Indigenous knowledge systems stewarded by Asian communities for centuries provide complementary insights. Traditional resource management, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience strategies offer wisdom that purely technological approaches miss. Integrating this knowledge with modern tools creates culturally grounded solutions respecting both human communities and natural systems.​

Implementation roadmap: Four phases

Based on successful implementations across diverse contexts:​

• Phase one (Months one to three): Vision alignment and stakeholder mapping. Create organisational awareness about 5IR’s distinctive value proposition — not merely productivity gains but enhanced worker satisfaction, environmental regeneration, and community contribution. Meaningful stakeholder inclusion from inception reduces resistance and surfaces implementation insights.​
• Phase two (Months four to six): Capability assessment. Honestly evaluate current infrastructure, workforce skills, sustainability practices, and resilience mechanisms. Developing economies face common barriers — limited capital access, digital skill shortages, weak regulatory frameworks — requiring targeted, realistic planning.​
• Phase three (Months seven to 12): Pilot implementation. Test 5IR approaches in controlled environments. Poland-based manufacturer CAMELEO deployed virtual reality for customer engagement and training, demonstrating how focused pilots build organisational capability. Worker voice must shape technology adoption, not merely react to predetermined changes.​
• Phase four (Years two to three): Scaled deployment with continuous optimisation. Track multi-dimensional metrics: employee well-being, environmental impact, supply chain resilience, and financial performance, ensuring transformation serves all three pillars.​

Policy imperatives

Wind turbines operating near an urban skyline at sunrise, symbolising renewable energy and sustainable development 

Governments must create enabling environments through coherent policy frameworks:​

• Digital infrastructure investment: Southeast Asia requires massive grid modernisation, accommodating renewable energy, generating 200,000 jobs by 2030, while contributing US$25 billion to regional GDP.​
• Education transformation: Current curricula fail to develop 5IR-essential capabilities — systems thinking, ethical reasoning, continuous learning agility. The World Economic Forum estimates 50 per cent of employees require re-skilling by 2025, particularly acute in developing economies.​
• Innovation ecosystems: Singapore’s HSBC-Antler partnership supporting green startups and Malaysia’s Digital Economy Corporation illustrate how public-private collaboration accelerates entrepreneurship.​
• Ethical AI governance: Risk-based frameworks emphasising transparency, fairness, human rights alignment, and accountability must adapt to local contexts rather than being imported wholesale.​ Joining UN DESA and the Korean Government’s Regional Summit on Effective Governance and AI Transformation 2025, Green Transformation and Sustainability Network (GXS) opens its AI Governance Lab.

Also Read: Bridging the valley of death: How C3H is powering the next wave of climate, health tech startups

The investment case

Green investors increasingly recognise that 5IR-aligned enterprises deliver superior risk-adjusted returns. Companies prioritising sustainability, worker wellbeing, and resilience demonstrate lower volatility, stronger innovation pipelines, enhanced talent attraction, and better regulatory positioning.​

Southeast Asia’s green economy could generate US$120 billion in new value and 900,000 jobs by 2030 through bioeconomy development, grid modernisation, and electric vehicle ecosystem advancement. Measuring success through GDP alone increasingly appears anachronistic. The European Commission’s “Beyond GDP” framework incorporates human development indicators, wellbeing metrics, environmental sustainability measures, and social equity assessments.​

For technopreneurs, 5IR markets reward solutions integrating human needs, environmental stewardship, and economic viability. Singapore’s Green Li-ion and Ampd Energy exemplify how technical innovation aligned with 5IR principles captures market share while generating measurable sustainability impact.​

Navigating real constraints

Developing economies face genuine obstacles requiring acknowledgement and creative problem-solving:​

The digital divide threatens deepening inequality if access remains unevenly distributed. Deliberate inclusion strategies — such as subsidised access, culturally appropriate interfaces, and multilingual support — become prerequisites for equitable transitions.​

Resistance to change, both organisational and cultural, impedes adoption. Transparent communication, inclusive decision-making, and demonstrable early wins build trust.​

Financial gaps create genuine barriers for SMEs. Blended finance models combining public funding, private investment, and development finance can bridge gaps.​

Also Read: Beyond resilience: A call to action for a climate-proof Philippines to the tech ecosystem

How synergies embrace Asia’s fifth industrial revolution

Asia’s emergence as the global leader in the 5IR hinges on unprecedented synergies across multiple dimensions. 

First, the convergence of human capital and technology creates a distinctive advantage: the region’s young, digitally-native workforce seamlessly integrates with collaborative robots and AI systems designed for human augmentation rather than replacement. Unlike mature economies struggling to retrain ageing workforces, Asian economies would cultivate next-generation workers inherently aligned with 5IR’s collaborative paradigm.​

Second, biodiversity and innovation ecosystems synergise powerfully. Asia’s unparalleled biological richness feeds biomimicry initiatives — from whale-fin-inspired wind turbines to nature-based solutions addressing climate challenges. Simultaneously, indigenous knowledge systems stewarded by Asian communities for centuries integrate with cutting-edge technology, creating culturally grounded, holistic solutions unavailable to regions possessing only technological capacity or environmental wisdom in isolation.​

Third, climate urgency accelerates policy alignment. Unlike regions where sustainability competes with growth imperatives, Asian nations recognise existential threats from rising seas, extreme weather, and agricultural disruption, creating political will for transformative environmental policies. This urgency drives coherent government action on renewable infrastructure, circular economy adoption, and green workforce development simultaneously.​

Finally, emerging market dynamics enable leapfrogging. Unburdened by legacy industrial systems, Asian nations can build 5IR-compatible infrastructure from the ground up, capturing efficiency and sustainability advantages simultaneously. Public-private partnerships, innovation sandboxes, and blended finance models multiply impact beyond what either sector achieves independently.​

These synergies, demographic, ecological, political, and infrastructural, position Asia not merely as a participant in 5IR but as its pioneering leader, demonstrating that prosperity, sustainability, and human dignity are not competing objectives but mutually reinforcing imperatives.​

The choice before us

Asia stands at a pivotal juncture. The region can either replicate extractive, inequality-generating industrialisation patterns of the past, or pioneer a genuinely sustainable, human-centred prosperity model, becoming the global standard.

This requires courage — to invest in long-term transformation over short-term optimisation, to prioritise worker wellbeing alongside productivity, to respect planetary boundaries as non-negotiable constraints. It demands wisdom — integrating indigenous knowledge with modern technology, measuring what truly matters beyond GDP.

Most fundamentally, the Fifth Industrial Revolution asks what kind of future we choose and what we’re willing to sacrifice to protect it.

For policy leaders: create enabling environments through infrastructure investment, education transformation, and ethical governance. For technopreneurs: build enterprises solving human problems while regenerating nature. For green investors: capital toward 5IR-aligned ventures delivers superior returns and measurable impact.

Asia’s young populations, digital fluency, biodiversity richness, and climate urgency create unique advantages. The region need not wait for permission from traditional industrial powers. By embracing 5IR’s principles, Asian nations can leapfrog into leadership – not merely catching up but charting pathways others will follow.

The future we create today shapes possibilities for generations to come. Let it be one where technology serves humanity, prosperity includes rather than excludes, and progress regenerates rather than depletes. This is Asia’s Fifth Industrial Revolution to lead.

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AI adoption across Southeast Asia is accelerating, yet many cities still rely on ageing CCTV networks that cannot support modern analytics without costly hardware upgrades. Governments want smarter, safer, more efficient urban environments, but legacy systems and rising privacy expectations often make large-scale transformation difficult. This tension has created space for solutions that can modernise existing infrastructure without adding new risks or exceeding public budgets.

To support companies building this kind of practical, region-ready technology, the Taipei City Government launched the Global Pass programme in 2024. The initiative embeds Taiwan-based startups directly into overseas ecosystems. This gives them access to market insights, local partners, and on-the-ground opportunities to demonstrate their products.

AIRA is one of the clearest examples of this approach in action. With a privacy-first, hardware-light system that upgrades standard CCTVs into intelligent, on-premise AI tools, the company reflects the mission-driven innovation Global Pass was built to champion. Their expansion journey shows how thoughtfully designed AI can strengthen smart-city infrastructure across Southeast Asia without replacing what already exists.

Privacy-conscious AI for Southeast Asia’s smart city ambitions

As cities across the region pursue digital transformation, many still grapple with concerns around surveillance, data governance, and the financial burden of upgrading legacy equipment. AIRA’s model responds directly to these challenges by offering a way to enhance existing CCTV networks rather than rebuild them, which makes adoption both faster and more feasible for budget-conscious governments.

According to Stephanie Chen, Business Development Manager at AIRA Corp, “most companies still need GPU cards for camera analytics, but one GPU card can cost as much as five or six servers.” AIRA instead uses compact CPU-based devices that are “as small as a palm,” making deployment significantly more accessible.

At the same time, public expectations around privacy continue to shape how smart-city technologies are evaluated. As Chen explains, keeping everything on-site is a deliberate design choice. “We run fully on-premise, so customers keep control of their own data. Nothing is sent to the cloud, which reduces exposure and keeps everything secure.”

Also read: How GliaCloud is turning AI video into a growth engine for Southeast Asia

AIRA’s product suite designed for real-world deployment

AIRA’s approach starts with a simple idea: smart-city systems work best when they enhance existing infrastructure rather than replace it. Their flagship tools address three core needs in the region. These are: access control, investigations support and perimeter safety. They are all powered by energy-efficient AI designed to minimise false alarms and improve day-to-day reliability.

First, airaFace provides enrollment-based facial recognition for access management and visitor flow. Second, airaTrack supports rapid, privacy-conscious investigations. It does this by enabling fast cross-camera search without prior enrollment and can process up to 10,000 matches per second. Chen explains its value for large venues: “You can simply click on a face and investigate the whole footage across cameras, even if the person is wearing a mask or it’s low light.”

Third, airaFence focuses on real-time virtual fencing and intrusion detection and is already deployed across more than 100 construction sites in Taiwan. Its precision is a key differentiator. “Some AI cameras produce thousands of false alarms a day,” Chen says. “We focus on human detection so birds, cats and shadows do not trigger alerts.”

All three solutions run on AIRA’s lightweight CPU-based AI, delivered through compact NUC devices that plug into existing CCTV networks. This removes the need for GPU hardware, large servers or cloud infrastructure and keeps all processing on-premise. The browser-based interface can be learned in under two hours, and export tools automatically blur non-target individuals, which reflects AIRA’s commitment to privacy within everyday workflows.

Global Pass as a catalyst for meaningful market entry

For AIRA, Global Pass played a strategic role in bridging the gap between technological readiness and real-world adoption. Instead of entering Thailand with assumptions about the market, the programme allowed the team to observe firsthand how smart city ambitions intersect with practical constraints like legacy infrastructure, budget pressure, and rising privacy expectations. While in Thailand, they also made use of the co-working spaces partnered under the Global Pass, where live demos replaced theoretical pitches, giving C-level leaders and system integrators a clear view of what CPU-based, on-premise AI could actually deliver.

This early access shaped AIRA’s expansion philosophy. By working directly with distributors and system integrators from day one, the company understood how to localise enablement materials, structure proof-of-concept kits, and support partners through remote training. The Solution Day sessions hosted by their Thai distributor reflected this approach, creating a shared understanding of the technology that could scale beyond one event or one country. Global Pass ultimately helped AIRA refine a regionally attuned, partnership-driven strategy that now guides their growth across Southeast Asia.

Also read: How IsCoolLab is shaping the future of industrial automation in Southeast Asia

Expanding a partnership-driven model across Southeast Asia

Beyond Thailand, AIRA is applying the same partnership-driven approach to scale across the wider region. In the Philippines, their distributor is leading more than ten active projects across malls, government facilities and major venues. The team also maintains a sales representative in Malaysia and collaborates with multiple system integrators across Southeast Asia. Its expansion strategy lowers the barrier to adoption and allows partners to demonstrate value quickly while maintaining AIRA’s emphasis on privacy and on-premise processing.

Looking ahead, the company plans to replicate this approach across more markets through partner launches, additional Solution Day sessions, small-box demo units and scalable reseller ecosystems. As Stephanie Chen summarises, “Our mission is to bring AI to life. We want cities to use their existing CCTV not just as decoration, but as tools that truly improve safety and operations.”

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Across Southeast Asia, video has become the language of the internet. Audiences scroll, swipe and consume visual content at a pace that challenges even the most resourceful publishers and marketers. For startups in Taipei looking to enter these fast-moving markets, breaking in requires more than a good idea. It requires cultural fluency, trusted local partners and a front-row view of how regional audiences behave online.

Taipei City’s Global Pass initiative was designed with this reality in mind. The programme gives founders a way to step directly into new markets, test their products with real users and build the relationships that shape sustainable international growth. GliaCloud is one of the companies taking full advantage of this opportunity. How did this Taiwan-based AI video startup use Global Pass to immerse itself in Thailand’s vibrant digital ecosystem?

GliaCloud as an AI video creation partner

GliaCloud helps publishers, marketers and e-commerce brands turn text and data into high quality, impactful video content at scale. According to co-founder and COO Agnes Peng, the company solves a growing challenge in Asia where “the demand for video content is exploding, but professional video production is still expensive, time consuming and requires specialised skills.”

Their suite of tools streamlines the entire process. First, GliaNetwork automatically converts daily articles into video summaries for news publishers. Next, GliaDirector supports enterprises that need hundreds of branded videos. Another tool is GliaCommerce, which specialises in product videos and A/B tested creatives that drive measurable business performance.

Peng emphasises that GliaCloud’s differentiation lies in its focus on outcomes. “We are an outcome based platform. Video creation has to be tied to engagement, conversions and business impact,” she said. In many ways, GliaCloud grows alongside the industries it serves.

Also read: How IsCoolLab is shaping the future of industrial automation in Southeast Asia

Using Global Pass to build presence and gather market insights

Recently, GliaCloud leveraged the Global Pass programme in Thailand. Their team gained access to physical meeting spaces, partner introductions and networking events that would otherwise be difficult without a local office.

“The programme gave us a physical environment to meet partners, get spontaneous feedback and have real conversations,” Peng explained. “It’s very different from just searching online or doing remote calls. For video solutions, cultural understanding is everything.”

Because video performance varies dramatically across Southeast Asia, in-person exposure was crucial. Peng noted that “every market in Southeast Asia is different. People think of the region as one block, but it is actually many cultures with different habits, tastes and content preferences, especially in video.”

This included discovering insights such as local colour preferences, content pacing, and audience behaviour unique to Thai platforms.

Strengthening traction in Thailand’s media and e-commerce ecosystem

GliaCloud already works with over a hundred publishers in Thailand. Peng shared that many of Thailand’s well known digital outlets use GliaNetwork, noting that “they produce thousands of articles every day, and we help curate the top stories into video summaries with monetisation built in.”

GliaCloud is now moving deeper into Thailand’s e-commerce market with Global Pass support. “E-commerce is huge in Southeast Asia, and video has become essential for online buying behaviour,” Peng said. “But many brands don’t know how to measure whether a video is actually good. They struggle with digital literacy, data analysis and A/B testing.”

Their team is returning to Thailand to conduct more field research and explore proof of concept projects. “We want to understand what types of videos really work for Thai consumers. We need real market feedback to help brands improve their results,” she added.

Also read: The rise of privacy-conscious smart-city infrastructure powered by AIRA

Expansion across Southeast Asia

Beyond Thailand, GliaCloud already has customers in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Across Asia, it serves over 2,000 publishers. Japan remains its largest market, but Peng said the company sees strong long term potential in Southeast Asia, especially for its e-commerce solutions.

A key part of GliaCloud’s strategy is cultural localisation. “AI models today don’t fully understand local culture,” Peng said. “If you ask a model to generate something in a Taiwanese or Filipino style, it often creates a Western version of it by default. We collect cultural data so our videos reflect real local tastes and user scenarios.”

Her long term vision is to empower organisations across the region to create effective video content at scale. “We want to help publishers and marketers use AI in a way that leads to measurable business results,” Peng concluded. “That has always been our focus.”

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Expanding into Southeast Asia is a milestone many Taipei startups aspire to reach, but the reality is that early market entry often feels like navigating in the dark. Taipei City’s Global Pass programme was created to change that story by giving founders a guided route into fast-moving ecosystems like Thailand and Vietnam, where timing and access make all the difference.

Instead of searching for the right partners or cold-messaging their way into local networks, participating startups enter these markets with curated pathways and built-in credibility. Global Pass acts as a regional compass, helping companies understand where the opportunities are, who matters, and what it takes to move from interest to real traction.

Advancing smart manufacturing through intelligent automation

IsCoolLab is one of the startups putting this support to work. The company has been carving out a name for itself in industrial automation by answering a simple question: how can factories modernize quickly without overhauling everything they already have? Their answer is Robotiive, a computer-vision-driven RPA platform that allows machines to observe screens, signals, and workflows with the same situational awareness as a trained operator.

By removing the need to modify hardware or production lines, the team gives manufacturers a realistic way to upgrade. Deployments happen in days, not months. Factories that once viewed Industry 4.0 as a costly, complex transition now have a practical path forward. This is what positions IsCoolLab as one of Taiwan’s most compelling industrial innovators.

Also read: How GliaCloud is turning AI video into a growth engine for Southeast Asia

Understanding the opportunity in Thailand and Vietnam

When IsCoolLab looked across the region, Thailand and Vietnam stood out. Both markets are scaling their industrial sectors at impressive speed, yet many facilities still run on manual processes and legacy systems. The mismatch between ambition and infrastructure creates an urgent need for automation that adapts to existing realities.

Robotiive fits naturally into this gap. Instead of expecting factories to change their systems to accommodate automation, it adapts to the systems they already have. This alignment between market need and product capability is what made Thailand and Vietnam strategic entry points for the company’s Southeast Asia expansion.

Using Global Pass to accelerate market entry

Even with a strong product-market fit, entering a new country requires the right local relationships. This is where Global Pass shifted the trajectory for IsCoolLab. By placing the team in front of accelerators, investors, and ecosystem leaders, the programme turned potential cold starts into warm conversations that mattered.

Each pitch session and meeting was more than a presentation. It was a chance to test messaging, understand market expectations, and hear first-hand how regional stakeholders viewed industrial automation. These insights shaped the company’s approach and helped them speak the language of the local ecosystem with growing confidence.

Achieving traction and partnerships through Global Pass

As the conversations deepened, meaningful traction followed. Visibility through the programme helped IsCoolLab connect with investors who were actively exploring industrial AI opportunities. These discussions sharpened the company’s regional positioning and expanded its network far more quickly than independent outreach could have.

Equally important were the commercial introductions tailored to the team’s goals. The meetings facilitated by Global Pass connected IsCoolLab with partners who immediately saw value in their solution. These early interactions laid the groundwork for pilot discussions and future deployments, proving that the market was not only interested but genuinely ready.

Also read: The rise of privacy-conscious smart-city infrastructure powered by AIRA

Extending momentum across Southeast Asia

This growing momentum soon translated into concrete milestones. In Thailand, IsCoolLab formalized a partnership with Digital Focus, a respected system integrator with deep experience in the local landscape. This agreement marks the company’s official market entry and opens a pathway for scaled adoption.

In Vietnam, the team is already engaged in proof-of-concept work with partners in the petroleum sector and related industries. These projects signal that Robotiive is resonating with industries that are seeking efficiency, reliability, and faster pathways to modernization.

Setting the direction for regional expansion

With progress underway in two pivotal markets, IsCoolLab is now shaping a wider Southeast Asia roadmap. The company sees rising demand in regions where factories are expanding capacity yet still operate on older equipment and manual processes. These environments are ideal for a flexible automation layer like Robotiive.

The Global Pass experience continues to guide IsCoolLab’s next steps by sharpening their understanding of regional dynamics and partnership models. As the company scales, its goal is to help Southeast Asia’s manufacturing sector transform sustainably, efficiently, and at the pace that today’s global landscape demands.

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