Modern business logic tends to favour the bigger, the faster, the more resource-rich. That often applies, but in Asia—a region of diverse economies with a shared push for digitalisation—it doesn’t tell the whole story. Here, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) thrive in a digital economy defined as much by agility as by size.
Across Asia, SMEs make up a staggering 99 per cent of all enterprises. They aren’t just prevalent—they are engines of employment, responsible for over 60 per cent of jobs in the region, according to the ASEAN SME Policy Index (ASPI) for 2024.
More striking still is the contribution these SMEs make to the digital economy: 35–45 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), a proportion that will only grow as SMEs continue their digital transformation. In fact, 90 per cent of SMEs are projected to reach basic digital intensity by 2030, driven by national initiatives like Singapore’s SMEs Go Digital program and Malaysia’s Digital Economy Blueprint.
Why such prominence? Partly because Asia’s vast diversity demands it. While large corporations can address broad market needs, SMEs are far better equipped to serve the specialised demands of specific regions. For example:
- Banking and finance: In the Philippines, underserved rural communities require banking solutions tailored to their unique financial circumstances. These solutions often involve micro-finance platforms and mobile banking innovations to serve those without access to traditional financial services—drastically different from the high-end banking infrastructure set up by major institutions in Singapore, a global financial hub.
- Agriculture: Indonesia’s agri-food sector provides fertile ground for SMEs to fill crucial gaps. From IoT-powered fish farms to drone-assisted crop management, these innovations help modernise farming, enhancing productivity and sustainability. Yet, due to the sheer diversity of needs, these opportunities often slip past larger companies. And while effective on a local scale, such technologies aren’t always scalable—they can be irrelevant in places like Singapore, where agriculture is nearly nonexistent in its urban sprawl.
- Telecommunications: In Asia’s most remote regions, 5G is a distant dream due to a lack of basic telecom infrastructure. For those living off the grid, SMEs can offer creative alternatives like laser communication systems, bypassing traditional infrastructure to deliver reliable connectivity. It’s a niche need that large telecom companies often overlook, but one that SMEs are uniquely positioned to address.
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These are just a few examples that underscore one of the key advantages SMEs have over their larger counterparts: agility and speed. Larger firms, with entrenched processes and hierarchies, often struggle to pivot quickly. SMEs, with leaner structures, are more nimble, able to iterate and innovate rapidly—an essential trait in a region where digital literacy is advancing as fast as demographic shifts.
Despite their contributions, SMEs across Asia face formidable challenges. The ongoing funding winter has slowed access to growth capital, while economic pressures push larger companies into spaces once dominated by SMEs. Moreover, the very nature of SMEs—small, resource-constrained, and often sector-specific—makes them vulnerable to external shocks, be it pandemics, trade tensions, or economic downturns.
Still, there is a silver lining. From a policy perspective, governments are increasingly recognising the strategic importance of SMEs. Initiatives like ASEAN Access aim to enhance internationalisation opportunities, while a surge in business shows and tech events focused on SMEs reflects grassroots momentum.
One of these events is GITEX Asia, set for April 23–25, 2025, at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Expected to be among the biggest tech events in Asia, GITEX Asia promises to dive into the ongoing conversation about shaping the next wave of innovation for startups, SMEs, and more.
Individually, SMEs may be small, but collectively, they form the backbone of Asia’s digital economy—proof that bigger isn’t always better.
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