e27, Asia’s largest tech and startup media platform, has announced the launch of Echelon Asia Summit 2023. Organised at Singapore EXPO on 14-15 June 2023, the two-day event will feature 5,000 attendees from all over Asia, representing 200+ companies and having over 100+ international world class speakers. Echelon is a technology event helping startups forge new business connections, unravel new business opportunities, and create a deal flow of new investments across Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem.
This year, the event will discuss what lies ahead for Southeast Asia’s tech and startup ecosystem, with investment and M&A trends and high-growth sectors being highly volatile given the dynamic economic conditions in the Southeast Asia market. Over the two days, Echelon’s 100+ expert speakers will present opinions on Web3.0, Soonicorns and Changemakers of Southeast Asia, Future Sectors and Investment Trends, M&As, Sustainability, and Growth and Scaling. With the rest of the event involving workshops, roundtable discussions, exhibitions, and networking, Echelon Asia Summit 2023 is a world of opportunities for Southeast Asia startups and investors.
In the past, Echelon Asia Summit has featured founders and other C-suites from prominent startups and VCs like Grab, Carro, Ninja Van, WeWork, Lazada, Shopback, Lalamove, Altara Ventures, Vertex Ventures, JustCo, Monk’s Hill Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures, and Jungle Ventures.
The event will see the return of the TOP100 Program, which will involve the region’s best-in-class startups showcasing their projects for a chance to win programme championship. The TOP100 is a curated program designed to discover, showcase and accelerate the next generation of up and coming startups. The finalists, chosen out of over 500 applicants and now representing over 10 countries, will pitch to 5,000 delegates including top 25 investors. The TOP100 alumni list includes now-household names such as Tookitaki, 99.co, Pickupp, Aspire, H3 Dynamics, Glints.
This year’s TOP100 program partners with The SAFE STEPS D-Tech (Disaster Tech) Awards – created by Prudence Foundation to find, fund, and support innovative technology solutions that save lives before, during and after natural disaster events. As part of the TOP100 Program, The SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards will shortlist 5 out of the 100+ applicants from all over the world to pitch on the TOP100 Stage.
In the buildup to the event, e27 organised five meetups across ASEAN, in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, discussing local startup landscapes. Southeast Asia’s high-potential startup and tech ecosystem is still recovering from the after-effects of the pandemic, with growth forecasted at 4.8% in 2023 on the back of economic reopening. Despite encouraging forecasts, challenges like inflation, interest rates, and a changing funding landscape persist.
“The tech ecosystem over the past 10 years has grown thanks to an abundance of investments and a drive towards larger rounds and higher valuations, with little focus on business fundamentals and sustainable growth. The past year has been a good reset and refocus for Founders and Investors, and this is a good opportunity for the ecosystem to build afresh and plan for the evolution of the ecosystem. Echelon aims to discuss how the ecosystem can focus on impactful problems and grow in a sustainable manner,“ shared Mohan Belani, CEO and Co-Founder of e27.
