In a significant move to strengthen the startup landscape across ASEAN nations, the Foundation for Innovation and Research Support (F.I.R.S.T), IIT Kanpur, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ASEAN Economic Forum at the India-ASEAN ScaleHub Programme 2024 in Bali, Indonesia. The MoU was signed by Professor Ankush Sharma, Professor In-charge of SIIC (F.I.R.S.T), IIT Kanpur, and Mr. Sachin Gopalan, Director of the ASEAN Economic Forum. This collaboration aims to enhance access to technology, market opportunities, and valuable business connections for startups in ASEAN countries.

The India-ASEAN ScaleHub Programme, funded by the Government of India through the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund, is supported by the Department of Science and Technology and the Ministry of External Affairs. Organized by F.I.R.S.T, IIT Kanpur, the program aims to promote partnerships through science, technology, and innovation-driven activities. The event brought together senior stakeholders from the Indian innovation ecosystem and 40 promising startups from sectors such as healthcare, agritech, cleantech, defense, aerospace, and AI/ML. This platform provided resources, infrastructure, and mentorship for networking, collaboration, and business expansion across ASEAN markets.

Ambassador Jayant N. Khobragade, representatives from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and the ASEAN Economic Community actively participated. Startups presented elevator pitches to distributors and channel partners, receiving multiple awards during the closing ceremony. The program included panel discussions, roundtable talks, startup pitches, and one-on-one networking sessions with channel partners. This initiative aligns with ASEAN’s vision of fostering entrepreneurship and innovation while enhancing public-private partnerships for broader social and economic impact.