Vietnam hosts Tigers@Mekong conference to build Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem

The common phrase you’ll hear in the region is that Southeast Asia has massive potential. There’s a growing internet audience, growing affluence, hungry and young populations, and fervor for startups. But when you dig deeper, each nation has challenges that hold back the potential. This exactly why the Tigers@Mekong initiative was started.

It’s a program under the “Connectivity Pillar” of the Lower Mekong Initiative and funded in part by the US Department of State, which has had a keen interest in fostering entrepreneurship worldwide. Tigers@Mekong’s goal is to bring all the leaders, mentors, and ecosystem builders together from across Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. In bringing them together, it aims to build specific practical programs that target the key problems they see in each ecosystem.

The summit goes from today until Saturday, and will bring in early-stage investors and leaders of incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, startup competitions, universities, training providers, business associations, youth groups, and government agencies. Mike Ducker, the project director of Tigers@Mekong, says this region is ripe with market opportunities for tech startups. “But there is a need for stronger startup programming and activities that guide and connect young founders with the knowledge, networks, market, talent, and financing that can accelerate their business growth,” he adds.

With that practical goal in mind, Tigers@Mekong is putting money down to get things started. The press release states:

Over the course of the conference, participants will have the opportunity to form teams and draft proposals for actionable, cross-border initiatives to link entrepreneurs in the region to potential customers, mentors, and employees. On the afternoon of Saturday, June 13, the teams will pitch proposals to a panel of judges at the American Center in Ho Chi Minh City. Tigers@Mekong will award two to four teams a portion of US$20,000 in grant funding.

Tech In Asia is an event partner and will be on the ground watching closely at what programs get the funding. It’s a big step for the Mekong nations, and an opportunity to connect and explore how their countries can foster their own startups.