The ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) proudly supported the 8th ASEAN Inclusive Business Forum (AIBF) held on 11–12 September 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, followed by the ASEAN Inclusive Business and Social Enterprise Showcase from 11–14 September 2025, in conjunction of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025. These two flagship events convened high-level policymakers, distinguished entrepreneurs, development partners, and investors to reaffirm ASEAN’s shared commitment to inclusive business as a vital driver of sustainable development, empowerment of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and inclusiveness in regional and global value chains.
The 8th ASEAN Inclusive Business Forum (11–12 September)
Co-organized by the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development of Malaysia (MECD), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), and the ASEAN Secretariat, the Forum provided a high-level platform to deliberate on policies and practices shaping the future of inclusive business in ASEAN.
Dr. Kunihiko Hirabayashi, Secretary General of ASEAN-Japan Centre served as a panelist in Session 1: Unlocking Opportunities in Inclusive Business in ASEAN. The session, moderated by Mr. Jonathan Wong of UNESCAP, featured notable experts including Mr. Nguyen Tung Anh of the Ministry of Finance of Viet Nam, Mr. Jayesh Ranjan of the Government of Telangana, India, Mr. Phuree Smittinet of Café Amazon for Chance, Thailand, and Ms. Sasibai Kimis of Earth Heir, Malaysia. Together, the panelists examined how ASEAN can build progress to fully harness the transformative potential of inclusive business for sustainable and inclusive growth.
In his remarks, Dr. Hirabayashi underscored the pivotal role of ASEAN–Japan collaboration in accelerating inclusive business models across the region. He highlighted the Centre’s initiatives, notably the ImpactLink: ASEAN–Japan Social Entrepreneurs Hub and the ImpactLink: ASEAN–Japan Women Social Entrepreneurs Workshop on Digitalization and Investment 2025, which equipped 30 women-led MSMEs with mentorship, digital solutions, and investment readiness. He also emphasized the Centre’s sustained contributions to impact investment, through research, the ImpactASEAN Series, and women-focused roundtable, which position sustainability and empowerment at the heart of ASEAN’s economic future. Looking forward, Dr. Hirabayashi stressed that scaling inclusive and sustainable business models demands deeper ASEAN–Japan cooperation—leveraging Japan’s technological expertise and financial capital alongside ASEAN’s entrepreneurial dynamism and innovation to deliver transformative impact for societies.
The ASEAN Inclusive Business and Social Enterprise Showcase 2025 (11–14 September)
As a prominent side event to the Forum, the 8th ASEAN Inclusive Business Showcase was staged both at the Forum (mini showcase) and at the Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall (main showcase), presenting inclusive businesses and social enterprises to a wide regional and international audience. The Showcase provided an important platform for enterprises to demonstrate their innovative business models, engage with policymakers, buyers, and investors, and strengthen their visibility within ASEAN’s evolving market landscape.
A highlight was the participation of seven women entrepreneurs from ASEAN who had recently completed the ImpactLink: ASEAN–Japan Women Social Entrepreneurs Workshop on Digitalization and Investment 2025. Their participation, supported by the Centre, embodied the direct bridge from capacity-building to market engagement, demonstrating how targeted training, mentorship, and investment-readiness coaching can translate into tangible opportunities for social impact. The Showcase thus served as the natural extension of the ImpactLink workshop, transforming skills and knowledge into practical exposure and business linkages.
Second row: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, and the Philippines.
These entrepreneurs represented diverse sectors and ASEAN Member States, including:
- Cambodia – Ms. Putheary Sem, Espass (Main showcase)
- Indonesia – Ms. Elisabet Purnamasari, Koperasi Produsen Musi Mushee Indonesia (Main showcase)
- Lao PDR – Ms. Dalayphone Sayasithsena, SAYA Brand (Mini showcase)
- Malaysia – Ms. Vatsala Nair Manoharan, Moms Village Asia (Main showcase)
- Myanmar – Ms. Stacie Phyo, Pace Forward (Main showcase)
- Philippines – Ms. Betty More, Healthy Sweets Mindanao Corporation (Main showcase)
- Thailand – Ms. Getthip Hannarong, Zero Waste YOLO Co., Ltd. (Main showcase)
Their enterprises spanned eco-friendly consumer goods, women’s cooperatives, healthy food products, zero-waste solutions, digital education, and e-commerce. Collectively, they showcased the resilience, creativity, and social commitment of women-led businesses in ASEAN, while demonstrating how inclusive business can provide concrete solutions to pressing development challenges. The Showcase also gained high-level recognition with visits from Dato’ Sri Ramanan Ramakrishnan, Deputy Minister of MECD, Malaysia, and YBhg. Dato’ Sri Khairul Dzaimee bin Daud, Secretary General of MECD, Malaysia.
ASEAN–Japan Collaboration in Action
The Showcase became a platform where ASEAN–Japan collaboration moved from dialogue to practice. The AJC delegation, led by Secretary General Dr. Kunihiko Hirabayashi, Dr. Katrina Navallo, and Dr. Preechaya Kittipaisalsilpa who are implementing the program, together with Proficeo Consultants—the partner engaged by the Centre to deliver the ImpactLink workshop—visited the booths to witness firsthand the outcomes of the training.
The women entrepreneurs demonstrated how they had turned knowledge into action, applying digital tools, investment-readiness skills, and strategic approaches gained through ImpactLink to engage confidently with policymakers, consumers, and potential investors. The Showcase was thus not only a display of enterprises but also a demonstration how ASEAN–Japan cooperation equips entrepreneurs to scale impact in real-world settings.
Through this progression from workshop to showcase, the ASEAN-Japan Centre reaffirmed its mission of strengthening ASEAN–Japan partnerships for inclusive and sustainable growth. By empowering women entrepreneurs, enhancing MSMEs, and fostering ecosystems that unite social impact with economic opportunity, the Centre contributes to building a future where enterprises serve as engines of both prosperity and positive societal change across the region.
For more information:
Please contact info_rpa@asean.or.jp
