ImpactLink 2026 Welcomes 30 Women-Led Social Enterprises from Across ASEAN

Main image: The 30 women social entrepreneurs from ASEAN who will join the ImpactLink 2026. 

The ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC), in partnership with Proficeo, opened ImpactLink 2026  welcoming a new cohort of 30 women entrepreneurs from nine ASEAN countries — Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The session marked the start of Phase 1 of ImpactLink 2026: Strengthening Impact and Readiness to Access New Markets for Women-led Social Enterprises in ASEAN, a programme designed to help social enterprises deepen their understanding of the Japan market and build genuine readiness to enter it. 

Delivering welcoming remarks, Dr. Hirabayashi Kunihiko, Secretary General of the ASEAN-Japan Centre, reflected on the spirit of the programme: “Partnership brings hope, co-creation brings future.” His remarks framed ImpactLink as an extension of AJC’s four-decade role connecting the region to Japan — the Centre has served as a bridge between ASEAN Member States and Japan since its establishment in 1981, working across five goals: Trade, Investment, Tourism, Exchange, and Communication. 

ImpactLink 2026 builds directly on last year’s pilot. ImpactLink 2025 supported 33 participants through a digitalization and investment workshop, helped seven enterprises join the 8th ASEAN Inclusive Business Forum in Malaysia, and delivered tailored one-on-one coaching to 15 selected entrepreneurs.  

This year sharpens the focus specifically on Japan: Phase 1 (August–September 2026) guides all 30 participants through four full-day workshops on market selection and product alignment, storytelling for impact, and pitch deck development, alongside a dedicated Japan Market Workshop covering market opportunities, product curation, real entry case studies, and what Japanese buyers look for in overseas suppliers.  

From this cohort, 10 will advance to Phase 2 (October–December 2026) for personalised coaching on product positioning and pitch refinement — culminating in an online pitching session in February 2027, where selected entrepreneurs will present directly to Japanese and ASEAN buyers, partners, and importers. 

Insights drawn from participant applications shaped the programme’s design: 73.3% of applicants are actively seeking capital, 70% currently rely on informal or anecdotal impact measurement, and two-thirds say they need support adapting their pitch for cross-border and Japan-specific audiences — all areas the curriculum directly addresses. 

The launch session closed with 25-second participant introductions, a group photo, and the launch of a social media campaign inviting the new cohort to share their entrepreneurial journeys under #ImpactLink2026. With Phase 1 workshops now underway, ImpactLink 2026 marks another step in AJC’s ongoing commitment to connecting ASEAN’s women-led social enterprises with the resources, networks, and markets they need to scale their impact. 

The following are the 30 selected women founders of social enterprises in ASEAN who are joining the ImpactLink 2026: