Jakarta, 11 July 2024: Dr Giulia Ajmone Marsan, ERIA's Head of Startups and Inclusion, has been appointed as one of the four experts to lead the development of a study on ASEAN+3 startup ecosystems for sustainable development. This initiative is supported by the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Fund and aims to enhance policy interaction and knowledge sharing. The study seeks to build a community of practice focusing on the sustainable development of micro, small, and medium enterprises and startup ecosystems amongst the ASEAN+3 countries, which include all ten ASEAN Member States, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. This initiative contributes to advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, addressing the Sustainable Development Goals, and achieving ASEAN-wide policy priorities.

Dr Ajmone Marsan will share her extensive knowledge, research, and analysis on startups and innovation ecosystems for sustainable and inclusive economic development. She will draw on ERIA's ongoing activities and initiatives, her involvement in global innovation networks such as G20/Startup20, and her role as Chair of the Steering Committee of OECD/EECOLE. Dr Ajmone Marsan will collaborate with Sasanee Huabsomboon, Director of Business Innovation Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency; Jungho Kim, University of Newcastle, UK, who as chief editor of the study will coordinate insights from all experts; and Tran Tri Dung, Swiss Entrepreneurship Program Viet Nam.

The study is conducted under the auspices of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) and coordinated by the Republic of Korea-based ASEM SMEs Eco-Innovation Center (ASEIC).

ERIA congratulates Dr Ajmone Marsan and looks forward to continuing to support the activities of the ACCMSME and its dialogue partners.