E-DISC Promotes Collaborative Ecosystems for Startup Growth at Brunei Startup Summit 2026

Bandar Seri Begawan, 12 February 2026: The ERIA Digital Innovation and Sustainable Economy Centre (E-DISC) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cross-border collaboration and regional startup growth through its participation in Brunei Startup Summit 2026, held on 11-12 February at The Rizqun International Hotel.

Organised by the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB), the summit convened around 500 startups, entrepreneurs, investors, ecosystem builders, and policy stakeholders from Brunei Darussalam and across ASEAN under the theme 'Empowering Growth: Innovation Beyond Borders'.

As an Ecosystem Partner of the summit, E-DISC contributed regional insights and practical perspectives on cross-border expansion strategies and collaborative innovation frameworks for startups.

Ms Chieko Tanabe, Programme Manager for Startup Ecosystems at ERIA, joined a fireside chat session titled 'Plan to Win: Exploring the Key Challenges in Cross-Border Strategy', alongside ATLAS (Accelerating Transformation and Linkage for Advancing Startups) and Ms Mega Prawita, Managing Director of KUMPUL. The session explored practical approaches to navigating hidden structural barriers to ASEAN market entry and highlighted how collaborative ecosystems can accelerate international startup growth.

The discussion drew on findings from the ATLAS-ERIA white paper, Unlocking Southeast Asia's Innovation: Bridging Borders for Startup Growth, which provides regulatory, market, and ecosystem insights to support startups expanding across the region.

Ms Tanabe noted that while ASEAN presents significant growth opportunities, startups often encounter less visible cross-border challenges, including regulatory fragmentation, gaps in ecosystem maturity, and partnership risks. She emphasised the importance of coordinated support and collaboration amongst ecosystem stakeholders to enable overseas startup expansion. She also highlighted the need for regional, data-driven market assessments, trusted local partnerships, and knowledge-sharing platforms to reduce expansion risks and improve market entry outcomes. In addition, Ms Tanabe shared practical lessons and insights from five Southeast Asian startup case studies focused on cross-border business expansion.

During the event, the E-DISC team also connected with prominent organisations such as the Brunei Economic Development Board, Brunei Innovation Lab, Eureka, the World Bank, Datastream Digital (DST), 500 Global Malaysia, and local startups.

E-DISC also observed key trends and ecosystem updates reflecting Brunei's forward-looking trajectory, including growing momentum in tourism development, halal product innovation, and technology-driven enterprises. These strategic priorities demonstrate the country's aspiration to position itself as a competitive and connected ecosystem within the region.

Through its participation, E-DISC reinforced its role as a regional platform connecting research, policy dialogue, and ecosystem practice. The Centre continues to work with public and private stakeholders across ASEAN to expand market access, strengthen innovation networks, and support startup internationalisation.

E-DISC remains committed to advancing ASEAN's startup ecosystems by fostering cross-border collaboration, supporting evidence-based ecosystem development, and enabling more inclusive and resilient innovation-driven growth across the region.