Dr. Srivari Chandrasekhar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, inaugurated the 1^st ASEAN-India Start-up Festival (AISF) on 27^th October 2022 in Bogor, Indonesia, in the presence of Mr. Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Economic Community and Ambassador Mr. Jayant Khobragade, Indian Mission to ASEAN (IMA).  

“As a developing nation, India is currently dedicated to harnessing path-breaking innovations for comprehensive socio-economic growth. The ASEAN India partnership will enable concrete impact for this endeavor,” said Dr. Chandrasekhar in his inaugural address.

Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Economic Community, Satvinder Singh, highlighted that ASEAN has a vibrant and promising startup ecosystem. “Despite the pandemic, last year we welcomed 25 new unicorns in ASEAN, with their combined valuation at USD55.4 billion. The successful hosting of the 1st ASEAN-India Startup Festival saw opportunities to further strengthen ASEAN-India cooperation to accelerate the startup economy,” he added.

 

The National COSTI Chairperson of Indonesia and the Chairman National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia, were also present at the inauguration of the festival.

The festival is part of the over-all ASEAN-India Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation program between the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology, and Innovation (COSTI) and the Department of Science and Technology (Govt of India) and is supported under the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund (AISTDF) of Govt of India which is jointly contributed by Department of Science and Technology and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The four-day event is being hosted in conjunction with the Indonesia Research and Innovation Expo (INA-RIE) from the 27th until the 30th October 2022 at the Innovation Convention Centre, Cibinong Bogor, Indonesia. The AISF is part of a series of events to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the ASEAN-India diplomatic relationship.

Comprising of four main events ---startup exhibitions; seminar and talk show; G2G meetings and B2B meetings, as well as startup pitch battle, it has brought together government officials, startups, research institutes, universities, inventors and innovators, and other financial institutes. The festival provided a platform to further expand the national startup ecosystem to global networks, seeking cooperation for cumulative growth and creating of more opportunities. 

The festival commemorates and strengthens cooperation and collaboration in science, technology, and innovation between the ASEAN countries and India.

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