Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) through the public organisation, National Innovation Agency (NIA), is hosting “Startup Thailand x Innovation Thailand Expo 2024” (SITE 2024) under the concept of “Innovation for Growth and Sustainability” to accelerate the creation of sustainability for Thai businesses and start-ups in all dimensions.
Starting today until 28 July 2024 at Zone C, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, SITE 2024 consists of an exhibition of exciting innovations, a knowledge transfer session, business opportunity expansions, and cutting-edge innovative products to spark new ideas.
The goal of SITE 2024 is to foster strength and sustainable growth for Thai startups and innovative entrepreneurs. This year’s event is organised in conjunction with ‘SCI Power For Future Thailand’ – an event promoting the utilisation of scientific research for sustainable economic development.
Dr Krithpaka Boonfueng, NIA’s executive director said, “NIA is forging ahead in its role as the “Focal Conductor” of innovation, bridging collaborations with both domestic and international partners. This effort aims to promote and support innovative entrepreneurs and startups in every dimension, leading to sustainable economic and social impacts for the country.”
He added that the NIA plays a crucial role in policy formulation and facilitating the innovation ecosystem to enhance business potential and value creation, which includes fostering continuous innovation development among entrepreneurs, startups, and the public sector.
“The annual Startup Thailand x Innovation Thailand Expo (SITE) is a key tool in this endeavour, elevating Thai innovative entrepreneurs and startups by providing them with opportunities for sustainable growth,” continued Dr Krithpaka.
This year the three main objectives of SITE 2024 under the theme “Innovation for Growth and Sustainability” are:
- Raising awareness of innovation;
- Driving business growth and sustainability; and
- Creating opportunities for startups and innovation-based entrepreneurs, consisting of five highlighted activities.
The five activities include:
- Forum: A stage that brings together leading start-ups and innovators in Thailand and expert lecturers from abroad who will join to update the world’s innovation trends. They are ready to exchange knowledge and inspire innovation development, including Road to Unicorn by the NIA’s executive team, Scale-up Thailand Fueling by Coach, Cash, and Connect by Assoc. Prof. Dr Natcha Thawesaengskulthai, PhD, Startup and Innovation Ecosystem in Montgomery County, Maryland, USA by Judy Costello, Global Startup Scaling for Thai Startups by Linda Nguyen Schindler and a seminar and brainstorming session on developing financial and investment capabilities for innovation projects in the area of solving environmental and climate problems in Thailand by NIA and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
- Marketplace: A comprehensive innovation marketplace featuring over 300 startups and innovative entrepreneurs who will introduce cutting-edge products and services that respond to innovation trends for business sustainability in the future world. There were also innovative products on display at the booth from international agencies, including Japan, Korea and China.
- Business Matching: A forum for meeting business cooperation, which is an important opportunity for startups and entrepreneurs to expand their ideas into innovative businesses, find partners and receive advice to grow their businesses strongly. Investors, venture capital firms and large companies joined the stage, including AIS the Startup, ALLY Global Management, Bangchak, Beacon Venture, InnoSpace (Thailand), MAX Venture, True Incube and Y&Archer.
- Prime Minister Award: An award ceremony honouring and recognising contributors who have participated in promoting and supporting the development of the country’s startup ecosystem and strengthening the business potential of Thai startups to enter the international market.
- Startup Thailand League 2024: The National Pitching of Thailand Championship round consists of the final 14 teams of the startup business idea competition activity at the higher education level. This year, it was organised under the theme: “Turn your dreams to build your business with a different idea”.
Dr Krithpaka also highlighted, “This year, SITE 2024 is especially significant as it is held in conjunction with the SCI Power Fair, a major event promoting the utilisation of higher education, science, research, and innovation for sustainable economic development. This fair serves as a crucial platform to showcase the potential of economic development through higher education, science, research, and innovation. It aims to inspire learning in these fields to improve the quality of life, aligning with lifestyles at all stages of life.
“We believe that SITE 2024 will spark new knowledge and ideas for creating technology and innovation, enhance commercial opportunities, and expand business prospects for promising startups. The government and relevant agencies are ready to support these efforts to increase global competitiveness, enhance the country’s reputation, and further develop the national economy”, concluded Dr Krithpaka.
Source: National Innovation Agency (NIA) (Press Release via ACN Newswire)
