Announced in June 2021, Project AsiaForward (PAF) is part of Alibaba Cloud’s recognition that Asia is in its golden age of digital innovation. Through various programs and events under the PAF umbrella, Alibaba Cloud is committed to joining hands with startups, developers, enterprises, and other ecosystem players to drive the region’s digital transformation. To date, this has included the Alibaba x KrASIA Global Startup Accelerator and the 2021 Apsara Conference.
Through partnering with different ecosystem builders in the region, Alibaba Cloud hopes to reach the corners of Asia’s wider ecosystem and provide resources and developmental support where relevant. Chris Angkasa, CEO of CoHive, shared his excitement and said, “We are thrilled to become the partner of Alibaba Cloud’s Project Asia Forward 2021 as digital cloud infrastructure is central to the growth of digital innovation. We are excited to be part of the PAF community and look forward to contributing more.”
As announced at this year’s Apsara Conference, Alibaba Cloud’s Project AsiaForward is thrilled to be working with the following community partners:
- CoHive is Indonesia’s largest and fastest-growing coworking space that provides flexible workspaces, business services, and networking for entrepreneurs and startups.
- Draper Startup House is part of a global network connected to services, education, and investment, with locations in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, and more.
- Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks is a statutory body dedicated to building a vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem through connecting stakeholders, nurturing talents and collaboration, and catalyzing innovations in Hong Kong.
- Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) leads Malaysia’s digital transformation with the aim to enable a progressive, innovation-led digital economy.
- Quest Ventures is one of Asia’s leading VCs that focuses on an overarching “digital commerce” strategy and is one of the largest early-stage technology investors in artificial intelligence, e-commerce and marketplaces, entertainment, finance, food, insurance, logistics, media, property, sports, and the Islamic digital economy.
- RISE is a leading corporate innovation powerhouse based in Southeast Asia.
- ScaleUp Malaysia is an accelerator for Malaysian companies looking to scale and grow.
- StartupIndonesia is a one-stop platform for Indonesian startups that provides a startup directory, online mentoring, product marketplace, and exclusive content.
- Sunwah Innovation Centre Ho Chi Minh City connects universities, incubators, accelerators, investors, corporations, and other resources in Vietnam, to create an international innovation ecosystem that fuels startups’ growth and success.
- Singapore University of Technology and Design Venture, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VIE) nurtures technologically grounded innovators and entrepreneurs to serve societal needs, providing high-level support and avenues for venture-building, incubation, and other entrepreneurship activities.
- True Digital Park is Southeast Asia’s largest tech and startup hub by size, spanning over 200,000 square meters, and hosts startups, entrepreneurs, tech companies, investors, accelerators, incubators, and government agencies in its integrated ecosystem.
- University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City’s Institute of Innovation (UII) is a sci-tech organization that acts as the university’s innovation and entrepreneurship center.
- WHub is Hong Kong’s startup community platform and power connector, passionate about fostering the growth of startups and the entire tech innovation ecosystem.