Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today attended the Startup ASEAN Summit 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, alongside H.E. Chang Lih Kang, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia. Dr. Kao delivered a Special Keynote Remarks on “The Vision of a Borderless Economy.” This event features as a milestone moment for the region’s innovation and startup ecosystem, and celebrates Malaysia’s leadership in turning vision into action with the ASEAN Startup Ignite—a powerhouse initiative that declared 2025 as the ASEAN Startup Year, launched the region’s first online startup platform linking 4,000 startups and 1,000 investors, and built an ecosystem valued at over USD 131 billion. With over 3,000 participants from across ASEAN and beyond, the Startup ASEAN Summit 2025 showcases how innovation, collaboration, and connectivity drive ASEAN’s economic transformation. Dr. Kao also took the opportunity to tour the booths and exhibitions of the Startup ASEAN Summit 2025.