ATLAS Alliance Officially Launched at Tokyo Innovation Base to Boost Regional Startup Collaboration in ASEAN

At the vibrant stage of Tokyo Innovation Base on the 7th of May 2025, a new chapter in Southeast Asia’s innovation landscape was officially launched with the unveiling of ATLAS (Accelerating Transformation & Linkage for Advancing Startups) — a strategic alliance formed by the region’s leading startup ecosystem builders with a shared vision to catalyze regional collaboration and amplify the impact of cross-border innovation across ASEAN.

ATLAS was co-founded by four prominent ecosystem enablers

• TechShake (Philippines)
• KUMPUL (Indonesia)
• Techsauce (Thailand)
• InnoLab Asia (Vietnam)

These founding members bring with them a decade-long track record of nurturing startups, accelerating innovation, and facilitating collaboration among entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, and policymakers throughout Asia Pacific.

Why ATLAS?

Southeast Asia has emerged as one of the most dynamic and opportunity-rich regions for entrepreneurship and technology. Each founding country brings unique strengths that contribute to ATLAS’s collective momentum:

• Indonesia boasts a large, tech-savvy population and a rapidly expanding digital economy, making it one of the region’s most dynamic startup markets.
• The Philippines benefits from a strong services sector and rising digital adoption, with its startup ecosystem strengthened by government-backed innovation programs.
• Vietnam has positioned itself as a key hub for innovation and tech-driven manufacturing, with increasing recognition as a center for emerging technologies in Asia.
• Thailand plays a pivotal role in regional innovation through its public-private partnerships, digital transformation agenda, and leadership in ecosystem building — making it a strategic driver of scalable innovation and tech policy.

About the ATLAS Alliance

ATLAS is more than an alliance; it is a movement to unite the region’s innovation champions. The alliance was formed to:

• Facilitate Cross-Border Collaboration by encouraging strategic partnerships across the region, enabling knowledge exchange, resource sharing, and market expansion.
• Foster a Thriving Entrepreneurial Ecosystem by cultivating inclusive, dynamic innovation environments that evolve in response to emerging trends and future challenges.
• Promote Continuous Innovation and Adaptation through programs that support sustainable growth and technological advancement.

Core Activities

To achieve its mission, ATLAS will drive several key initiatives:

• In-Person Convergence for Collective Innovation: Hosting strategic convenings, summits, and delegations across the APAC region.
• Ecosystem Insights through Global Partnership Whitepapers: Producing thought leadership and research to guide ecosystem development.
• Global Market Access Accelerator Program: Supporting startups in entering and scaling across new international markets.

Governance & Growth Roadmap

In its initial phase, the founding members form the ATLAS Alliance Committee, responsible for setting the alliance's strategic direction, structure, and programming. In Phase 2, starting in Q2 2025, ATLAS will expand its membership to include strategic partners who align with the alliance’s vision and meet eligibility criteria.

Membership Criteria

To join ATLAS, potential partners must demonstrate:

• A strategic fit and mission alignment in supporting startups, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
• Relevant industry expertise, including investors (VCs, CVCs, angels), incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, innovation hubs, or government ecosystem supporters.
• A commitment to sustainability and long-term collaboration, including measurable impact in areas such as job creation, investment, and innovation programs.

Benefits for Members

ATLAS members will enjoy exclusive access to:

• Conference Invitations Across APAC
• Premium Networking and Resource Sharing
• Regular Ecosystem Insights Reports
• Strategic Collaborative Projects, such as co-developed programs, joint initiatives, and ecosystem-wide pilots.

A Milestone Moment

This launch was marked by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing between the founding leaders, symbolizing a unified commitment to shaping Southeast Asia’s future through innovation:

• Kotaro Adachi, Co-Founder and CEO, TechShake
• Faye Wongso, Founder and Chairperson, KUMPUL
• Oranuch (Mimee) Lerdsuwankij, Co-Founder and CEO, Techsauce
• Cong-Thang HUYNH EMBA, Co-Founder and CEO, InnoLab Asia

As ATLAS moves forward, the alliance welcomes conversations with global stakeholders who are passionate about shaping the next generation of innovation and entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia.

Interested in partnering with ATLAS or learning more? Fill out our interest form