HANOI, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Some of the most innovative start-up companies from the ASEAN region will be featured for the first time at the World Economic Forum on ASEAN here on Sept. 11-13, its organizers said here on Saturday.
Among nearly 300 start-ups from across Southeast Asia applied to join the forum, 80 were selected by a panel of judges from start-up accelerators, venture capital funds, technology experts and media leaders.
The selected start-ups represent a wide variety of sectors, from financial services, logistics and e-commerce to agriculture, media and healthcare.
Their products and services range from smart fertilizers that reduce nitrous oxide emissions, a potent greenhouse gas, to sharia-compliant bitcoins to new healthcare options for elderly care.
"We expect the startups to make an important contribution to shaping the debates at the meeting about the impact and course of new technologies and disruptive business models. We believe that they will enrich important discussions about how to upgrade innovation ecosystems and promote entrepreneurship," said Justin Wood, Head of Asia Pacific and Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum.
The startups will also benefit from their interactions with the other 1,000 participants at the forum, including 90 government ministers and 600 business leaders from more established companies, he added.
