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The Future of Asia 2022

Southeast Asia needs more support in nurturing deep tech startups

Finding right talents and investors a key challenge for fast-growing region

Sandhya Sriram (left), CEO and co-founder of Singapore's Shiok Meats, says that Asia needs more bio entrepreneurs, while Real Tech Holdings President Akitaka Wilhelm Fujii believes that deep tech startups face challenges in hiring talent and finding investors. (Photo by Tomoki Mera) 

TOKYO -- Southeast Asia's startup ecosystem has been growing rapidly, with more and more companies minted as unicorns in recent years, but additional support must be offered to deep technology companies that focus on extensive research and development, two industry leaders said.

Speaking at the 27th Future of Asia conference in Tokyo on Thursday, Japanese venture fund Real Tech Holdings President Akitaka Wilhelm Fujii said deep tech startups face challenges in hiring talent and finding investors. Sandhya Sriram, CEO and co-founder of Singapore's Shiok Meats, in which Real Tech has a stake, said bio startups like hers should be more common as they can help to stave off global crises in the future.

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