Southeast Asia needs more support in nurturing deep tech startups

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

20220526 Panel discussion Change the world from Asia - A future created by entrepreneurs

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)

TSUBASA SURUGA and RYOTARO SATO, Nikkei staff writers

May 26, 2022 19:20 JST

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.