Overview

Thailand’s startup ecosystem had its early beginnings almost two decades ago when the country’s long-term goal of shifting from a largely agrarian economy to one driven by science and innovation began to take shape. The National Innovation Agency (NIA), a public organization under auspices of the Ministry of Science and Technology was created in 2003 as part of a strategy to supervise and manage Thailand’s startup ecosystem and stimulate innovations and create dynamism in the market. While Thailand has implemented several important measures to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation, many Thai startups continue to struggle when compared to those in Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, and other countries in Southeast Asia.

What’s missing?

There are very few consultants in Thailand willing to mentor startups on the critical steps that must be taken (and those wich should be avoided) in order to transform a great idea into a great business. The consultants and advisors currently in the market are:

• 01 Too expensive, especially for early-stage startups
• 02 Risk-averse
• 03 Unable to provide mentoring/ coaching to startup founders
• 04 Unable to provide a one-stop advisory service
• 05 Not focused on the specified issues faced by startups
• 06 Not familiar with Thailand’s startup ecosystem, including key players/ pitfalls