The Asian Development Bank has teamed up with Japan’s international aid agency to help Japanese startups bring their technology to developing economies across Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
ADB, through its venture capital program ADB Ventures, launched the Southeast Asia Emerging Entrepreneurs Kickstart (SEEK) in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to help promising startups scale solutions to complex development challenges in the region. The initiative was unveiled in Nagoya, Japan, on July 15.
SEEK will support companies developing innovations in areas including clean energy, sustainable industry, smart mobility, logistics, sustainable agriculture, circular economy, inclusive finance, digital economy, and resilient communities.
Eligible companies will be considered for seed funding of up to $400,000 to help advance their solutions from market exploration to commercial deployment. The program is backed by the High-Level Technology Fund, an ADB trust fund financed by the Government of Japan.
ADB and JICA have launched SEEK — the Southeast Asia Emerging Entrepreneurs Kickstart — to help promising startups scale solutions to development challenges across Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
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— Asian Development Bank (@ADB_HQ) July 22, 2026
ADB Director General for Private Sector Operations Isabel Chatterton said early-stage companies working on pressing development challenges often struggle to raise capital, particularly in emerging markets.
She said JICA will help prepare startups for regional expansion while ADB Ventures supplies the early-stage capital needed to grow.
The program will initially target startups based in Japan, drawing on the country’s expertise in technology and innovation and its growing community of startups focused on development solutions for Asia and the Pacific.
Selected companies will get access to market-entry support, connections to potential customers, investors and partners across the region, and guidance from experts in various fields.
Takaaki Nomoto, director of the Multilateral Development Banks Division at Japan’s Ministry of Finance, said many Japanese startups have innovative technologies with strong potential to address development challenges in ADB’s developing member countries.
He said the initiative is expected to help solve regional development challenges while also supporting Japanese firms’ expansion into global markets, and expressed hope that SEEK will accelerate the piloting and market adaptation of these technologies and bridge early-stage innovations with sustainable development outcomes.
Beyond individual companies, SEEK aims to establish a replicable model connecting startup innovations with market and development needs. Japan-based startups interested in exploring opportunities in Southeast Asia and the Pacific can submit a company profile and pitch deck to SEEK for consideration.
