Top 25 Grants for Early-Stage Startups in Asia in 2025
Finding funds for early-stage startups can be a daunting task, especially in the dynamic and diverse landscape of Asia. To help navigate this journey, we've compiled a list of the Top 25 Grants for Early-Stage Startups in Asia in 2025, featuring detailed information about each grant. This guide will include data on eligibility, grant amounts, focus areas, and application processes.
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1. GITEX ASIA/ North Star Asia Event
When: April 23-25, 2025
Where: Singapore
Focus: Tech and Startup
Highlights: A premier event for networking and investor access. Essential for startups aiming for substantial exposure and connections.
2. Antler Pre-Seed Funding
Funding Amount: $25,000 - $200,000
Region: Southeast Asia
Focus: Angel Investors, Incubators
Use: Early expenses like prototype development available through programs like Antler.
3. Mirxes Expansion Funding
Funding Amount: $40 million
Sector: Biotech and Cancer Diagnostics
Location: Asia-Pacific
Focus: Significant expansion funding for biotech startups.
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4. Ecozen Debt Funding
Funding Amount: $23 million
Sector: Climate Tech
Location: Pune, India
Focus: Debt funding for climate technology solutions.
5. Sarla Aviation Series A1 Funding
Funding Amount: $10 million
Sector: Flying Taxis and Air Ambulance
Location: India
Focus: Series A1 funding for innovative aviation solutions.
6. Skor Technologies Pre-Series A Funding
Funding Amount: $6.2 million
Sector: Digital Credit Cards
Location: Indonesia
Focus: Funding for fintech innovations in digital credit services.
7. MetAI Seed Funding
Funding Amount: $4 million
Sector: AI and Digital Twins
Location: Taiwan
Focus: Seed funding for AI technology and digital twin solutions.
8. Search for Grants in Asia
Example Grant: "IMPACT 2.0" Funding Program
Location: India
Deadline: Jan 28, 2025
Focus: Various sectors including proposals supported by the United Nations and European agencies.
9. Plug and Play APAC
Type: Accelerator and Incubator
Region: Southeast Asia
Focus: Providing mentorship, networking, and potential funding.
10. Eight Mercatus
Type: Accelerator and Incubator
Region: Southeast Asia
Focus: Supporting startups through expertise and funding access.
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11. PIER71
Type: Accelerator and Incubator
Region: Southeast Asia
Focus: Maritime technology innovations with potential investment support.
12. Launcho Ventures
Type: Accelerator and Incubator
Region: Southeast Asia
Focus: Early-stage startups with innovative ideas in various sectors.
13. SAP.iO
Type: Accelerator and Incubator
Region: Southeast Asia
Focus: Enterprise tech solutions, providing funding and resource access.
14. Access Asia Business Grants (AABG)
Funding Amount: Up to $27,500
Eligibility: Non-Asian SMEs and organizations
Focus: Enhancing export and trade activities in Asian markets for external firms.
15. Intuit QuickBooks Grant Program
Focus: Business Development
Eligibility: Varies, generally US-based small businesses with potential applications in Asian markets.
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16. Walmart Spark Good Local Grants
Focus: Community Business Development
Eligibility: US-based businesses, benefiting from broader networking and funding.
17. Skip AI Innovation Grant
Funding Amount: $10,000
Deadline: March 15
Focus: Supporting AI innovation and development among small business owners.
18. Techloy Startup Funding Database
Relevant Database: Real-time information on startup funding activities in Asia.
Focus: Keeping track of various sector-specific funding opportunities for startups.
19. Crunchbase Early-Stage Funding Trends
Focus: Understanding venture capital trends and identifying stable areas for seed funding.
Highlights: Monitoring shifts in venture funding landscapes.
20. Asian Development Bank (ADB) Ventures
Focus: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Grants Range: Various funding programs aligned with SDGs for innovative startups in Asia.
21. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Grants
Focus: Development Projects
Eligibility: Startups working on projects aligned with Japan's international development goals.
22. UNDP Innovation Grants
Focus: Addressing Sustainable Development Goals through technological and entrepreneurial solutions.
Eligibility: Startups with innovative tech solutions for developmental issues.
23. Asean Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Grants
Focus: Regional Integration and Development
Eligibility: Startups contributing to economic growth and integration within the ASEAN region.
24. Enterprise Singapore Startup Grants
Focus: Innovation and Business Development
Eligibility: Singapore-based startups with high-growth potential.
25. National Research Foundation Singapore
Focus: Deep Tech and Research
Funding Amount: Various grants for research-driven startups.
This list illustrates the diverse opportunities for early-stage startups in Asia to secure funding in 2025. By understanding the specifics of each grant, startups can strategically align their applications to increase their chances of success.
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FAQ
Q: What is the top startup event in Asia in 2025 for networking and investor access?
A: GITEX ASIA/ North Star Asia in Singapore is ideal for networking and gaining investor access. Learn more about GITEX ASIA.
Q: Where can I find information on pre-seed funding for Southeast Asian startups?
A: Medium provides insights, suggesting pre-seed ranges from $25,000 - $200,000, with sources like Antler. Learn more about pre-seed funding.
Q: Which platform lists the latest startup funding rounds in Asia?
A: Techloy offers updates on funding rounds, including companies like Mirxes and Ecozen. Explore Techloy's funding updates.
Q: Which source discusses the venture funding landscape trends in Asia?
A: Crunchbase News highlights trends in venture funding, noting an uptick in seed funding but a decline in early-stage funding. Read more on Crunchbase.
Q: Where can I find information about government support for startups in Southeast Asia?
A: Tech Collective discusses funding trends and the role of government support in Southeast Asia. Read more on Tech Collective.
Q: Which venture capital firms are notable for early-stage investment in Southeast Asia?
A: Wavemaker Partners and other VCs in Southeast Asia provide capital, expertise, and networks. Learn more about Wavemaker Partners.
Q: Where can startups find databases of grants available in Asia?
A: Development Aid offers a database of grants, such as the "IMPACT 2.0" Funding Program in India. Search grants on Development Aid.
Q: What are some notable accelerators and incubators in Southeast Asia?
A: Tracxn lists significant accelerators like Plug and Play APAC and Eight Mercatus. Explore Tracxn's list.
Q: What grant program supports non-Asian SMEs entering Asian markets?
A: Access Asia Business Grants (AABG) provides up to $27,500 for export and trade activities. Learn more about AABG.
Q: What are some grant opportunities for US-based startups with global interests?
A: The Asian Chamber of Commerce lists grants like Walmart Spark Good Local Grants and Skip AI Innovation Grant. Explore grants on Asian Chamber of Commerce.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
