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The Symposium Micro-, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups are propelling innovation and growth in the Asia Pacific region and are playing an important role in shaping a new commerce landscape. More money is flowing from nontraditional venture capital investors into innovative companies, offering tremendous opportunities for returns and at the same time, channeling fresh ideas and disrupting the broader ecology of innovation and the way MSMEs are doing business. Lessons learned from successes in the start-up world are growing expertise on how to pick winners and invest in innovation. The one-day symposium APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership Symposium on Innovative and Dynamic Startups and MSMEs will be held September 11, 2017 in Ho Chi Minh City. Planned in the margins of the APEC Ministerial Meetings, which run from September 11-15, the symposium is focused on sharing the expertise of the institutions educating young entrepreneurs, the leaders of incubators and the companies they have banked on, the investors who are growing the sector and the regulators who are trying to keep pace. Every year, the SME Ministerial Meetings are held to discuss the role and importance of MSMES, the direction of policy-making, fostering MSME growth and recommendations for APEC action. The symposium will offer fresh insights to the perspectives of the Ministers and representatives, and will seek to foster cross-border collaborations throughout the region APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership The APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership is funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. The objective of the initiative is to build the potential of MSMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs in APEC developing economies to foster sustainable growth and poverty reduction through the creation of an APEC MSME Sub-fund, administered by the APEC Secretariat, and the application of relevant Canadian MSME research, policy and management best practices. The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada s mission is to be Canada s catalyst for engagement with Asia and Asia s bridge to Canada. A thought leader on the Canada-Asia relationship for over 30 years, we offer clear, specific and actionable policy advice based on sound research and analysis. The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is the designated center and secretariat for three transpacific organizations that bring together, in different combinations, government, business, and academia. These are the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council (ABAC), the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Study Center (APEC Study Center).
Agenda: Innovative and Dynamic Startups and MSMEs in the APEC Region September 11, 2017 Reverie Saigon Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City Timing Title Description Speaker(s) 8:00-8:30 Registration 08:30 to 08:40 08:40 to 08:55 08:55 to 10:15 10:15 to 10:35 10:35 to 12:10 Welcome Remarks Presentation: APEC Rising- An Overview of the Obstacles and Opportunities The Landscape A lively discussion between leaders from key stakeholder groups on how investment in start-ups can accelerate growth for MSMEs. Networking Break coffee and tea The Disrupters MSMEs at different stages of development. What they need to be successful, how they need access to customers, what financing works for them and how government policies are working or stifling their growth. Ms. Ping Kitnikone, Ambassador of Canada to Mr. Hoang Van Dung, Director General, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ABAC Chair Dr. Huy Hoa Huynh, Vice-Director, Da Nang Institute for Socio-Economic Development, Dr. Elizabeth Newton, Canada (10 minute presentation) Ms. Thach Le Anh, CEO, Silicon Valley Mr. Tran Vu Nguyen, CEO, Da Nang Business Incubator Mr. Guillermo Manuel Montinola Luz, Associate Director, Ayala Corporation, Philippines Moderator: Mr. Matthew Saunders, President of Ryerson Futures, Canada Dr. Gisele Yasmeen, Canada (10-minute presentation) Mr. Mike Tran, Founder and CEO, Ticketbox.vn, Mr. Truong Nguyen, Founder and CEO, Chopp.vn Ms. Denise Thi, Managing Director, Isobar 12:10-12:30 Break (buffet lunch begins) Moderator: Mr. Kyle Nunas, Consul General for Canada to Ho Chi Minh City 12:30 to 14:00 The Investors (Lunch Panel) Lunch with some of the leading investors in the region. What are investors looking for in start-ups and what do they need to expand their investmen ts in the region? Mr. Montri Mahaplerkpong, Thailand Mr. Tuan Anh Phan, Founder, Angels 4 Us, Mr. Pham Duy Hiew (Henry), CEO, Startup Foundation Mr. Matthew Saunders, President of Ryerson Futures, Canada
14:00 to 15:30 The Regulators What APEC governments are doing to accelerate innovation and technology? How are they making business easier? How hard is it to set up and shut down a business? How easy is it to finance a start-up? Moderator: Ms. Tang Shuyin, Unitus Impact, Ms. Lan Phan, National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Development, (10-minute presentation) Mr. Nguyen Hoa Cuong, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Planning and Investment Dr. Hari Santoso Sungkari, Deputy Head of BEKRAF, Indonesia 15:30 to 15:45 15:45 to 17:15 17:15 to 17:30 Networking Break coffee and tea The Corporates What they need and what are their expectations. How can startups and MSMES become corporate partners instead of corporate disrupters? A Pathway Forward: Concluding Remarks Moderator: Mr. Wayne Farmer, Chair, Canada-ASEAN Business Council Mr. Francis Tuan Anh Nguyen, Development Experience Leader, Microsoft Corporation, USA Ms. Nguyen Phuong Nga, Chief Operating Officer, VP9 Ms. Veronica Lukito, Ancora Capital Management, Indonesia Mr. Toan Nguyen, Founder and CEO, TP&P Technology, Mr. Lam Minh Chanh, Founder and CEO, SuperVIP; Co-founder, Management and Startup Community,. Moderator: Ms. Vilupti Lok Barrineau, Senior Director, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada