Korea‑ASEAN AI Youth Festa Programme 2025
A flagship competition and accelerator for AI startups across ASEAN and Korea — culminating in a Demo Day in Kuala Lumpur with cash prizes and tech support.
🔍 Quick Snapshot
- Provider: NIPA (Korea) + ASEAN Secretariat + Cradle Fund (Malaysia)
- Opportunity Type: International AI Startup Competition & Accelerator
- Funding: Prizes up to KRW 28M (~USD 20,000)
- Deadline: 20 Aug 2025 (local time)
- Eligibility: AI startups or pre-startups across ASEAN & Korea
- Location: Online (8-week program) + Kuala Lumpur (Demo Day)
🤖 About the Programme
The Korea‑ASEAN AI Youth Festa is a high-impact competition and acceleration programme supporting early-stage AI startups tackling SDG challenges. Two teams per ASEAN country and Korea will be selected for a two-month online bootcamp followed by a live Demo Day in Kuala Lumpur during the Startup ASEAN Summit.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
- AI startups founded after 21 Aug 2018 or pre-startups (not yet registered)
- Team must include at least one national of an ASEAN country or Korea
- Only two teams will be selected per country (22 total participants)
- Must be working on AI innovations aligned with Sustainable Development Goals
- Application deadline: 20 August 2025
🎁 Programme Benefits
- Participation in a structured 8-week online acceleration programme by Y&ARCHER (Korea)
- Access to cloud credits (Google Cloud, AWS, Naver) and market research tools
- Fully sponsored travel (flight + 3 nights hotel) to Kuala Lumpur for Demo Day
- Networking with investors, corporates, and AI innovators from ASEAN & Korea
- Cash Prizes: 1st – KRW 28M | 2nd – KRW 14M | 3rd – KRW 7M
📝 How to Apply
- Visit the Startup ASEAN Event Page
- Register and complete the application form before 20 August 2025
- Upload documents verifying founding status or pre-startup stage
- Submit pitch materials and respond to evaluation prompts
- Shortlisted teams will undergo a virtual pitching round
- Finalists join the accelerator and pitch at Demo Day in Kuala Lumpur
📅 Programme Timeline
- Application Deadline: 20 August 2025
- Online Acceleration: September – October 2025 (~8 weeks)
- Demo Day & Awards: 3–5 November 2025, Kuala Lumpur
- Winners Announced: During Startup ASEAN Summit
🚀 Join ASEAN–Korea's AI Innovation Wave
Compete, connect, and grow with early-stage AI ventures solving tomorrow’s challenges today.
Apply via Startup ASEANQuestions? Email aiyouthfesta.official@gmail.com
Curated by Growth Forum Malaysia — connecting ASEAN’s next-gen innovators with global opportunities.
Source: Startup ASEAN | Digital News Asia
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