CHIȘINĂU, Moldova, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Startup Moldova Summit 2026 showcased Moldova's growing position as a startup destination for capital, talent and EU market access, bringing over 2,000 participants, 150 startups, 60 speakers and international investors to Chișinău for the largest edition of the country's flagship startup event to date.
Organised by Startup Moldova, the Summit announced new international partnerships with Unicorn Factory Lisbon, the Ukrainian Startup Fund and SeedBlink, strengthening Moldova's links to European acceleration programmes, angel investor networks and cross-border innovation opportunities.
At the official opening, Olga Melniciuc, CEO of Startup Moldova, highlighted the ecosystem's rapid progress:
"Moldova's ecosystem has grown to over 300 companies, expanding by 20% year over year. In 2025 alone, startups generated over $60 million in revenue, created over 1,500 jobs, and attracted over $17 million in investment, demonstrating that startups are becoming a real driver of the country's economic growth. TThe theme of the Summit — 'Born in Moldova. Built for the World.' — reflects the ambitiousness of our founders, who are building companies designed to compete globally from day one."
Strategic partnerships announced during the Summit will expand Moldova's startup connectivity. Through signed memorandums Unicorn Factory Lisbon and Startup Moldova will support Moldovan startups in accessing international acceleration programmes and scaling opportunities on EU markets.
Moldova Innovation Technology Park (MITP), Startup Moldova and the Ukrainian Startup Fund partnership will facilitate cross-border cooperation, access to funding and integration into the European innovation landscape.
SeedBlink and Startup Moldova announced the launch of the crowdinvesting platform allowing Moldovan startups to raise capital through syndicated investment rounds and connect with European angel investor networks.
Sergiu Rabii, Director of the Innovate Moldova Programme, funded by Sweden and the United Kingdom, emphasised the importance of these collaborations:
"These partnerships show that Moldova's startup ecosystem is becoming more connected and internationally relevant. By improving access to capital, expertise and markets, Sweden and the United Kingdom are helping Moldovan founders scale faster and build companies with global potential."
Moldova's broader business environment is also becoming more attractive for technology companies and founders. MITP offers a 7% flat tax for eligible IT and digital activities. The country is advancing digital nomad and remote work frameworks, preparing a Fund of Funds to expand access to venture and equity capital, and developing Moldova HiTech Park as a future platform for deeptech, R&D and advanced technology industries. Investments in contactless business, e-governance and digital public infrastructure, including the EVO government app, are simplifying public and business-facing services.
The Delegation of the European Union in Chișinău reiterated its support for strengthening Moldova's innovation ecosystem and connecting it to European opportunities. Julien Schmitt, Director of the EU4Innovation East programme, noted:
"Startup Moldova Summit 2026 reflects the continued progress of Moldova's entrepreneurial ecosystem. For the second consecutive year, the European Union, through EU4Innovation East, is proud to support this platform that connects founders, investors and international markets. As the number of startups in Moldova grows, so does the need for stronger support structures and access to capital."
The Summit also featured a Startup Alley where 42 startups showcased their products, and the national final of the Startup World Cup pitching competition. Ten startups pitched to a jury composed of international investors. Prompted AI won and will represent Moldova at the Global Final in San Francisco, competing for the $1M prize. LyricFluent and Argus AI secured second and third place.
Startup Moldova Summit 2026 concluded with a clear message: Moldova is becoming a notable destination for startup investment and global innovation, giving founders improved access to capital, expertise and markets, while offering international partners a fast-developing innovation ecosystem close to the European Union.
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Startup Moldova Summit 2026 spotlights Moldova's rise as a startup gateway to European markets
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia's most distinguished business leaders and high-performing enterprises took center stage at the Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards (APEA) 2026 Regional Edition, recognized for forging enduring legacies of excellence, innovation, and sustainable growth. Organized by Enterprise Asia, the prestigious awards ceremony was held on 15 July 2026 at InterContinental Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Under the theme "Forging Legacy: Celebrating Excellence, Inspiring Tomorrow", the Awards celebrated outstanding enterprises and visionary leaders whose achievements have created lasting impact across their industries and communities. The Awards paid tribute to industry leaders that exemplify excellence, resilience, foresight, and sustainable growth, whose commitment to innovation, responsible business practices, and long-term value creation continues to inspire future generations and contribute to Asia's economic advancement.
More than 100 nominations from across the region underwent a rigorous judging process conducted by a distinguished panel of experts. Nominees were assessed based on leadership excellence, business performance, innovation, sustainability, governance, and overall impact. Following extensive deliberations, exceptional winners were selected across five award categories: Master Entrepreneur, Inspirational Brand, Fast Enterprise, Corporate Excellence, and the newly introduced Corporate Integrity and Governance Excellence Award, which recognizes organizations demonstrating exemplary governance, ethical leadership, transparency, and effective risk management.
Since 2007, the Awards has been organized throughout the region, recognizing exceptional business leaders and enterprises that have made significant contributions to entrepreneurship and economic development. Past recipients include Mr. Kwek Leng Beng of Hong Leong Group Singapore, Thailand's Supaluck Umpujh of The Mall Group, China's Xu RongMao of Shimao Group, Indonesia's Hary Tanoesoedibjo of MNC Group, India's Adi Godrej of Godrej Group, the Philippines' Manuel Villar of Vista Land, and Hoe Kian Choon of Cuckoo Malaysia.
During his welcome address, President of Enterprise Asia Richard Tsang emphasized that in today's rapidly changing environment, enterprises must go beyond adaptation and actively shape the future through innovation, collaboration, and bold leadership. He highlighted that those who embrace transformation with purpose will be best positioned to drive sustainable growth and create lasting impact.
This year's distinguished awardees comprise inspiring leaders under the Master Entrepreneur category such as Datuk David Chong Kok Wei, CEO of Chong Kia Hoi Realty Sdn Bhd, and Na Chin Teong, Managing Director of Koike (M) Sdn Bhd, recognized for steering their organizations to greater heights through vision, resilience, and entrepreneurial excellence.
Awardees under the Inspirational Brand category include Thailand's Electricity Generating Authority Of Thailand (EGAT) and Malaysia's Metrocity. Rising enterprises such as Wellous Indonesia and OneAssist Consumer Solutions Private Limited of India took home the Fast Enterprise Award, while industry leaders including Malaysia's Sunway Medical Centre Penang were celebrated under the Corporate Excellence category, and the inaugural Corporate Integrity and Governance Excellence Award was presented to exemplary organizations such as Singapore's Kaplan Higher Education Academy and Arvato Systems Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
Prior to the APEA 2026 Regional Edition, the Asia Economic Forum (AEF) 2026 convened business leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and industry experts from across the region to explore the forces shaping Asia's next phase of economic growth.
Held under the theme "Accelerating Transformation: Pioneering Asia's Next Economic Chapter", the Forum convened international policymakers and industry leaders to explore strategies for navigating an increasingly complex global landscape shaped by rapid technological advancement, shifting workforce dynamics, and evolving sustainability expectations.
Tan Sri Dr. Fong Chan Onn, Chairman of Enterprise Asia, set the tone for the Forum by highlighting key shifts reshaping Asia's economic landscape, from trade volatility and technological disruption to rising sustainability demands. He noted that AI and digital innovation are accelerating industry change, stressing that future growth will be driven by enterprises that adapt quickly, collaborate, and lead with bold strategies.
The Forum featured distinguished speakers from the public and private sectors, including Jarod Ho, Head of Sustainability at Pos Malaysia and Paul Puspanathan, Global Supply Chain Controller & Global SC Finance Shared Service Leader at Baker Hughes. Alongside other industry leaders, they shared valuable insights on emerging trends, disruptive technologies, sustainable growth strategies, and the leadership required to shape Asia's next chapter of economic transformation.
The AEF 2026 and APEA 2026 Regional Edition are supported by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia, CCI France Malaysia, Consortium of Indian Industries in Malaysia (CIIM), EUROCHAM Malaysia, and Myanmar Business Executives Association (MBE), with PR Newswire serving as the Official News Release Distribution Partner and Dailywire.asia as the Media Partner. RKT & Associates PLT is the Official Assurance Partner for the APEA 2026 Regional Edition.
AWARD RECIPIENT LIST OF THE ASIA PACIFIC ENTERPRISE AWARDS (APEA) 2026 REGIONAL EDITION
| MASTER ENTREPRENEUR CATEGORY |
| NAME | COMPANY | INDUSTRY | COUNTRY/ MARKET |
| DATUK DAVID CHONG KOK WEI CEO | CHONG KIA HOI REALTY SDN BHD | PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT | MALAYSIA |
| TEOH HIN HENG MANAGING PARTNER | I CONSULTANCY | PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS SERVICES | MALAYSIA |
| NA CHIN TEONG MANAGING DIRECTOR | KOIKE (M) SDN BHD | AUTOMOTIVE | MALAYSIA |
| SERAWA ANAK BUDOL GENERAL MANAGER | MIRI PORT AUTHORITY | TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS | MALAYSIA |
| GRAHAME ASTON OWNER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR | PPC MOULDING SERVICES (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD | MANUFACTURING | MALAYSIA |
| EDDY CHONG | R-TECH GLOBAL (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD | ENGINEERING | MALAYSIA |
| JEFF CHEAH | SENI JAYA CORPORATION BERHAD | MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT | MALAYSIA |
MASTER ENTREPRENEUR CATEGORY
NAME
COMPANY
INDUSTRY
COUNTRY/ MARKET
DATUK DAVID CHONG KOK WEI
CEO
CHONG KIA HOI REALTY SDN BHD
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT
MALAYSIA
TEOH HIN HENG
MANAGING PARTNER
I CONSULTANCY
PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS SERVICES
MALAYSIA
NA CHIN TEONG
MANAGING DIRECTOR
KOIKE (M) SDN BHD
AUTOMOTIVE
MALAYSIA
SERAWA ANAK BUDOL
GENERAL MANAGER
MIRI PORT AUTHORITY
TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS
MALAYSIA
GRAHAME ASTON
OWNER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR
PPC MOULDING SERVICES (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD
MANUFACTURING
MALAYSIA
EDDY CHONG
R-TECH GLOBAL (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD
ENGINEERING
MALAYSIA
JEFF CHEAH
SENI JAYA CORPORATION BERHAD
MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT
MALAYSIA
| FAST ENTERPRISE CATEGORY |
| COMPANY | INDUSTRY | COUNTRY/ MARKET |
| AGROZ GROUP SDN BHD | AGRICULTURE | MALAYSIA |
| ANGSANA TUNAS SDN. BHD. | CONSTRUCTION | MALAYSIA |
| GOLD KEY FNB SDN BHD | FOOD & BEVERAGE | MALAYSIA |
| I CONSULTANCY | PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS SERVICES | MALAYSIA |
| KOIKE (M) SDN BHD | AUTOMOTIVE | MALAYSIA |
| ONEASSIST CONSUMER SOLUTIONS PVT LTD | PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS SERVICES | INDIA |
| PPC MOULDING SERVICES (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD | MANUFACTURING | MALAYSIA |
| SENI JAYA CORPORATION BERHAD | MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT | MALAYSIA |
| TRANS INTERNATIONAL LOGISTIKS SDN. BHD. | TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS | MALAYSIA |
| WELLOUS INDONESIA | WELLNESS | INDONESIA |
FAST ENTERPRISE CATEGORY
COMPANY
INDUSTRY
COUNTRY/ MARKET
AGROZ GROUP SDN BHD
AGRICULTURE
MALAYSIA
ANGSANA TUNAS SDN. BHD.
CONSTRUCTION
MALAYSIA
GOLD KEY FNB SDN BHD
FOOD & BEVERAGE
MALAYSIA
I CONSULTANCY
PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS SERVICES
MALAYSIA
KOIKE (M) SDN BHD
AUTOMOTIVE
MALAYSIA
ONEASSIST CONSUMER SOLUTIONS PVT LTD
PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS SERVICES
INDIA
PPC MOULDING SERVICES (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD
MANUFACTURING
MALAYSIA
SENI JAYA CORPORATION BERHAD
MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT
MALAYSIA
TRANS INTERNATIONAL LOGISTIKS SDN. BHD.
TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS
MALAYSIA
WELLOUS INDONESIA
WELLNESS
INDONESIA
| INSPIRATIONAL BRAND CATEGORY |
| COMPANY | INDUSTRY | COUNTRY/ MARKET |
| ELECTRICITY GENERATING AUTHORITY OF THAILAND (EGAT) | ENERGY | THAILAND |
| METROCITY | PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT | MALAYSIA |
| SUNWAY MEDICAL CENTRE PENANG | HEALTHCARE, PHARMACEUTICAL & BIOTECHNOLOGY | MALAYSIA |
INSPIRATIONAL BRAND CATEGORY
COMPANY
INDUSTRY
COUNTRY/ MARKET
ELECTRICITY GENERATING AUTHORITY OF THAILAND (EGAT)
ENERGY
THAILAND
METROCITY
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT
MALAYSIA
SUNWAY MEDICAL CENTRE PENANG
HEALTHCARE, PHARMACEUTICAL & BIOTECHNOLOGY
MALAYSIA
| CORPORATE EXCELLENCE CATEGORY |
| COMPANY | INDUSTRY | COUNTRY/ MARKET |
| BHAVIK ENTERPRISES LTD | TRADING & WHOLESALING | INDIA |
| CHONG KIA HOI REALTY SDN BHD | PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT | MALAYSIA |
| ELECTRICITY GENERATING AUTHORITY OF THAILAND (EGAT) | ENERGY | THAILAND |
| KNOWLES ELECTRONICS (M) SDN BHD | MANUFACTURING | MALAYSIA |
| PPC MOULDING SERVICES (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD | MANUFACTURING | MALAYSIA |
| SUNWAY MEDICAL CENTRE PENANG | HEALTHCARE, PHARMACEUTICAL & BIOTECHNOLOGY | MALAYSIA |
| TREC HOLDINGS SDN BHD | REAL ESTATE | MALAYSIA |
CORPORATE EXCELLENCE CATEGORY
COMPANY
INDUSTRY
COUNTRY/ MARKET
BHAVIK ENTERPRISES LTD
TRADING & WHOLESALING
INDIA
CHONG KIA HOI REALTY SDN BHD
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT
MALAYSIA
ELECTRICITY GENERATING AUTHORITY OF THAILAND (EGAT)
ENERGY
THAILAND
KNOWLES ELECTRONICS (M) SDN BHD
MANUFACTURING
MALAYSIA
PPC MOULDING SERVICES (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD
MANUFACTURING
MALAYSIA
SUNWAY MEDICAL CENTRE PENANG
HEALTHCARE, PHARMACEUTICAL & BIOTECHNOLOGY
MALAYSIA
TREC HOLDINGS SDN BHD
REAL ESTATE
MALAYSIA
| CORPORATE INTEGRITY AND GOVERNANCE EXCELLENCE CATEGORY |
| COMPANY | INDUSTRY | COUNTRY/ MARKET |
| ARVATO SYSTEMS MALAYSIA SDN BHD | TELECOMMUNICATIONS & ICT | MALAYSIA |
| EURO HOLDINGS BERHAD | FURNITURE | MALAYSIA |
| KAPLAN HIGHER EDUCATION ACADEMY | EDUCATION & TRAINING | SINGAPORE |
CORPORATE INTEGRITY AND GOVERNANCE EXCELLENCE CATEGORY
COMPANY
INDUSTRY
COUNTRY/ MARKET
ARVATO SYSTEMS MALAYSIA SDN BHD
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & ICT
MALAYSIA
EURO HOLDINGS BERHAD
FURNITURE
MALAYSIA
KAPLAN HIGHER EDUCATION ACADEMY
EDUCATION & TRAINING
SINGAPORE
About Asia Economic Forum (AEF)
Launched in 2012, the Asia Economic Forum serves as an open platform for thought leaders, policymakers, and C-level executives to unite and shape regional initiatives to improve the well-being of communities. Please visit https://economicforum.asia/ for more information.
About Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards
Launched in 2007, the Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards is the region's most prestigious award for outstanding entrepreneurship, continuous innovation, and sustainable leadership. The Award provides a platform for companies and governments to recognize entrepreneurial excellence, hence spurring greater innovation, fair business practices, and growth in entrepreneurship. As a regional award, it groups together leading entrepreneurs as a powerful voice for entrepreneurship and serves as a by-invitation-only networking powerhouse. The program has grown to encompass 16 countries/ regions and markets all over Asia. For further information, please visit www.apea.asia.
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Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards (APEA) 2026 Regional Edition Forges Legacies with Trailblazers Across Asia
