- Echelon has revealed the first 26 startups in its TOP100 Program for this year.
- Participants from beyond Southeast Asia will be spotlighted in 2024, with startups emerging from India, Bangladesh, and Taiwan.
- As the startup ecosystem matures, the program has shifted its mentorship focus to business resilience and sustainable regional growth.
Echelon, the premier tech and startup conference in Southeast Asia organized by e27, has announced the first 26 shortlisted participants in its TOP100 Program for 2024. Launched in 2012, the TOP100 is a curated growth program for startups across the region to gain visibility, mentorship, and funding opportunities.
From cybersecurity to artificial intelligence, this year’s participants span beyond Southeast Asia, with startups from India, Bangladesh, and Taiwan emerging. “We are proud to see applicants and candidates emerge from beyond our traditional Southeast Asian borders. This goes to show the impact we have made on startups across Asia”, said Mohan Belani, CEO and Co-Founder of e27. “We have a pool of very impressive applicants, and the 26 shortlisted startups are poised to revolutionize their respective fields. This makes us very excited to see what the rest of the program will bring.”
The first 26 shortlisted participants include startups from Laos, the Philippines, and Malaysia along with Singaporean applicants. The list includes names such as Careera (Singapore), Fina Fintech (Laos), Edge Tutor (the Philippines), dentall Co. Ltd. (Taiwan), The Mango Jelly (India), PriyoShop (Bangladesh), Talent Hero Ventures (Singapore), among others.
These startups will participate in the TOP100 program in March, where they will have the privilege of exclusive access to events, mentorship, workshops, and 800+ investors on the e27 PRO Connect platform. They will also be active participants at Echelon X through their exhibition booths and will have a chance to showcase their ideas on the Pitch Stage during the milestone 10th event in Singapore on 15-16 May 2024.
Over the years, the program has witnessed the participation and showcasing of various notable players in today’s startup ecosystem such as 99.co, Edukasyon.ph, FOMO Pay, Lalamove, Gojek, Carousell, and Carro. Priyoshop, a participant in 2023, has since gone on to raise US$ 5 million in funding. Priyoshop is now, joining the stage in 2024 too, to get another boost to their growth.
In its 10th year, the program has evolved to match the dynamic landscape, focusing on providing a multitude of opportunities curated to meet the needs of more mature startups. This includes workshops and mentoring aimed at fostering business resilience and sustainable growth. “The TOP100 Program gives us an opportunity to support and collaborate with the up-and-coming startups across the region. This year, we have a very promising initial group of startups, and we eagerly anticipate revealing more startups to you soon”, added Belani.