Cambodia Investment Review
The 28th edition of the “Give a Day” forum convened leading entrepreneurship ecosystem stakeholders on April 30 at Khmer Enterprise to discuss transformative strategies for nurturing Cambodia’s next generation of entrepreneurs. Under the theme “Shaping the Future: Transformative Strategies for Cambodia’s Young Entrepreneurs,” the event spotlighted the urgent need for stronger collaboration, targeted skills training, and structural support to unlock the potential of the Kingdom’s youth.
Organized by Khmer Enterprise and moderated by Swisscontact, the half-day event featured speakers from key institutions including Smart Axiata, the Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology (CADT), and Khmer Enterprise itself. The session gathered 47 participants, including representatives from Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs), academia, and the private sector, with the core focus on identifying challenges and proposing scalable solutions to bridge critical skill gaps among young entrepreneurs.
Khmer Enterprise Focuses on Early-Stage Development and Inclusivity
Opening the panel, Mr. Pork Pagna Pich, Senior Program Specialist for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Khmer Enterprise, outlined how the organization supports entrepreneurs from pre-incubation to growth stages. Khmer Enterprise’s programs emphasize technical support, mindset development, and exposure to real-world business environments.
Mr. Pagna Pich stressed that although Cambodia has a large youth population—over 60%—many young people, particularly in rural areas, face barriers including limited access to digital tools, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship education. “Only around 50 universities have adopted entrepreneurship courses,” he noted. “We are trying to fill that gap through partnerships and by equipping youth with the skills to build business models, develop products, and engage in research and marketing.”
He emphasized the need to decentralize entrepreneurial support beyond urban centers like Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. “Our programs aim to connect students to real business challenges through hackathons, six-month training intensives, and mentorship,” he said.
Smart Axiata Leverages Corporate Role in Building the Ecosystem
Representing the corporate sector, Ms. Chem Srey Oeun, Head of Corporate Affairs at Smart Axiata, highlighted the company’s commitment to developing a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. “If the community doesn’t progress, the company can’t progress either,” she said.
Smart Axiata has integrated its entrepreneurship support into its ESG commitments, with programs like the SmartStart Unipreneur Learning Platform (ULP), which has been embedded in the curriculum of 15 universities. The company is also planning to establish a Smart Incubation Centre, in addition to its existing SmartSpark and Smart Startup Space initiatives. Its co-organized Cambodia digital awards every two years and previously launched a 5 million investment fund with Mekong Strategic partners to further support startups
Ms. Srey Oeun noted that corporate involvement brings not just funding, but also credibility, mentorship, and a results-driven mindset. “It takes time and the right leadership to ensure CSR isn’t just a branding tool, but a sustainable engine for ecosystem development,” she added.
CADT Embeds Innovation and Tech in Curriculum
From the academic and innovation sector, Mr. Be Chantra, Deputy Director General at CADT, shared the institution’s integrated approach to entrepreneurship and technology. CADT has been embedding startup programs since 2008 and now runs master’s programs in innovation, AI, and tech entrepreneurship. CADT also houses a dedicated Innovation Center, offering students practical training, lab access, and prototype funding.
“CADT focuses on building the ecosystem from the ground up,” Mr. Chantra said. “We’ve supported female founders, people with disabilities, and organized inclusive platforms for underrepresented youth. Around 30% of our female students go on to become startup founders.”
Looking ahead, CADT plans to host Cambodia’s first digital conference for developers, positioning itself as a national hub for tech-driven entrepreneurship and research-based innovation.
Key Takeaways: Challenges and Collaborative Solutions
A breakout session and Q&A brought forward several challenges faced by aspiring entrepreneurs in Cambodia:
- Limited access to finance, particularly seed funding and angel investment
- Lack of market research skills and financial literacy
- Absence of coordinated national mentorship and business development platforms
- Entrepreneurship education remains fragmented and underdeveloped
Participants proposed collaborative solutions, such as:
- A national mentorship network
- Cross-university programs and shared curricula
- Digital learning platforms and storytelling of success cases
- Public-private partnerships to ensure sustainability
- Internship and incubation platforms tailored to diverse skills
Mr. Rik Overmars from SNV pointed to Malaysia’s cohesive approach as a model. “Everyone in Malaysia’s startup ecosystem talks to each other. There’s clarity of roles, dialogue, and policy support such as taxation incentives. We should aim for that level of connectivity.”
Gender Inclusion in Entrepreneurship
A question from Nomi Network raised the issue of gender in entrepreneurial success. Panelists agreed that while the initial engagement sees more male participants, women tend to outperform in the middle and later stages. At CADT, women make up 40% of students and around 30% of digital startup founders.
CADT also emphasized life skills development, with weekly speaker sessions and design thinking integrated into the curriculum to support practical learning for all students, including women in tech.
Building the Future, Together
Give a Day 28 concluded with a consensus that Cambodia’s entrepreneurial future hinges on collaboration. Whether through universities adopting experiential curricula, corporations expanding incubation programs, or government agencies supporting inclusive policy reform, all actors must align to scale efforts nationwide.
As Ms. Srey Oeun aptly noted, “We need consistency, inspiration, and platforms that encourage Cambodian youth to take risks, think big, and build sustainable ventures.”
The Give a Day event is co-financed by Khmer Enterprise, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and co-implemented by Khmer Enterprise and Swisscontact through the Enhancing Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Investments (3Ei) initiative.
