Cambodia Investment Review
The Pinnacle Entrepreneurs 2025 Forum hosted by the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN) concluded at Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra with a clear message from regional leaders: ASEAN’s next decade of economic growth will depend on empowering women entrepreneurs and strengthening digital-driven business ecosystems across borders.
The forum and gala, which brought together ministers, commercial institutions, investors, and women business leaders from across Southeast Asia, focused heavily on practical pathways for scaling women-led enterprises, improving investment readiness, and unlocking regional market access.
A Regional Call to Scale Women’s Entrepreneurship
At the centre of the discussions was the keynote address delivered by H.E. Sun Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Hun Manet. Reflecting on Cambodia’s economic momentum and ASEAN’s growing innovation landscape, he highlighted that women entrepreneurs are increasingly shaping solutions in high-growth sectors and must be supported with the tools, financing, and networks required to compete globally.
While acknowledging progress in recent years, the Deputy Prime Minister pointed to persistent structural barriers limiting entrepreneurial scale, including restricted access to funding, limited cross-border mentorship networks, and fragmented regional collaboration. Addressing these gaps, he said, will be decisive for ASEAN’s economic competitiveness.
Four Priorities to Advance Women-Led Enterprises
A major takeaway from the event was the agreement among policymakers and business leaders on four strategic priorities to accelerate women’s entrepreneurship at scale across ASEAN:
- Expand cross-border business connections to unlock market access and strengthen ASEAN-wide entrepreneurial networks through platforms like PEF.
- Improve access to funding and mentorship programmes to support scalable business growth in both early-stage and expansion-stage ventures.
- Increase adoption of technology across sectors — positioning digital innovation as a key equaliser helping women-led businesses become regionally competitive.
- Promote sustainable, impact-driven business models that leverage ASEAN’s strengths in renewable energy, responsible agriculture, and socially responsible enterprises.
Speakers throughout the day echoed these priorities, highlighting opportunities to bolster the pipeline of high-potential women entrepreneurs and ensure they are positioned to benefit from global capital flows and emerging digital markets.
Digital Transformation at the Centre of ASEAN’s Growth Strategy
Panels and keynote addresses across the forum emphasised the acceleration of digital transformation in Southeast Asia. Success stories were shared across fintech, e-commerce, digital payments, healthtech, and cloud-enabled services — sectors that continue to attract cross-border investment into Cambodia and the wider region.
Commentators noted that Cambodia’s digitally driven growth — with rising investor confidence and over 600 quality investment projects approved by the CDC to date — positions the Kingdom as an attractive hub for scaling ASEAN-focused ventures.
Read More: ASEAN’s 2045 Vision, Powered by Technology Transformation
AWEN Award Gala Night Celebrates Regional Leadership
The day concluded with the AWEN Award Gala Night, recognising more than 100 women entrepreneurs from across ASEAN for their achievements in leadership, enterprise development, and social impact. The ceremony also marked the official handover of the AWEN Chairwomanship from Cambodia to Lao PDR, presided over by regional ministers and ASEAN leaders — symbolising continuity and collaboration across member states.
The 2025 edition of PEF and AWEN reaffirmed Cambodia’s role in convening ASEAN’s entrepreneurial community and underscored a shared commitment to building a more connected, digitally capable, and gender-inclusive regional economy.
