13/10/2026
“Southeast Asia has the potential to be more than a market for emerging technologies. It can be a place where innovation is built, tested, and scaled.”
Matt Van Leeuwen, CEO of Sunway iLabs, shared this perspective during a panel at the SE Asia SF Salon #2 during SF Tech Week, alongside Ken Moon Wong from Enterprise Singapore and Joseph Chin from Video Claw, moderated by Samantha Lee from TechBrews.
Bringing together over 500 founders, investors, and ecosystem builders, the event highlighted the growing interest in strengthening connections between Southeast Asia and Silicon Valley.
The discussion explored the rapid evolution of AI, particularly the shift from AI copilots to autonomous agents, and what it takes for Southeast Asia to participate in this next wave of innovation.
Beyond capital and technology, Matt emphasised the importance of nurturing entrepreneurial talent, building cross-border trust, and understanding local markets. More importantly, he highlighted how real-world technology adoption can serve as one of the strongest bridges between both ecosystems.
At Sunway iLabs, this means going beyond venture investments to identify opportunities for emerging technologies to be adopted, deployed, and scaled across Sunway's businesses, turning global innovation into practical applications.
The ambition is clear: to see Southeast Asia not only embrace the next generation of technology, but also produce more founders and innovations that can compete on the global stage.
A special thank you to 500 Global and Khailee Ng for organising the event and bringing together both ecosystems for these meaningful conversations.