Matas is a co-founder of Whatnot Venture Builder in Bangkok, Thailand.
He is also a actor/director and previous Co-founder and CEO of Gaorai, an agri-tech platform that connects farmers to freelance agri-drone pilots.
Guest Author: Matas Danielevicius
In the heart of Southeast Asia, Thailand stands as a beacon of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. With its bustling cities, vibrant culture, and tech-savvy population, the country is ripe for a startup revolution.
However, the journey towards becoming a global innovation hub is akin to planting a garden in the urban jungle; it requires nurturing the soil, sowing the right seeds, and providing ample sunlight and water.
In the context of Thailand’s startup ecosystem, this translates to building robust infrastructure and attracting top talent.
Laying the Foundations: Infrastructure as the Soil for Growth
Imagine trying to grow a tropical paradise in the middle of a city. Without the right soil, even the most resilient plants would struggle to thrive. Similarly, startups need a fertile foundation to grow, which is where infrastructure comes into play.
This encompasses everything from co-working spaces and incubators to accelerators and venture labs. These are the greenhouses where ideas can germinate and young startups can find shelter from the harsh elements of the business world.
Thailand has seen a proliferation of such spaces in recent years, but the soil needs constant enrichment. Collaboration between the government, private sector, and academic institutions can introduce new nutrients into the ecosystem.
This could take the form of government grants for co-working spaces, private investment in accelerator programs, or universities offering their resources as innovation hubs.
Sowing the Seeds: Talent as the Lifeblood of Innovation
With the soil ready, the next step is to sow the seeds—the entrepreneurs and innovators who will grow the ecosystem. Talent is the lifeblood of any startup ecosystem, but in Thailand, there’s a gap between the demand for skilled professionals and the supply.
This gap is akin to a gardener facing a shortage of seeds; no matter how rich the soil, without seeds, there can be no garden.
Attracting talent requires a multifaceted approach. Firstly, education and training programs need to align more closely with the needs of the modern startup ecosystem, equipping graduates not just with technical skills but with a mindset for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Secondly, Thailand can enhance its allure to foreign talent through incentives like the Smart Visa program, making it easier for overseas experts to contribute to the ecosystem.
Providing Sunlight and Water: The Role of Government and Community
For our garden to flourish, it needs sunlight and water, representing the support and resources necessary for startups to grow.
The Thai government has initiated several programs to support innovation, yet the ecosystem still thirsts for more comprehensive policies that address the needs of startups at different growth stages.
Moreover, just as plants in a garden grow stronger together, leveraging each other for support, the startup community in Thailand must foster a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Networking events, mentorship programs, and community-led initiatives can serve as the sunlight, encouraging cross-pollination of ideas and strengthening the ecosystem’s resilience.
Pruning and Grafting: Adapting to Challenges
Even the best-tended gardens face challenges, from pests to unpredictable weather. In the startup world, these challenges can be regulatory hurdles, market changes, or technological disruptions.
Adapting to these challenges requires a gardener’s touch, sometimes pruning back certain areas to allow for new growth, or grafting in new techniques and technologies to strengthen the ecosystem as a whole.
This means that Thailand’s startup ecosystem must remain flexible, with policies and support structures that can adapt to the changing landscape.
It also means encouraging startups to innovate continuously, not just in their products but in their business models and strategies.
The Fruits of Labor: A Thriving Ecosystem
As the garden matures, it begins to bear fruit, offering a bounty of economic and social benefits. For Thailand, the fruits of a thriving startup ecosystem can be transformative, driving innovation, creating jobs, and positioning the country as a leader in the Southeast Asian digital economy.
Building this garden is not the work of a single day or a single entity. It requires the collective effort of the entire community, from government agencies to private investors, from academic institutions to the startups themselves.
Together, they can turn the vision of Thailand’s startup ecosystem into a lush and vibrant garden, teeming with innovation and brimming with potential.
In the end, the journey of fostering innovation and attracting talent in Thailand’s startup ecosystem is much like gardening in an urban landscape.
With care, collaboration, and continuous adaptation, Thailand can cultivate a garden of innovation that not only thrives within its borders but also spreads its seeds of creativity and entrepreneurial spirit across the globe.
