The document discusses opportunities for entering the Southeast Asian marketplace. It notes that the region has over 650 million people and a growing internet economy projected to reach $240 billion by 2025. While the diverse cultures, regulations, currencies and geography present challenges, it also provides opportunities for startups to solve issues. The document provides best practices for international startups looking to enter the region, including entering one market at a time, leveraging local government support, and going mobile-first. It also recommends using Singapore as a regional headquarters due to its business environment.

1. Entering
Southeast Asia Marketplaces
Lars Voedisch
Founder and Principal Consultant, PRecious Communications
lars@preciouscomms.com
@larsv

2. What We'll
Discuss
Southeast Asia at a Glance
The Opportunity of a lifetime
The Startup Landscape In Southeast Asia
Shared Problems Across The Region
Best Practices For International Startups
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3. PRECIOUS COMMUNICATIONS
Headquartered in Singapore, we are an
independent regional agency made close to
50 highly adaptive, responsive, and self-
empowered people across Southeast Asia.
Worked with:
• 150 startups
• 15 unicorns
• 3 Eduardo Saverin funded ventures
• $10 billion of M&A / funding rounds
Inc. is a dedicated team specialising in
corporate, government, and business-
to-business environments.
Life offers integrated business-to-
consumer marketing and public relations
solutions that propel brands forward.
Sparks is deeply involved with an ever-
evolving environment of disruption and
innovation in the startup space.
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4. Southeast Asia
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FOCUS ON THE ASEAN 6
The six countries that are seeing the highest interest are
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam
11 Countries 650 Million People
$2.557 trillion
GDP (nominal)
More than 5%
Avg. GDP Growth

5. SOUTHEAST ASIAN
INTERNET USERS ARE THE
MOST ENGAGED IN THE
WORLD.
Internet users in Thailand spend 4 hours and 56
minutes per day using mobile internet — more than in
any other country in the world. Indonesian,
Filipino, and Malaysian users, who spend approximately
4 hours per day on mobile internet, are also among the
top 10 globally in terms of engagement
By comparison, internet users in the U.K. and in the U.S.
spend just over 2 hours per day on mobile internet,
while users in France, Germany, and Japan spend
approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes per day.
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6. THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN OPPORTUNITY
$240 billion
Southeast Asia’s internet
economy by 2025. In 2018, it
was $72 billion. It is the world’s
third largest economy.
350 million
Internet users across Indonesia,
Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam — 90 million more than in
2015.
30% Growth
In capital deployed by global investors
annually. GDP growth has increased
at a steady rate of 6% in the past
decade
- GOOGLE AND TEMASEK STUDY
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Almost 1 million people started using social media for the first time every day over the past year
That's more than 11 new users every second

7. You know LAZADA, SHOPEE, ALIEXPRESS…?
E-Commerce In SEA Is Mobile
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M O N T H L Y A C T I V E U S E R S O F M O B I L E E - C O M M E R C E S H O P P I N G A P P S A C R O S S S E A

8. SOUTHEAST ASIA'S STARTUP LANDSCAPE
VIBRANT
STARTUP
ECOSYSTEM
Between 2013 – 2018,
there were 1,142
investments totaling about
US$11B
ABUNDANCE OF
ISSUES
Provides opportunities for
startups to come in and
solve them
GEOGRAPHICAL
INTEGRATION
Allows inter border
investment and
collaboration
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9. 25,462 STARTUPS REGISTERED
IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
185 COMPANIES HAVE RAISED
OVER 100 MILLION
883 COMPANIES HAVE RAISED
OVER 10 MILLION
PONDER ON THIS
- CRUNCHBASE

10. WHAT MAKES SOUTHEAST ASIA
A CHALLENGE
CULTURE REGULATIONS CURRENCY GEOGRAPHY
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11. The bigger the challenges, the bigger the opportunities.
Because it’s such a fragmented market, an entrepreneur that has
successfully captured the regional play will make it tougher for an
outside competitor to enter, hence building in a strong defensibility.
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12. Best
Practices
ENTER ONE MARKET AT A TIME
Every pocket of the region is unique and it is difficult for any
company to transfer its success formula to SEA’s various
markets. It is important to start with the market which resonates
well with your product or service.
LEVERAGE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
If you are planning to incorporate in Singapore or have an existing
business on the verge of phenomenal growth, it will be worth your
while to tap Singapore government's grants.
GO MOBILE FIRST
Many Western-market solutions designed for desktops or tablets
do not translate well to mobile. That is why native mobile solutions
(and mobile-centric customer acquisition) have generally
outperformed in SEA.
L A R S V O E D I S C H | P R E C I O U S C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

13. Businesses need to leverage
several countries at once
ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA
SINGAPORE
Incorporate and pitch
investors
THAILAND
Leverage corporate
partnerships and
investments
VIETNAM
Set up programming
and development
teams
MALAYSIA
Establish offices for
sales and business
development
INDONESIA
Target growth markets
to scale the business
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14. SINGAPORE AS YOUR
REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS
#2 MOST
COMPETITIVE
ECONOMY IN THE
WORLD
#2 IN THE WORLD
FOR EASE OF DOING
BUSINESS
#1 IN ASIA FOR
INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY
PROTECTION
#1 IN ASIA FOR
SUSTAINABILITY
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15. QUESTIONS?
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16. L A R S V O E D I S C H | P R E C I O U S C O M M U N I C A T I O N S
We'd love to chat!
HOW TO REACH US
WEBSITE
www.preciouscomms.com
EMAIL
lars@preciouscomms.com
PRECIOUS COMMUNICATIONS HQ
4 Ang Siang Hill, Singapore 068786