LSE Generate has celebrated the launch of a Southeast Asia cluster, hosted by the Philippines and more widely supporting entrepreneurial activity in Vietnam and Indonesia.
The Southeast Asia cluster joins chapters in Thailand and Singapore to provide a platform for collaboration, capacity-building, and knowledge-sharing among entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and policy makers in the region.
The launch was celebrated with a panel discussion event at the Brittany Hotel in Taguig, Manila, featuring innovators and visionaries from the startup, corporate and government spheres from across ASEAN.
The event was opened by UK Deputy Ambassador Alistair White, who after opening remarks introduced the panel event, “Innovating for the Betterment of Society”. The speakers were LSE alumni entrepreneurs Maria Gaitanidou, co-founder and CEO of Hati Health; Yohan Iddawela, Data Scientist at the Asian Development Bank; and Anna Mae Lamentillo, founder of NightOwlGPT. The event was moderated by Head of LSE Generate, LJ Silverman.
The launch marks the beginning of an ambitious roadmap for the Southeast Asia cluster, which is supported by VistaLand, a leading real estate company. As LSE Generate’s 23rd international chapter, the cluster’s plans for 2025 include focused entrepreneurial meet-ups to enhance the alumni ecosystem in ASEAN, and the introduction of the LSE Generate Schools programme across a range of institutions in the region.
LJ Silverman, Head of LSE Generate, said: "This marks a new chapter for LSE Generate and for Southeast Asia’s entrepreneurial ecosystems. The vibrancy, talent, and ingenuity we see in the region are a perfect match for LSE Generate’s mission to champion innovation and meaningful impact. We’re not just engaging a local network; but in true LSE style we’re empowering a movement that connects ideas, people, and resources to drive lasting change. We are grateful for the support of VistaLand in making this vision a reality."
An ambassador for the cluster and founder of the award-winning app NightOwlGPT, Anna Mae Lamentillo, said: “I’m honoured to join LSE Generate’s new Southeast Asia cluster at such a pivotal moment, as we unite changemakers across ASEAN and beyond. By harnessing our region’s collective strengths in innovation, resourcefulness, and collaboration, we can accelerate transformative solutions that uplift entire communities. My hope is that our shared efforts will inspire an entrepreneurial future, not only for Southeast Asia, but for the world.”
Project sponsor, Senator Mark Villar, said: “I am proud to support LSE Generate’s new Southeast Asia cluster and its bold vision of empowering local entrepreneurs to drive sustainable growth across our region. By focusing on the ASEAN region, we can harness the extraordinary talent, creativity, and resilience that define Southeast Asia and help forge a more inclusive, innovation-led future. This collaboration with LSE underscores our collective commitment to transforming challenges into opportunities, cultivating global partnerships, and elevating the lives of our people through meaningful impact.”