ASEAN Foundation Launches AIM ASEAN Programme to Empower 100,000 MSMEs with AI Skills Across Southeast Asia

iTechgo | Manila, Philippines | ASEAN Foundation Launches AIM ASEAN Programme to Empower 100,000 MSMEs with AI Skills Across Southeast Asia | The ASEAN Foundation, in partnership with AVPN through the AI Opportunity Fund: Asia Pacific and with support from Google.org and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has officially announced the launch of the AI for MSME Advancement in ASEAN (AIM ASEAN) programme. This free, regionwide initiative will run for two years and aims to accelerate AI adoption among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across all ten ASEAN Member States.

MSMEs are the backbone of Southeast Asia’s economy, yet many small businesses face challenges in keeping up with rapid technological change. AIM ASEAN is designed to close this gap by providing practical AI training that helps MSMEs modernize operations, boost online sales, manage finances, and future-proof their businesses.

Local Partners Driving Change on the Ground

To ensure local impact, the ASEAN Foundation has partnered with nine organisations across Southeast Asia to implement AIM ASEAN on the ground:

• Big BWN Project (Brunei Darussalam)
• Kenan Foundation Asia (Thailand, Viet Nam, Cambodia)
• KUMPUL Impact and Kaizen Collaborative Impact (Indonesia)
• XM Technovator (XMT) (Lao PDR)
• Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS – ASEAN Student Association (UTP-ASA) (Malaysia)
• SMEHub Asia (Myanmar)
• Project Asia Data (Singapore)

In the Philippines, Limitless Lab will spearhead the rollout beginning November 2025, with the mission of equipping Filipino MSMEs with the skills and knowledge needed to integrate AI into their businesses effectively.

Training 100,000 MSMEs in ASEAN

Through AIM ASEAN, these local partners will help train 100,000 MSMEs by developing or adapting learning materials tailored to the realities faced by entrepreneurs in their respective countries. The programme emphasizes hands-on learning, ensuring that AI skills directly translate into measurable improvements in small business operations.

Modules will be delivered via a hybrid model—combining in-person workshops, online courses, and peer support groups. Training will cover real-world applications such as:

• AI-powered marketing and smarter e-commerce strategies
• Tools for financial management and cash flow monitoring
• Enhancing efficiency in agriculture, retail, manufacturing, and services
• Building long-term resilience in digital-first economies

ASEAN’s Commitment to a Digital Future

“AIM ASEAN represents a critical step toward equipping MSMEs with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in the digital era,” said Dr. Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation. “It aligns closely with the aspirations of ASEAN Vision 2045, particularly in fostering a resilient and inclusive digital economy. By helping MSMEs understand and use AI in practical ways, we are investing in the long-term strength and sustainability of Southeast Asia’s economy.”

The programme has also been officially endorsed by the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on MSMEs (ACCMSME), cementing its position as a flagship ASEAN initiative to support small business digitalisation.

A Shared Social Mandate

“Building an AI-ready workforce is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’, it’s a shared social mandate that governments, businesses, and impact organisations must act on together,” said Naina Subberwal Batra, CEO of AVPN. “Through the AI Opportunity Fund, AVPN is working with local impact partners who bring deep community insights and sector knowledge to ensure AI upskilling is both relevant and scalable. By strengthening these on-the-ground efforts, we aim to catalyse a digital transition that ensures all workers can benefit as Southeast Asia moves towards an AI-enabled economy.”

Towards an AI-Enabled ASEAN Economy

By bridging the knowledge gap and providing customised AI training for MSMEs, AIM ASEAN supports ASEAN’s broader vision of creating a more inclusive, connected, and innovative regional economy. This programme is not just about technology—it’s about building a foundation for long-term competitiveness, resilience, and prosperity in the digital age.

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About the ASEAN Foundation

Three decades after ASEAN was established, ASEAN leaders recognised that there remained inadequate shared prosperity, ASEAN awareness, and contact among people of ASEAN. It was out of this concern that ASEAN leaders established the ASEAN Foundation during ASEAN’s 30^th Anniversary Commemorative Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 15 December 1997.

The ASEAN Foundation is an organization by and for the people of ASEAN. The Foundation exists because of one vision: to build a cohesive and prosperous ASEAN Community. As an ASEAN body, the Foundation is tasked to support ASEAN mainly in promoting awareness, identity, interaction, and development of the people of ASEAN.

For more info about the ASEAN Foundation, visit www.aseanfoundation.org.

About AVPN

AVPN is the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 600 funders and resource providers across 43 markets. Our mission is to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital in Asia by enabling members to channel resources towards impact. As an ecosystem builder, AVPN enables its members to connect, learn, act, and lead across key pillars and improve the effectiveness of deployed capital, bringing local field needs, regional expertise, and policy insights to the forefront. For more information about AVPN and our work, please visit our website and read our latest Annual Review 2023/24.