May 22, 2025
In the startup ecosystem, it’s often said that an idea is only as strong as the team behind it. While vision and a good idea is critical, it is the technical talent, the engineers, designers, and product developers, who bring ideas to life and turn them into products used by customers. One challenge continues to hold many early-stage companies back: finding capable technical co-founders and team members.
This challenge is linked to the region’s evolving education landscape. Across Asia, governments are increasing the investments in higher education and digital literacy. According to UNESCO and SEAMEO, countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, India, and the Philippines have expanded digital infrastructure and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs in universities, with the goal to bridge the gap between classroom and industry. The result is a growing number of young, technically talented people eager to join startups or launch their own.
But the amount of people with technical skills alone isn’t enough. As the 2024 Singapore Technology Talent Report highlights, the rise of AI, cloud computing, and fintech companies demand not just coders, but creative thinkers, people with both an entrepreneurial mindset and analytical skills. Many Asian universities are responding by partnering with the industry to encourage these skill sets.
Finding a technical co-founder is just the first step. For early-stage startups, even after securing a founding team, the next hurdle is hiring great people. This is where Asia’s emerging talent hubs become critical. According to NodeFlair, countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia offer access to highly skilled engineers at much lower costs compared to the U.S. or Europe. Vietnam, itself, has not only seen booming demand for coding and data science engineers, but has also become a key hiring destination for regional startups and companies in places like Singapore and Hong Kong.
Startups that can’t compete on salary alone are use other strategies to attract talent, for example by offering equity, flexible work, or clear paths for growth. Building a team in these markets requires not just a competitive offer but also an inspiring mission that can draw in top performers.
Regional startup hubs are emerging where technical talent are, in Asia these places include Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore. Further, platforms like Antler are also helping match founders with potential co-founders, addressing a key problem for many early-stage startups.
The future of Asia’s startup scene will be shaped not only by ambitious founders but also by the engineers, designers, and operators they bring on board. With a rising pool of skilled talent and increasing industry-academic collaboration, Asia is poised to become a global hub for innovation.
Sources
UNESCO and SEAMEO, “Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Southeast Asia – Technology in Education: A Tool on Whose Terms?”, 2023.
Singapore Management University (SMU) Newsroom, “The Rise of Higher Education in Asia”, April 2022.
ASEAN University Network (AUN), “Driving the Digital Transformation and Impacts of ASEAN Higher Education through Partnerships”, June 2024.
Singapore FinTech Association (SFA) and Accenture, “Singapore Technology Talent Report 2024”, 2024.
Antler, “How to Find the Perfect Co-Founder(s) For Your Startup”, May 2020.
NodeFlair, “Hiring Tech Talents in Asia: An Overview of Skills, Costs, and Potential”, October 2023.
