Asia-Pacific Young Entrepreneurs Annual Forum 2025 Advances Regional Collaboration in Support of APEC Priorities

Asia-Pacific Young Entrepreneurs Annual Forum 2025 united young founders in Busan to drive cross-border innovation, digital growth, and inclusive cooperation.

BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA, November 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Asia-Pacific Young Entrepreneurs Annual Forum (APEA) convened on November 3 in Busan, South Korea, gathering emerging founders, innovators, and regional stakeholders to advance cross-border entrepreneurship, innovation cooperation, and sustainable development. The Forum supports APEC’s objectives of fostering inclusive growth, accelerating digital transformation, and strengthening regional integration, with a focus on empowering youth to contribute to the Asia-Pacific’s economic future.

Opening the Forum, Mr. Antonio Basilio, Director of the ABAC International Secretariat and Chair of the APEA Advisory Board, highlighted the importance of strengthening channels between young entrepreneurs and regional institutions. He emphasized that cross-economy collaboration, private-sector partnerships, and active youth engagement are essential to sustaining regional dynamism and shared prosperity, noting APEA’s role in complementing broader Asia-Pacific cooperation efforts.

In his remarks, Mr. Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, highlighted the central role of young people in shaping the APEC’s long-term vision for a dynamic, resilient, and inclusive region’s future. He emphasized that entrepreneurship, innovation, digital cooperation, and sustainability remain core to APEC’s agenda, and noted that empowering the youth strengthens the region’s ability to respond to global challenges and capture new opportunities.

Distinguished speakers - including Hon. Park Jin CBE, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea; Ms. Ma Bin, Executive Vice President of the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises; and Ms. Li Bingbing, Asia-Pacific Cultural Exchange Ambassador - stressed the value of open dialogue, cross-cultural understanding, and collaborative innovation in shaping the region’s future.

Forum discussions addressed key regional priorities, including digital capability building, responsible AI deployment, SME internationalization, and sustainable business practices. Mr. John W.H. Denton AO, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), delivered remarks via video, highlighting the importance of rules-based trade, open markets, and private-sector cooperation.

Reflecting on youth leadership, Ms. Xiaoning Lyu, Co-Founder of APEA, emphasized enabling environments for accessible innovation and cross-border collaboration, noting that shared learning and open knowledge ecosystems are critical to empowering young entrepreneurs and strengthening regional innovation capacity.

The Forum concluded with recognition of outstanding young leaders - including under-30, under-35, under-40, and women innovators - followed by the NEXTGEN Gala Dinner, which facilitated continued engagement and long-term partnership building among delegates.

The Asia-Pacific Entrepreneurs Association (APEA) remains committed to advancing youth entrepreneurship, leadership development, and cross-economy collaboration. Through initiatives aligned with APEC priorities, APEA contributes to a more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready Asia-Pacific.

The 2025 Forum reaffirmed youth as a vital force in driving regional innovation and growth. Building on momentum in Busan, APEA will continue expanding initiatives that enable next-generation leaders to contribute to APEC’s vision for shared prosperity and sustainable development.

Lucas Yuan
APEA - Asia-Pacific Entrepreneurs Association
lucas@apea.com.cn
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