Launched in 2019, ASEAN Access connects small businesses across Southeast Asia with trade intelligence, matchmaking, and training—strengthening cross-border growth through regional collaboration and digital infrastructure.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) drive nearly all business activity across Southeast Asia, yet too many still face barriers when trying to reach new markets. Limited trade intelligence, lack of export know-how, and scarce connections often keep them operating within their own borders. That’s where ASEAN Access, launched in 2019, comes in—helping entrepreneurs move from local to regional by providing one digital doorway to the entire ASEAN marketplace.
Backed by 50 public and private sector partners across the ten ASEAN member states—and led regionally by Thailand’s Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP) with support from GIZ—the platform serves as a one-stop hub for trade data, training, and matchmaking. At an ANDE East and Southeast Asia session on September 25, 2025, accelerators, incubators, and entrepreneurs explored how this digital infrastructure is reshaping cross-border commerce.
“ASEAN Access belongs to the countries—it’s a regional initiative to empower SMEs,” said Yosthana Siphomsay, Component Leader at GIZ Thailand, underscoring its collective ownership rather than a donor-driven model.
A One-Stop Gateway for Growth
ASEAN Access brings together all the essentials for market expansion—comprehensive information on tariffs, regulations, and sector opportunities, plus a verified directory of service providers in logistics, legal services, translation, and branding.
Two core features make it especially practical:
- ASEAN Access Match, which allows entrepreneurs to connect with potential partners through online meetings.
- ASEAN Access Learn, offering on-demand training on export procedures and cross-border e-commerce.
Today, the network even extends beyond Southeast Asia, linking businesses with trade organizations in Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Europe.
Real-World Value
For entrepreneurs, the platform isn’t just informational—it’s transformational.
“You have access to markets, business matching, trade regulations, and capacity building. ASEAN Access brings it all together,” said Mylene Abiva, President & CEO of Felta Multimedia Inc. and Board Secretary of the Women’s Business Council Philippines.
Her organization, WomenBizPH, partners with ASEAN Access in the Philippines to strengthen women-led enterprises.
For Onvarin Hotrabhavananda, Managing Director of Onrada Corporation in Thailand, the platform became essential during the pandemic.
“ASEAN Access not only met but exceeded my expectations by offering matchmaking, networking, and knowledge-sharing opportunities,” she said.
The platform serves both entrepreneur support organizations—who can use its tools to organize events and build networks—and individual businesses seeking new markets and visibility as service providers.
More Than a Platform
As ASEAN deepens its economic integration, ASEAN Access is helping small businesses play on a bigger stage. By combining knowledge, networks, and visibility, it gives SMEs the practical tools to scale up and compete globally—proving that regional collaboration, when done right, opens the door to shared prosperity.
This blog provides a summary of the ASEAN Access Webinar from the ANDE Member Showcase Series, an initiative that highlights the work from the selected member organizations and aims to raise awareness of ANDE members’ activities, foster collaboration and partnerships, and share practical resources and lessons learned within the entrepreneurship support ecosystem.