New 1 Billion Baht Fund to Accelerate Thai Deep Tech Startups

According to a report by Prachachat Business, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) has collaborated with the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), the Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF), the National Innovation Agency (NIA), and private sector partners to establish a 1 billion baht fund. This initiative is designed to transform university research into viable technology businesses.

The project aims to begin investing in the first two to three companies by the end of this year. Looking toward 2032, the initiative sets ambitious goals: to foster 100 deep tech companies, facilitate the listing of five firms on the stock exchange, and develop at least one tech company with a valuation reaching 1 billion USD.

For residents and expatriates, this development signals a potential shift in Thailand’s economic landscape toward a more innovation-driven market. While the fund aims to bolster the local tech ecosystem, it remains to be seen which specific research projects will be selected for the initial round of funding and how quickly these startups can scale their operations to meet the stated long-term targets. Investors and observers should monitor future announcements from the MHESI regarding the specific criteria for these investments.