Lean, focused and fast-moving startups can thrive amid uncertainty

PUBLISHED : 31 Aug 2025 at 13:16

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Entrepreneurs are wired differently. While others wait for clarity, you move. And in Thailand’s 2025 business landscape, full of volatility, innovation and rapid change, uncertainty is not a barrier. It is your edge.

The Startup Boom

Thailand’s startup ecosystem is expanding fast. The country now hosts over 2,100 startups: about 700 in the pre-seed funding stage and 1,400 scaling. Since 2021, the sector has grown 3.3%, with seed-stage funding climbing 4% year-on-year.

The environment is increasingly supportive. True Digital Park in Bangkok connects over 5,800 startups, investors and partners. The government backs founders with Board of Investment matching grants up to 50 million baht, National Innovation Agency co-investment schemes and Smart Visas to attract global talent.

Key growth sectors? Financial technology, green technology and artificial intelligence. In fact, financial technology alone captured 26% of seed funding in 2024.

A Founder’s Story

Take the example of Green Spoon (a pseudonym for a real Thai FoodTech venture). In 2023, supply chain costs spiked. Investors grew nervous. Instead of retreating, the founder piloted an AI-powered demand forecasting tool. Within six months, waste fell by 20%. Confidence returned and funding followed.

The lesson? Uncertainty can crush the hesitant, but it fuels the bold.

Tools for Today’s Entrepreneurs

1. Lean startup method: Run small experiments, learn quickly and adapt before scaling.

2. No-code platforms: Build and test prototypes in days without heavy technical costs.

3. Network leverage: Tap into regional and global communities of mentors, investors and peers to stay resilient.

Principles that Separate Survivors from Thrivers

  • Experiment fast, fail smart. Pilots beat paralysis.

  • Network relentlessly. Resilience is built with allies, not alone.

  • Stay mission-obsessed. Markets shift, but your “why” keeps you anchored.

Why Small Beats Big

Large corporations drown in bureaucracy. Meetings. Committees. Delays.

You? You can pivot Monday, test Wednesday, pitch Friday. That agility is your unfair advantage. In a world where AI and green technology are upending industries almost overnight, speed is worth more than budget.

Closing Thought

Entrepreneurship is not about waiting for the fog to clear. It is about moving through the fog with confidence.

And in Thailand’s 2025 ecosystem, with government backing, thriving hubs and bold founders, those who see uncertainty as their playground will not just survive. They will shape the future.

Arinya Talerngsri is Senior Vice President, Local Partner and Managing Director at BTS Thailand (formerly SEAC), part of the BTS Group, a leading global strategy implementation firm. She is passionate about revolutionising education and creating opportunities for Thais and people worldwide. Executives and organisations looking to collaborate or learn more about leadership development, talent development, succession planning and organisational transformation can contact her directly at arinya.talerngsri@bts.com or visit her LinkedIn profile.